The Choice of E-Channel for Experience Goods

Consumers seek different information depending on the attributes of each product. Conventional wisdom states that experience goods are known to be better for traditional channels (physical stores) while search goods are amenable to electronic channels (virtual shopping sites). However, recent research reveals that consumers show no preference of the tangibility about the experience good. Drawing on media richness theory we attempt to identify the role of perceived richness of web-enabled information. Contrary to the common acceptance that only search goods are amenable to e-channel transactions, we anticipate that the moderating effect of web-facilitated experience helps lessen the negative effect of experience attributes of products on the choice of e-channel to buy experience goods

The Influence of Interactivity on E-service Offerings: An Empirical Examination of Benefits and Risks

News reports of Internet-based security breaches, identity theft, fraud, and other dangers may increase the perceived risk and decrease the perceived benefits of using electronic services (or e-services). We examine whether interactivity serves as a means to diminish the perceived risks and increase the perceived benefits of using e-services. To examine interactivity’s influence on consumers’ perceptions, we conducted a laboratory experiment using a simulated web-based, online payment system. When compared to a non-interactive preview of an online payment system, we found that consumers who used an interactive e-service simulation reported higher perceived involvement and authenticity as well as higher intangibility and risks of e-services. Further, we found that interactivity moderated relationships such that consumers were more likely to report higher intentions to use e-services. The paper concludes with implications for research and practice

A lipid gating mechanism for the channel-forming O antigen ABC transporter

Extracellular glycan biosynthesis is a widespread microbial protection mechanism. In Gram-negative bacteria, the O antigen polysaccharide represents the variable region of outer membrane lipopolysaccharides. Fully assembled lipid-linked O antigens are translocated across the inner membrane by the WzmWzt ABC transporter for ligation to the lipopolysaccharide core, with the transporter forming a continuous transmembrane channel in a nucleotide-free state. Here, we report its structure in an ATP-bound conformation. Large structural changes within the nucleotide-binding and transmembrane regions push conserved hydrophobic residues at the substrate entry site towards the periplasm and provide a model for polysaccharide translocation. With ATP bound, the transporter forms a large transmembrane channel with openings toward the membrane and periplasm. The channel’s periplasmic exit is sealed by detergent molecules that block solvent permeation. Molecular dynamics simulation data suggest that, in a biological membrane, lipid molecules occupy this periplasmic exit and prevent water flux in the transporter’s resting state

Towards More Precise Survey Photometry for PanSTARRS and LSST: Measuring Directly the Optical Transmission Spectrum of the Atmosphere

Motivated by the recognition that variation in the optical transmission of the atmosphere is probably the main limitation to the precision of ground-based CCD measurements of celestial fluxes, we review the physical processes that attenuate the passage of light through the Earth's atmosphere. The next generation of astronomical surveys, such as PanSTARRS and LSST, will greatly benefit from dedicated apparatus to obtain atmospheric transmission data that can be associated with each survey image. We review and compare various approaches to this measurement problem, including photometry, spectroscopy, and LIDAR. In conjunction with careful measurements of instrumental throughput, atmospheric transmission measurements should allow next-generation imaging surveys to produce photometry of unprecedented precision. Our primary concerns are the real-time determination of aerosol scattering and absorption by water along the line of sight, both of which can vary over the course of a night's observations.Comment: 41 pages, 14 figures. Accepted PAS

Characterization of the proneural gene regulatory network during mouse telencephalon development

BACKGROUND: The proneural proteins Mash1 and Ngn2 are key cell autonomous regulators of neurogenesis in the mammalian central nervous system, yet little is known about the molecular pathways regulated by these transcription factors. RESULTS: Here we identify the downstream effectors of proneural genes in the telencephalon using a genomic approach to analyze the transcriptome of mice that are either lacking or overexpressing proneural genes. Novel targets of Ngn2 and/or Mash1 were identified, such as members of the Notch and Wnt pathways, and proteins involved in adhesion and signal transduction. Next, we searched the non-coding sequence surrounding the predicted proneural downstream effector genes for evolutionarily conserved transcription factor binding sites associated with newly defined consensus binding sites for Ngn2 and Mash1. This allowed us to identify potential novel co-factors and co-regulators for proneural proteins, including Creb, Tcf/Lef, Pou-domain containing transcription factors, Sox9, and Mef2a. Finally, a gene regulatory network was delineated using a novel Bayesian-based algorithm that can incorporate information from diverse datasets. CONCLUSION: Together, these data shed light on the molecular pathways regulated by proneural genes and demonstrate that the integration of experimentation with bioinformatics can guide both hypothesis testing and hypothesis generation

Towards High-Repetition-Rate Fast Neutron Sources Using Novel Enabling Technologies

High-flux, high-repetition-rate neutron sources are of interest in studying neutron-induced damage processes in materials relevant to fusion, ultimately guiding designs for future fusion reactors. Existing and upcoming petawatt laser systems show great potential to fulfill this need. Here, we present a platform for producing laser-driven neutron beams based on a high-repetition-rate cryogenic liquid jet target and an adaptable stacked lithium and beryllium converter. Selected ion and neutron diagnostics enable monitoring of the key parameters of both beams. A first single-shot proof-of-principle experiment successfully implemented the presented platform at the Texas Petawatt Laser facility, achieving efficient generation of a forward-directed neutron beam. This work lays the foundation for future high-repetition-rate experiments towards pulsed, high-flux, fast neutron sources for radiation-induced effect studies relevant for fusion science and applications that require neutron beams with short pulse duration

Indication for the disappearance of reactor electron antineutrinos in the Double Chooz experiment

The Double Chooz Experiment presents an indication of reactor electron antineutrino disappearance consistent with neutrino oscillations. A ratio of 0.944 $\pm$ 0.016 (stat) $\pm$ 0.040 (syst) observed to predicted events was obtained in 101 days of running at the Chooz Nuclear Power Plant in France, with two 4.25 GW$_{th}$ reactors. The results were obtained from a single 10 m$^3$ fiducial volume detector located 1050 m from the two reactor cores. The reactor antineutrino flux prediction used the Bugey4 measurement as an anchor point. The deficit can be interpreted as an indication of a non-zero value of the still unmeasured neutrino mixing parameter \sang. Analyzing both the rate of the prompt positrons and their energy spectrum we find \sang = 0.086 $\pm$ 0.041 (stat) $\pm$ 0.030 (syst), or, at 90% CL, 0.015 $<$ \sang $\ <$ 0.16.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, (new version after PRL referee's comments

Beaked whales respond to simulated and actual navy sonar

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Public Domain declaration. The definitive version was published in PLoS One 6 (2011): e17009, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0017009.Beaked whales have mass stranded during some naval sonar exercises, but the cause is unknown. They are difficult to sight but can reliably be detected by listening for echolocation clicks produced during deep foraging dives. Listening for these clicks, we documented Blainville's beaked whales, Mesoplodon densirostris, in a naval underwater range where sonars are in regular use near Andros Island, Bahamas. An array of bottom-mounted hydrophones can detect beaked whales when they click anywhere within the range. We used two complementary methods to investigate behavioral responses of beaked whales to sonar: an opportunistic approach that monitored whale responses to multi-day naval exercises involving tactical mid-frequency sonars, and an experimental approach using playbacks of simulated sonar and control sounds to whales tagged with a device that records sound, movement, and orientation. Here we show that in both exposure conditions beaked whales stopped echolocating during deep foraging dives and moved away. During actual sonar exercises, beaked whales were primarily detected near the periphery of the range, on average 16 km away from the sonar transmissions. Once the exercise stopped, beaked whales gradually filled in the center of the range over 2–3 days. A satellite tagged whale moved outside the range during an exercise, returning over 2–3 days post-exercise. The experimental approach used tags to measure acoustic exposure and behavioral reactions of beaked whales to one controlled exposure each of simulated military sonar, killer whale calls, and band-limited noise. The beaked whales reacted to these three sound playbacks at sound pressure levels below 142 dB re 1 µPa by stopping echolocation followed by unusually long and slow ascents from their foraging dives. The combined results indicate similar disruption of foraging behavior and avoidance by beaked whales in the two different contexts, at exposures well below those used by regulators to define disturbance.The research reported here was financially supported by the United States (U.S.) Office of Naval Research (www.onr.navy.mil) Grants N00014-07-10988, N00014-07-11023, N00014-08-10990; the U.S. Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (www.serdp.org) Grant SI-1539, the Environmental Readiness Division of the U.S. Navy (http://www.navy.mil/local/n45/), the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Submarine Warfare Division (Undersea Surveillance), the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Science and Technology) (http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/), U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ocean Acoustics Program (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/acoustics/), and the Joint Industry Program on Sound and Marine Life of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (www.soundandmarinelife.org)

Opioid receptors in GtoPdb v.2023.1

Opioid and opioid-like receptors are activated by a variety of endogenous peptides including [Met]enkephalin (met), [Leu]enkephalin (leu), &#946;-endorphin (&#946;-end), &#945;-neodynorphin, dynorphin A (dynA), dynorphin B (dynB), big dynorphin (Big dyn), nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ); endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 are also potential endogenous peptides. The Greek letter nomenclature for the opioid receptors, &#956;, &#948; and &#954;, is well established, and NC-IUPHAR considers this nomenclature appropriate, along with the symbols spelled out (mu, delta, and kappa), and the acronyms, MOP, DOP, and KOP [124, 101, 92]. However the acronyms MOR, DOR and KOR are still widely used in the literature. The human N/OFQ receptor, NOP, is considered 'opioid-related' rather than opioid because, while it exhibits a high degree of structural homology with the conventional opioid receptors [304], it displays a distinct pharmacology. Currently there are numerous clinically used drugs, such as morphine and many other opioid analgesics, as well as antagonists such as naloxone. The majority of clinically used opiates are relatively selective &#956; agonists or partial agonists, though there are some &#956;/&#954; compounds, such as butorphanol, in clinical use. &#954; opioid agonists, such as the alkaloid nalfurafine and the peripherally acting peptide difelikefalin, are in clinical use for itch

Opioid receptors in GtoPdb v.2021.3

Opioid and opioid-like receptors are activated by a variety of endogenous peptides including [Met]enkephalin (met), [Leu]enkephalin (leu), &#946;-endorphin (&#946;-end), &#945;-neodynorphin, dynorphin A (dynA), dynorphin B (dynB), big dynorphin (Big dyn), nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ); endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 are also potential endogenous peptides. The Greek letter nomenclature for the opioid receptors, &#956;, &#948; and &#954;, is well established, and NC-IUPHAR considers this nomenclature appropriate, along with the symbols spelled out (mu, delta, and kappa), and the acronyms, MOP, DOP, and KOP. [121, 100, 91]. The human N/OFQ receptor, NOP, is considered 'opioid-related' rather than opioid because, while it exhibits a high degree of structural homology with the conventional opioid receptors [294], it displays a distinct pharmacology. Currently there are numerous clinically used drugs, such as morphine and many other opioid analgesics, as well as antagonists such as naloxone, however only for the &#956; receptor