Information systems can serve as intermediaries between the buyers and the sellers in a market creating an "electronic marketplace" that lowers the buyers' cost to acquire information about seller ...prices and product offerings. As a result, electronic marketplaces reduce the inefficiencies caused by buyer search costs, in the process reducing the ability of sellers to extract monopolistic profits while increasing the ability of markets to optimally allocate productive resources. This article models the role of buyer search costs in markets with differentiated product offerings. The impact of reducing these search costs is analyzed in the context of an electronic marketplace, and the allocational efficiencies such a reduction can bring to a differentiated market are formalized. The resulting implications for the incentives of buyers, sellers, and independent intermediaries to invest in electronic marketplaces are explored. Finally, the possibility to separate price information from product attribute information is introduced, and the implications of designing markets promoting competition along each of these dimensions are discussed.
•Oxytocin affects the expression of ER components.•Oxytocin changes the distribution of the ER signal inside hippocampal neuronal cells.•Oxytocin increases calreticulin protein levels in a ...time-dependent manner.
Despite the known importance of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in protein synthesis and vesicular transport, it is not clear whether neuropeptide and neuromodulator oxytocin can directly affect components of the ER in neuronal cells. Therefore, in the present study, we hypothesize that incubation of hippocampal neuronal cells in a presence of oxytocin 1) plays a role in the regulation of the expression of selected ER chaperone components and molecules involved in unfolded protein response pathway 2) affects distribution of the intracellular fluorescence signal highly selective for the ER. We found that oxytocin (1 μM) after 60 min significantly decreased the gene expression of oxidoreductase Ero1β, chaperone glucose-regulated proteins (Grp) 78 and Grp94. A significant decrease in GRP78 protein levels in response to oxytocin treatment occurred after 30, 60 and 120 min. We also observed a time-dependent increase in calreticulin protein levels with a statistically significant increase observed after 360 min. We found that the dynamics of the ER network changes significantly within 2 h of incubation under the influence of oxytocin. In conclusion we have shown that ER chaperones, oxidoreductases and trafficking molecules in neuronal cells are changing in response to oxytocin treatment in a short-term scenario potentially relevant for growth of dendrites and axons.
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•The oxytocin modifies synaptic proteins in early brain development.•The effect is accompanied by reduced expression of Neuroligin 3 in the CA3 hippocampal area.•The oxytocin ...stimulates proliferation of neurons.
An alteration of oxytocin signaling during postnatal maturation of the brain could be associated with etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders among them autism. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of oxytocin in the regulation of expression of selected cell-adhesion molecules and scaffolding proteins in the hippocampus in early rat development. Oxytocin treatment (1 mg/ml, i.p., 50 μl/pup) at postnatal days P2–P3 resulted in the reduction of Neuroligin 3 gene expression, and was accompanied by lower SHANK1 and SHANK3 mRNA levels in the hippocampus at P5 day. Immunostaining revealed a clear trend for the lower density of Neuroligin 3 positive cells in the hippocampus and this trend has been significant in the CA3 hippocampal area. The significantly lower Neurexin 2β mRNA levels were observed in response to oxytocin treatment, with no effect seen in the Neurexin 2α gene expression. No change has been observed in the gene expression of Neuroligin 1 and Neuroligin 2. Oxytocin induced an increase in the mRNA levels of Neuron-Specific Enolase (NSE) and a decrease in the mRNA levels of glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) - marker of astrocytes. Incubation of primary neuronal cells with oxytocin (1 μM, 48 h) stimulated a proliferation of NSE-positive cells. These results suggest that synaptic proteins could be under control of oxytocin in early stages of brain development. The changes of cell-adhesion molecule and scaffolding protein levels might be linked to the modulation of number of neuronal cells.
Synthesis of environmental-friendly chemicals attracts high attention nowadays, especially when naturally occurring compounds and industrial side-products are utilized. This paper reports for the ...first time on biolubricant (isoamyl oleate) production via continuous enzymatic reaction in microfluidic reactors (H-Cube™, X-Cube™). The proposed esterification was catalyzed using Novozym 435 enzyme, while substrates used were renewable raw materials: oleic acid and isoamyl alcohol. The latter is a main component of fusel oil, the by-product of bioethanol technology. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the feasibility of the above-mentioned bioconversion in solvent-free media, considered as a cleaner way ahead. The successful applicability of miniaturized, continuous flow reactors for the biocatalytic reaction was demonstrated since isoamyl oleate could be obtained as long as 144 h in the H-Cube™ without any significant loss of enzyme activity. The highest conversion (98%) was achieved in X-Cube™. The results indicated that biocatalysts loading, residence time of reactants and dewatering of reaction mixture are important parameters and facilitate improved process efficiency.
•A biolubricant was produced by enzymatic esterification.•The applicability of miniaturized continuous flow reactors was demonstrated.•Solvent free system was suitable for isoamyl oleate production.
•Polystyrene nanoplastics cause a wide spectrum of severe congenital malformations in the chick embryo.•We provide the first evidence that nanoplastics cause severe defects in the heart and great ...vessels.•We show that the mechanism of toxicity of nanoplastics is the binding of nanoplastics to neural crest cells.•This is the first evidence that nanoplastics disrupt the migration and survival of an embryonic population of stem cells.
Nanomaterials are widespread in the human environment as pollutants, and are being actively developed for use in human medicine. We have investigated how the size and dose of polystyrene nanoparticles affects malformations in chicken embryos, and have characterized the mechanisms by which they interfere with normal development. We find that nanoplastics can cross the embryonic gut wall. When injected into the vitelline vein, nanoplastics become distributed in the circulation to multiple organs. We find that the exposure of embryos to polystyrene nanoparticles produces malformations that are far more serious and extensive than has been previously reported. These malformations include major congenital heart defects that impair cardiac function. We show that the mechanism of toxicity is the selective binding of polystyrene nanoplastics nanoparticles to neural crest cells, leading to the death and impaired migration of those cells. Consistent with our new model, most of the malformations seen in this study are in organs that depend for their normal development on neural crest cells. These results are a matter of concern given the large and growing burden of nanoplastics in the environment. Our findings suggest that nanoplastics may pose a health risk to the developing embryo.
ABSTRACT The overtone and multi-mode RR Lyrae stars in the globular cluster M3 are studied using a 200 day long, , and time-series photometry obtained in 2012. 70% of the 52 overtone variables ...observed show some kind of multi-periodicity (with additional frequency at frequency ratio, Blazhko effect, double/multi-mode pulsation, and period doubling). A signal at the 0.587 frequency ratio to the fundamental-mode frequency is detected in the double-mode star, V13, which may be identified as the second radial overtone mode. If this mode identification is correct, than V13 is the first RR Lyrae star showing triple-mode pulsation of the first three radial modes. Either the Blazhko effect or the frequency (or both of these phenomena) appears in seven double-mode stars. The period ratio of RRd stars showing the Blazhko effect are anomalous. A displacement of the main frequency component at the fundamental mode with the value of modulation frequency (or its half), is detected in three Blazhko RRd stars that are parallel with the appearance of the overtone-mode pulsation. The frequency appears in RRc stars that lie at the blue side of the double-mode region and in RRd stars, raising the suspicion that its occurrence may be connected to double-mode pulsation. The changes of the Blazhko and double-mode properties of the stars are also reviewed using the recent and archive photometric data.
Abstract The present study is aimed at testing the hypothesis that an enriched environment (EE) induces sex-dependent changes in stress hormone release and in markers of increased brain plasticity. ...The focus was on hypothalamic – pituitary – adrenocortical (HPA) axis activity, plasma levels of stress hormones, gene expression of glutamate receptor subunits and concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in selected brain regions. Rats exposed to EE were housed in groups of 12 in large cages with various objects, which were frequently changed, for 6 weeks. Control animals were housed four per cage under standard conditions. In females the EE-induced rise in hippocampal BDNF, a neurotrophic factor associated with increased neural plasticity, was more pronounced than in males. Similar sex-specific changes were observed in BDNF concentrations in the hypothalamus. EE also significantly attenuated oxytocin and aldosterone levels only in female but not male rats. Plasma testosterone positively correlated with hippocampal BDNF in female but not male rats housed in EE. In male rats housing in EE led to enhanced levels of testosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), this was not seen in females. Hippocampal glucocorticoid but not mineralocorticoid receptor levels decreased in rats housed in EE irrespective of sex. Housing conditions failed to modify mRNA levels of glutamate receptor type 1 (Glur1) and metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGlur5) subunits of glutamate receptors in the forebrain. Moreover, a negative association between corticosterone and BDNF was observed in both sexes. The results demonstrate that the association between hormones and changes in brain plasticity is sex related. In particular, testosterone seems to be involved in the regulatory processes related to neuroplasticity in females.
Neuropeptide oxytocin contributes to the regulation of the neuron differentiation and cell morphology. However, the precise mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Oxytocin receptor function and its ...coupling to calcium entry are obvious objects of interest in relation to the neuron morphology. Postsynaptic scaffolding proteins including SHANK proteins interact with other synaptic molecules and change dendritic morphology. SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line represents a useful neurobiological in vitro model to study the short-term oxytocin effects on neurite outgrowth and underlying mechanisms. In the present study, we show that oxytocin induces an increase in the intracellular calcium in SH-SY5Y cells. Specificity of the calcium influx was verified by blockade of the oxytocin receptors with oxytocin receptor antagonist L-371,257. Neurite outgrowth stimulated by oxytocin was inhibited by specific voltage-gated calcium channel blockers. The exposure of SH-SY5Y cells to oxytocin resulted in a significant increase in the gene expression of SHANK1 and SHANK3 proteins. Overall, the present data indicate that oxytocin may contribute to the regulation of scaffolding proteins expression known to be associated with clusters of calcium channels at the cell membrane. It appears that oxytocin stimulated neurite outgrowth is, at least, in part dependent on the voltage-gated calcium channels.
Abstract
We present the first simultaneous photometric and spectroscopic investigation of a large set of RR Lyrae variables in a globular cluster. The radial-velocity (RV) data presented comprise the ...largest sample of RVs of RR Lyrae stars ever obtained. The target is M3; BVIC time series of 111 and b flux data of further 64 RRab stars and RV data of 79 RR Lyrae stars are published. Blazhko modulation of the light curves of 47 per cent of the RRab stars is detected. The mean value of the centre-of-mass velocities of RR Lyrae stars is −146.8 km s−1 with 4.52 km s−1 standard deviation, which is in good agreement with the results obtained for the red giants of the cluster. The Φ21RV phase difference of the RV curves of RRab stars is found to be uniformly constant both for the M3 and for Galactic field RRab stars; no period or metallicity dependence of the Φ21RV is detected. The Baade–Wesselink distances of 26 non-Blazhko variables with the best phase-coverage RV curves are determined; the corresponding distance of the cluster, 10 480 ± 210 pc, agrees with the previous literature information. A quadratic formula for the Apuls − AV relation of RRab stars is given, which is valid for both OoI and OoII variables. We also show that (V − I)0 of RRab stars measured at light minimum is period dependent; there is at least 0.1 mag difference between the colours at minimum light of the shortest and longest period variables.
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