Beyond the United States and Japan: Testing Yamagishi's emancipation theory of trust across 31 nations

We examined the relationship between Individualism/Collectivism and generalized social trust across 31 European nations participating in the European Social Survey. Using multi-level regression analyses, the current study provides the first empirical investigation of the effects of cultural norms of Individualism/Collectivism on generalized social trust while accounting for individuals' own cultural orientations within the same analysis. The results provide clear support for Yamagishi and Yamagishi (1994) emancipation theory of trust, showing a significant and positive relationship between Individualism/Collectivism and generalized social trust, over and above the effect of a country political history of communism and ethnic heterogeneity. Having controlled for individual effects of Individualism/Collectivism it is clear that the results of the current analysis cannot be reduced to an individual-level explanation, but must be interpreted within the context Of macrosocial processes. We conclude by discussing potential mechanisms that could explain why national individualism is more likely to foster trust among people than collectivism.

Two-colour pulsed Raman studies of the lowest excited singlet state of tetraphenylporphyrin: band assignments and electronic structure

The resonance Raman spectra of the lowest lying singlet (S-1) state of free-base tetraphenylporphyrin and seven of its isotopomers were recorded under pump-and-probe conditions with a time delay of -2 ns between pump and probe laser pulses, In the S-1 spectra of the isotopomers, as in the ground state, there are dramatic splittings of what appear to be single bands in the natural isotopic abundance spectrum. The most structurally significant bands of the S-1 state were assigned on the basis of the isotope data, In some cases it was necessary to curve fit unresolved bands in the excited-state spectra in order to account for observed intensity ratios and to rationalize isotope shifts, The changes in band positions on excitation to the S-1 state were compared with those from earlier studies on the T-1 state. The changes in band positions were found to be similar For both excited states. Most notable was the similar shift in nu(2), the most widely used marker band for orbital character. The data are interpreted as implying that the lowest lying singlet state is a configuration interaction admixture of b(1u)b(2g) + a(u)b(3g) configurations with the coefficients weighted heavily in favour of b(1n)b(2g), which Is the configuration of the T-1 state. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Permanent Genetic Resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 May 2009-31 July 2009

This article documents the addition of 512 microsatellite marker loci and nine pairs of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) sequencing primers to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Alcippe morrisonia morrisonia, Bashania fangiana, Bashania fargesii, Chaetodon vagabundus, Colletes floralis, Coluber constrictor flaviventris, Coptotermes gestroi, Crotophaga major, Cyprinella lutrensis, Danaus plexippus, Fagus grandifolia, Falco tinnunculus, Fletcherimyia fletcheri, Hydrilla verticillata, Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus, Leavenworthia alabamica, Marmosops incanus, Miichthys miiuy, Nasua nasua, Noturus exilis, Odontesthes bonariensis, Quadrula fragosa, Pinctada maxima, Pseudaletia separata, Pseudoperonospora cubensis, Podocarpus elatus, Portunus trituberculatus, Rhagoletis cerasi, Rhinella schneideri, Sarracenia alata, Skeletonema marinoi, Sminthurus viridis, Syngnathus abaster, Uroteuthis (Photololigo) chinensis, