1,423 research outputs found

    Evaluation of Mobility Modes on Lunar Exploration Traverses - Marius Hills, Copernicus Peaks, and Hadley Apennines Missions

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    Energy and time costs of lunar walking or riding traverses, and scientific tasks on J-type missions, and capabilities of A7L suits and life support system

    Understanding fans' responses to the sponsor of a rival team

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    Research Question What factors determine fans’ responses to the sponsor of a rival team? To what extent does higher in-group fan identification, more positive prior attitudes to the sponsor, and a more congruent fit between the sponsor and club, cause denigration or mitigate negative outcomes for the sponsor? Research Methods 300 questionnaires were collected from fans of English Premier League (EPL) football teams Newcastle United and Sunderland allowed us to test our model of sponsorship responses. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to evaluate each hypothesis. Results and Findings Brands will gain greater benefits from sponsorships deemed to be congruent with the rival team and where a higher pre-sponsorship attitude exists. More highly identified fans tend to pay greater attention to the sponsor of their rival team. We find that schadenfreude is a better predictor of affective and behavioural responses than fan identification, despite its popularity in recent research involving rival fans. Implications Brand managers concerned about the size and scope of out-groups can employ our findings to more effectively configure sponsorship activities

    Don't Distract Me When I'm Media Multitasking: Toward a Theory for Raising Advertising Recall and Recognition

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    Media multitasking, such as using handheld devices like smartphones and tablets while watching TV, has become prevalent but its effect on the recall and recognition of advertising subject to limited academic research. We contend that the context in which multitasking takes place affects consumer memory for advertising delivered via the primary activity (e.g., watching television). Specifically, we identify the importance of the degree of (a) congruence between the primary and second screen activity and (b) social accountability of second screen activities. We test our typology empirically by examining the determinants of next day recall and recognition for billboard advertisers (perimeter board advertisements) of a televised football (soccer) match. In line with our theory, in most cases media multitasking leads to worse recall and recognition, however, in situations where there is congruence between primary and second screen activities and secondary activities have a higher level of social accountability attached to them, then advertising recall and recognition improves

    MyD88 adapter-like (Mal)/TIRAP interaction with TRAF6 is critical for TLR2- and TLR4-mediated NF-kappaB proinflammatory responses

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    Toll/interleukin-1 (TIR)receptor-containing adapters are critical in orchestrating the different signal transduction pathways following Toll-like receptor (TLR) activation. MyD88 adapter-like (Mal), also termed TIRAP, is involved in bridging MyD88 to the receptor complex for TLR-2 and TLR4 signaling in response to bacterial infection. We have previously reported an interaction between Mal and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) via a TRAF6-binding motif, the disruption of which inhibited TLR-mediated NF-kappaB-luciferase reporter activity. Given the recent report of intracellular TRAM localization promoting sequential signaling in TLR4 responses, we further characterized Mal interaction with TRAF6, the cellular localization, and the outcomes of disrupting this association on TLR inflammatory responses. We found that Mal and TRAF6 directly interact in response to TLR2 and TLR4 stimulation, although membrane localization is not necessary to facilitate interaction. Critically, reconstitution of murine Mal-deficient macrophages with MalE190A, containing a mutation within the TRAF6-binding motif, fails to reconstitute the proinflammatory response to TLR2 and TLR4 ligands compared with wild type Mal. Furthermore, Mal interaction with TRAF6 mediates Ser phosphorylation of the p65 subunit of NF-kappaB and thus controls transcriptional activation but not nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB. This study characterizes the novel role for Mal in facilitating the direct recruitment of TRAF6 to the plasma membrane, which is necessary for TLR2- and TLR4-induced transactivation of NF-kappaB and regulation of the subsequent pro-inflammatory response

    Small heat-shock proteins interact with a flanking domain to suppress polyglutamine aggregation

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    Small heat-shock proteins (sHsps) are molecular chaperones that play an important protective role against cellular protein misfolding by interacting with partially unfolded proteins on their off-folding pathway, preventing their aggregation. Polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat expansion leads to the formation of fibrillar protein aggregates and neuronal cell death in nine diseases, including Huntington disease and the spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs). There is evidence that sHsps have a role in suppression of polyQ-induced neurodegeneration; for example, the sHsp alphaB-crystallin (αB-c) has been identified as a suppressor of SCA3 toxicity in a Drosophila model. However, the molecular mechanism for this suppression is unknown. In this study we tested the ability of αB-c to suppress the aggregation of a polyQ protein. We found that αB-c does not inhibit the formation of SDS-insoluble polyQ fibrils. We further tested the effect of αB-c on the aggregation of ataxin-3, a polyQ protein that aggregates via a two-stage aggregation mechanism. The first stage involves association of the N-terminal Josephin domain followed by polyQ-mediated interactions and the formation of SDS-resistant mature fibrils. Our data show that αB-c potently inhibits the first stage of ataxin-3 aggregation; however, the second polyQ-dependent stage can still proceed. By using NMR spectroscopy, we have determined that αB-c interacts with an extensive region on the surface of the Josephin domain. These data provide an example of a domain/region flanking an amyloidogenic sequence that has a critical role in modulating aggregation of a polypeptide and plays a role in the interaction with molecular chaperones to prevent this aggregation

