Counterfeits of luxury brands: exploring the role of lawfulness and legality

This study examines the influence of personality factors and attitudes toward consumers? willingness to knowingly purchase counterfeit luxury brands. The findings have uncovered contrasting evidence that attitudes do not influence consumers? willingness to purchase counterfeit luxury brands. Integrity has been noted to be a strong influencer of both attitudes and consumer willingness to purchase consistently. Both buyers and non- buyers were tested for their attitudinal differences. Status consumption and materialism did not play a role in influencing attitudes or willingness to purchase. Further managerial implications were provided to better allow luxury brand owners, the government and policy makers to better understand consumers of counterfeit luxury brands

The homozygous K280N troponin T mutation alters cross-bridge kinetics and energetics in human HCM

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic form of left ventricular hypertrophy, primarily caused by mutations in sarcomere proteins. The cardiac remodeling that occurs as the disease develops can mask the pathogenic impact of the mutation. Here, to discriminate between mutation-induced and disease-related changes in myofilament function, we investigate the pathogenic mechanisms underlying HCM in a patient carrying a homozygous mutation (K280N) in the cardiac troponin T gene (TNNT2), which results in 100% mutant cardiac troponin T. We examine sarcomere mechanics and energetics in K280N-isolated myofibrils and demembranated muscle strips, before and after replacement of the endogenous troponin. We also compare these data to those of control preparations from donor hearts, aortic stenosis patients (LVHao), and HCM patients negative for sarcomeric protein mutations (HCMsmn). The rate constant of tension generation following maximal Ca2+ activation (k ACT) and the rate constant of isometric relaxation (slow k REL) are markedly faster in K280N myofibrils than in all control groups. Simultaneous measurements of maximal isometric ATPase activity and Ca2+-activated tension in demembranated muscle strips also demonstrate that the energy cost of tension generation is higher in the K280N than in all controls. Replacement of mutant protein by exchange with wild-type troponin in the K280N preparations reduces k ACT, slow k REL, and tension cost close to control values. In donor myofibrils and HCMsmn demembranated strips, replacement of endogenous troponin with troponin containing the K280N mutant increases k ACT, slow k REL, and tension cost. The K280N TNNT2 mutation directly alters the apparent cross-bridge kinetics and impairs sarcomere energetics. This result supports the hypothesis that inefficient ATP utilization by myofilaments plays a central role in the pathogenesis of the disease

Neutron diffraction studies of La<SUB>4</SUB>BaCu<SUB>4</SUB>MO<SUB>13+&#948;</SUB> (M = Ni and Co) oxides

The structures of La4BaCu4NiO13.20 and La4BaCu4CoO13.35 oxides synthesized in NaOH-KOH flux at 450&#176;C were studied using powder neutron diffraction Rietveld analysis. These oxides crystallize in a tetragonal structure in the P4/m space group with Ni3+ or Co3+ partially occupying 6-coordinated (1a) and 5-coordinated (4j) sites of the La4BaCu5O13+&#948; system. Increase in oxygen content with Ni and Co substitution is reflected in the increase in unit-cell volume, compared with that of the parent La4BaCu5O13+&#948;

Neutron diffraction study of superconducting RESr(2)Cu(3-x)M(x)O(z) (M=Re,W)

Superconductivity has recently been reported in RESr(2)CU(2.85)Re(0.15)O(x) (RE = Y,Tb,Dy,Ho,Er and Tm) and RESr(2)Cu(2.80)W(0.20)O(x) (RE = Y, Dy, Ho and Er) with T-c ranging from 22 to 41 K. Room temperature powder neutron diffraction studies have been carried out for obtaining structural parameters and their relation with superconductivity in these materials. Reitveld refinements were carried out adopting the space groups P4/mmm (tetragonal). Occupancy of the rare earths is less than 1 indicating vacancy at the rare earth sites. Cu(2)-O distance in RESr(2)Cu(3-x)M(x)O(z) (M = Re and W) is smaller than that of REBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta) which is consistent with the smaller ionic radius of Sr2+. Our studies show that the M-cations (Re or W) occupy the Cu(1) chain site

