How Do Motivations for Commitment in Online Brand Communities Evolve? The Distinction Between Knowledge- and Entertainment-Seeking Motivations

The current study used the concept of motivational hierarchy to investigate how commitment is developed in online brand communities. By examining the online brand communities of two functional (Canon and Nikon) and two symbolic brands (Coca-Cola and Starbucks), the study focused on two pragmatic motives, knowledge- and entertainment-seeking motives, that served as the members’ initial drives to participate in online brand communities. The findings suggested that different initial motives followed different hierarchical routes to form commitment. Specifically, members with knowledge-seeking motives to participate in online brand communities became committed via two routes: with or without symbolic motives. On the other hand, entertainment-seeking members became committed only via the route through symbolic motives. Pragmatic and symbolic motives were connected by satisfaction, which could be seen as a proxy whether or not the pragmatic and symbolic motives were fulfilled

Hodge-theoretic mirror symmetry for toric stacks

Using the mirror theorem [CCIT15], we give a Landau-Ginzburg mirror description for the big equivariant quantum cohomology of toric Deligne-Mumford stacks. More precisely, we prove that the big equivariant quantum D-module of a toric Deligne-Mumford stack is isomorphic to the Saito structure associated to the mirror Landau-Ginzburg potential. We give a GKZ-style presentation of the quantum D-module, and a combinatorial description of quantum cohomology as a quantum Stanley-Reisner ring. We establish the convergence of the mirror isomorphism and of quantum cohomology in the big and equivariant setting

Kan replacement of simplicial manifolds

We establish a functor $Kan$ from local Kan simplicial manifolds to weak Kan simplicial manifolds. It gives a solution to the problem of extending local Lie groupoids to Lie 2-groupoids.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, Lemma 2.2 improved, Prop.-Def. 2.3 modified. to appear in Letters in Mathematical Physic

Muon Pair Production by Electron-Photon Scatterings

The cross section for muon pair productions by electrons scattering over photons, $\sigma_{MPP}$, is calculated analytically in the leading order. It is pointed out that for the center-of-mass energy range, $s \geq 5 m^{2}_{\mu}$, the cross section for $\sigma_{MPP}$ is less than $1 \mu$b. The differential energy spectrum for either of the resulting muons is given for the purpose of high-energy neutrino astronomy. An implication of our result for a recent suggestion concerning the high-energy cosmic neutrino generation through this muon pair is discussed.Comment: a comment added, to appear in Phys. Rev. D, Rapid Communicatio

Laser pulse annealing of ion-implanted GaAs

GaAs single-crystals wafers are implanted at room temperature with 400-keV Te + ions to a dose of 1×10^15 cm^–2 to form an amorphous surface layer. The recrystallization of this layer is investigated by backscattering spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy after transient annealing by Q-switched ruby laser irradiation. An energy density threshold of about 1.0 J/cm^2 exists above which the layer regrows epitaxially. Below the threshold the layer is polycrystalline; the grain size increases as the energy density approaches threshold. The results are analogous to those reported for the elemental semiconductors, Si and Ge. The threshold value observed is in good agreement with that predicted by the simple model successfully applied previously to Si and Ge

A mutation in amino acid permease AAP6 reduces the amino acid content of the Arabidopsis sieve elements but leaves aphid herbivores unaffected

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the amino acid permease gene AAP6 in regulating phloem amino acid composition and then to determine the effects of this altered diet on aphid performance. A genotype of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) was produced in which the function of the amino acid permease gene AAP6 (At5g49630) was abolished. Plants homozygous for the insertionally inactivated AAP6 gene had a significantly larger mean rosette width than the wild type and a greater number of cauline leaves. Seeds from the aap6 mutant were also significantly larger than those from the wild-type plants. Sieve element (SE) sap was collected by aphid stylectomy and the amino acids derivatized, separated, and quantified using Capillary Electrophoresis with Laser Induced Fluorescence (CE-LIF). In spite of the large variation across samples, the total amino acid concentration of SE sap of the aap6 mutant plants was significantly lower than that of the wild-type plants. The concentrations of lysine, phenylalanine, leucine, and aspartic acid were all significantly lower in concentration in the aap6 mutant plants compared with wild-type plants. This is the first direct demonstration of a physiological role for an amino acid transporter in regulating SE composition in vivo. The amino acid availability in sieve element sap is thought to be the major limiting factor for aphid growth and reproduction. Despite the changes in their diet, the aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) displayed only small changes in feeding behaviour on mutant plants when measured using the Electronic Penetration Graph (EPG) technique. Salivation by the aphid into the SE (E1 phase) was increased on mutant plants but there was no significant effect on other feeding EPG behaviours, or in the rate of honeydew production. Consistent with the small effect on aphid feeding behaviour, there was only a small effect of reduced sieve element amino acid concentration on aphid reproduction. The data are discussed in relation to the regulation of phloem composition and the role of phloem amino acids in regulating aphid performance

Inhibition of dengue virus replication by novel inhibitors of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and protease activities

Dengue virus (DENV) is the leading mosquito-transmitted viral infection in the world. With more than 390 million new infections annually, and up to 1 million clinical cases with severe disease manifestations, there continues to be a need to develop new antiviral agents against dengue infection. In addition, there is no approved anti-DENV agents for treating DENV-infected patients. In the present study, we identified new compounds with anti-DENV replication activity by targeting viral replication enzymes – NS5, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and NS3 protease, using cell-based reporter assay. Subsequently, we performed an enzyme-based assay to clarify the action of these compounds against DENV RdRp or NS3 protease activity. Moreover, these compounds exhibited anti-DENV activity in vivo in the ICR-suckling DENV-infected mouse model. Combination drug treatment exhibited a synergistic inhibition of DENV replication. These results describe novel prototypical small anti-DENV molecules for further development through compound modification and provide potential antivirals for treating DENV infection and DENV-related diseases

Applications of Transmission Electron Microscopy to Coal

Coal consists of a hydrocarbon matrix in which minerals are embedded. The hydrocarbon matter also contains impurities distributed as individual atoms. Thus, coal has phases similar to those in metallic or ceramic alloy systems; a matrix, included precipitates and atoms distributed individually in solid solution. Consequently, techniques of electron microscopy developed to examine metallic and ceramic alloy systems are directly applicable to coal. We report application of microanalytical techniques of electron microscopy to coal using examples of measurements for several coals. Identification and characterization of clays and sulfides is described. Use of x-ray emission spectroscopy for organic element measurement is emphasized