    Efficacy and toxicity outcomes for patients treated with focal salvage high dose rate brachytherapy for locally recurrent prostate cancer

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    Introduction Isolated local recurrence of prostate cancer following primary radiotherapy or brachytherapy may be treated with focal salvage high dose rate brachytherapy, although there remains an absence of high quality evidence to support this approach. Methods Men with prostate cancer treated consecutively between 2015 and 2018 using 19 Gy in a single fraction high dose rate brachytherapy (HDR) for locally recurrent prostate cancer were identified from an institutional database. Univariable analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between patient, disease and treatment factors with biochemical progression free survival (bPFS). Results 43 patients were eligible for evaluation. Median follow up duration was 26 months (range 1–60). Median bPFS was 35 months (95% confidence interval 25.6–44.4). Kaplan-Meier estimates for bPFS at 1, 2 and 3 years post salvage were 95.2%, 70.6% and 41.8% respectively. On univariable Cox regression analysis, only nadir PSA was significantly associated with bPFS although the majority of patients were also treated with androgen deprivation therapy. Only one late grade 3 genitourinary toxicity was observed. Conclusion Focal salvage HDR brachytherapy may provide good biochemical control with a low risk of severe toxicity. Further evaluation within clinical trials are needed to establish its role in the management of locally recurrent prostate cancer

    Haemolysis and haem oxygenase-1 induction during persistent "asymptomatic" malaria infection in Burkinabé children

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    BACKGROUND: The haemolysis associated with clinical episodes of malaria results in the liberation of haem, which activates the enzyme haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1). HO-1 has been shown to reduce neutrophil function and increase susceptibility to invasive bacterial disease. However, the majority of community-associated malaria infections are subclinical, often termed "asymptomatic" and the consequences of low-grade haemolysis during subclinical malaria infection are unknown. STUDY DESIGN AND RESULTS: As part of an ongoing study of subclinical malaria in Burkina Faso, 23 children with subclinical Plasmodium falciparum infections (determined by qPCR) were compared with 21 village-matched uninfected control children. Infected children showed evidence of persistent haemolysis over 35 days, with raised plasma haem and HO-1 concentrations. Concentrations of IL-10, which can also directly activate HO-1, were also higher in infected children compared to uninfected children. Regression analysis revealed that HO-1 was associated with haemolysis, but not with parasite density, anaemia or IL-10 concentration. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that subclinical P. falciparum malaria infection is associated with sustained haemolysis and the induction of HO-1. Given the association between HO-1, neutrophil dysfunction and increased risk of Salmonella bacteraemia, prolonged HO-1 induction may explain epidemiological associations and geographic overlap between malaria and invasive bacterial disease. Further studies are needed to understand the consequences of persistent subclinical malaria infection, low-grade haemolysis and raised HO-1 on immune cell function and risk of comorbidities

    Configuring perceived fit to mitigate consumer animosity in the context of cross-border sport sponsorships

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    Research question: While cross-border sport sponsorships are widespread, such partnerships introduce a notable complication – consumers in one country may dislike the sponsor’s country of origin (COO). This raises the question as to whether animosity towards a sponsor’s COO negatively affects sponsorship outcomes, and if so, how it can be addressed. For the latter, we examine holistic sponsor-object fit as well as a set of its constituent elements. Research methods: Data collection pertained to a brand engaged in a hypothetical sponsorship. Study 1 involves a Serbian brand sponsoring the Croatia national football team and for Study 2 German sponsors of the England national football team. Survey data are analyzed using a latent modeling approach. Results and findings: Study 1 shows that animosity reduces consumers’ attitude towards the sponsorship. However, higher perceived sponsor-object fit weakens this effect. Study 2 replicates this finding, and on a more granular level establishes the moderating properties of several sub-dimensions of fit. Congruence in color, personality and status ameliorate animosity. Implications: We outline implications for sponsors operating in environments where their COO invokes animosity and how sponsor-object fit may mitigate this
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