Neutron diffraction study of superconducting RESr<SUB>2</SUB>Cu<SUB>3&#8722;x</SUB>M<SUB>x</SUB>O<SUB>z</SUB> (M = Re, W)

Superconductivity has recently been reported in RESr<SUB>2</SUB>Cu<SUB>2.85</SUB>Re<SUB>0.15</SUB>O<SUB>z</SUB> (RE = Y, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Tm) and RESr<SUB>2</SUB>Cu<SUB>2.80</SUB>W<SUB>0.20</SUB>O<SUB>z</SUB> (RE = Y, Dy, Ho and Er) with T<SUB>c</SUB> ranging from 22 to 41 K. Room temperature powder neutron diffraction studies have been carried out for obtaining structural parameters and their relation with superconductivity in these materials. Reitveld refinements were carried out adopting the space groups P4/mmm (tetragonal). Occupancy of the rare earths is less than 1 indicating vacancy at the rare earth sites. Cu(2)-O distance in RESr<SUB>2</SUB>Cu<SUB>3&#8722;x</SUB>M<SUB>x</SUB>O<SUB>z</SUB> (M = Re and W) is smaller than that of REBa<SUB>2</SUB>Cu<SUB>3</SUB>O<SUB>7&#8722;&#948;</SUB> which is consistent with the smaller ionic radius of Sr<SUP>2+</SUP>. Our studies show that the M-cations (Re or W) occupy the Cu(1) chain site

A systemic evaluation of cardiac differentiation from mRNA reprogrammed human induced pluripotent stem cells

10.1371/journal.pone.0103485PLoS ONE97e10348

Structural anomalies in RBa<SUB>2</SUB>Cu<SUB>3-x</SUB>Co<SUB>x</SUB>O<SUB>7&#177;&#948; </SUB> (R= rare earth) defect perovskites

A series of oxides RBa2Cu2CoO7+&#948;(R = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd and Er) has been synthesized and found to crystallize in an orthorhombic YBa2Cu3O7-&#948;(123)-like structure. X-ray electron and neutron diffraction studies of LaBa2Cu3-xCoxO7&#177;&#948; showed that for smaller concentrations of Co (0.05&#8804;x&#8804;0.3) the oxides crystallize in a tetragonal structure, and for higher concentrations, (0.3&#8804;x&#8804;1), in an orthorhombic structure. LaBa2Cu2CoO7+&#948; showed an orthorhombic to tetragonal structural transition with decreasing oxygen content, and thermal desorption of oxygen from LaBa2Cu2CoO7.35 supported the presence of two types of labile oxygens, O(1) at (0&#189;0) and O(6) at ( 00&#189;). All members of RBa2Cu2CoO7+&#948; were semiconducting and the degree of orthorhombicity decreased with decreasing size of the central rare earth ion. Superconductivity was quenched faster in LaBa2Cu3-xCoxO7&#177;&#948; for a lower value of x = 0.1, unlike in the case of YBa2Cu3-xCoxO7&#177;&#948; where superconductivity persists up to x = 0.35. The compounds with x &#8805;0.2 were all semiconducting. Magnetic susceptibility studies on LaBa2Cu3-xCoxO7&#177;&#948; suggest a mixed valent state for cobalt

Codificación de la calidad de agua de la cuenca del río Grande de Tárcoles: Costa Rica.

Se muestra la primera codificación de la calidad de las aguas de la Cuenca 24, Costa Rica mediante la aplicación de un Índice de Calidad (ICA) que reduce un volumen muy grande de información, la expone de manera simple permitiendo una rápida interpretación del problema de la calidad de las aguas.Este instrumento de valoración anual puede ser aplicado de forma continua para estimar la tendencia de la calidad de las aguas en el tiempo y espacio. El período de estudio es de 2 años (1981 - 1982) y cubre una red hídrica de 220 km de longitud, con 58 estaciones de muestreo, de los principales ríos y quebradas que drenan el área de estudio