Reducing Confusion about Grounded Theory and Qualitative Content Analysis: Similarities and Differences

Although grounded theory and qualitative content analysis are similar in some respects, they differ as well; yet the differences between the two have rarely been made clear in the literature. The purpose of this article was to clarify ambiguities and reduce confusion about grounded theory and qualitative content analysis by identifying similarities and differences in the two based on a literature review and critical reflection on the authors’ own research. Six areas of difference emerged: (a) background and philosophical base, (b) unique characteristics of each method, (c) goals and rationale of each method, (d) data analysis process, (e) outcomes of the research, and (f) evaluation of trustworthiness. This article provides knowledge that can assist researchers and students in the selection of appropriate research methods for their inquiries

Activation of two types of brain glutamate dehydrogenase isoproteins by gabapentin

AbstractThe stimulatory effects of gabapentin on the activities of two types of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) isoproteins homogeneously purified from bovine brain have been studied at various conditions. When the effects of different gabapentin concentrations on GDH activities were studied in the direction of reductive amination of 2-oxoglutarate with NADPH as a coenzyme, a marked activation was observed for both isoproteins, whereas both isoproteins showed activation to a lesser extent with NADH as a coenzyme. Stimulatory effects of gabapentin on GDH activities in the direction of the oxidative deamination of glutamate were also observed, but to a much lesser extent than reductive amination. There were big differences between the two GDH isoproteins in their sensitivity to the action of gabapentin. The largest activation was observed with GDH II when NADPH was used as a coenzyme. Half-maximal stimulation was reached at around 1.5 mM. Gabapentin relieved the inhibition of GDH isoproteins by GTP and this resulted in an increase in the apparent activation by gabapentin in the presence of GTP. 2-Oxoglutarate was found to give rise to high substrate inhibition and gabapentin reduced the substrate inhibition in the presence of 0.2 mM NADH. Since there are neurodegenerative disorders in which GDH activity is decreased, the therapeutic modulation of the activity of this enzyme may be clinically useful

Cored Dark Matter halos in the Cosmic Neutrino Background

We study the impact of the interaction between DM and the cosmic neutrino background on the evolution of galactic dark matter halos. The energy transfer from the neutrinos to the dark matter can heat the center of the galaxy and make it cored. This effect is efficient for the small galaxies such as the satellite galaxies of the Milky Way and we can put conservative constraint on the non-relativistic elastic scattering cross section as $\sigma_{\chi\nu}\lesssim 10^{-31} {\rm cm}^2$ for 0.1 keV dark matter and 0.1 eV neutrino.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

What motivates people to post comments online?

Cyberbullying, i.e., posting malicious comments online, has been identified as a critical social issue in the online and social media context. As a way to prevent cyberbullying, it is important to promote online prosocial behavior. This study examines what motivates people to post benevolent comments as online prosocial behavior in the online context. For this purpose, we first adopt an exploratory study to identify decision factors in terms of social exchange decision making. We then undertake a main study by developing a theoretical research model based on the identified decision factors. The testing results explain what and how those explored factors affect the posting of benevolent comments online in the social media context. The study has its theoretical contribution in demonstrating the decision factors leading to the posting of benevolent comments by extending the social exchange theory. It also has its practical implications by providing guidance for promoting online prosocial behavior

Classification of Fermionic Topological Orders from Congruence Representations

The fusion rules and braiding statistics of anyons in $(2+1)$D fermionic topological orders are characterized by the modular data of a super-modular category. On the other hand, the modular data of a super-modular category form a congruence representation of the $\Gamma_\theta$ subgroup of the modular group $\mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{Z})$. We provide a method to classify the modular data of super-modular categories by first obtaining the congruence representations of $\Gamma_\theta$ and then building candidate modular data out of those representations. We carry out this classification up to rank $10$. We obtain both unitary and non-unitary modular data, including all previously known unitary modular data, and also discover new classes of modular data of rank $10$. We also determine the central charges of all these modular data, without explicitly computing their modular extensions.Comment: 32 pages, 2 figures, 6 table

Stress-induced Alterations in Mast Cell Numbers and Proteinase-activated Receptor-2 Expression of the Colon: Role of Corticotrophin-releasing Factor

This study was performed in order to assess whether acute stress can increase mast cell and enterochromaffin (EC) cell numbers, and proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) expression in the rat colon. In addition, we aimed to investigate the involvement of corticotrophin-releasing factor in these stress-related alterations. Eighteen adult rats were divided into 3 experimental groups: 1) a saline-pretreated non-stressed group, 2) a saline-pretreated stressed group, and 3) an astressin-pretreated stressed group. The numbers of mast cells, EC cells, and PAR2-positive cells were counted in 6 high power fields. In proximal colonic segments, mast cell numbers of stressed rats tended to be higher than those of non-stressed rats, and their PAR2-positive cell numbers were significantly higher than those of non-stressed rats. In distal colonic segments, mast cell numbers and PAR2-positive cell numbers of stressed rats were significantly higher than those of non-stressed rats. Mast cell and PAR2-positive cell numbers of astressin-pretreated stressed rats were significantly lower than those of saline-pretreated stressed rats. EC cell numbers did not differ among the three experimental groups. Acute stress in rats increases mast cell numbers and mucosal PAR2 expression in the colon. These stress-related alterations seem to be mediated by release of corticotrophin-releasing factor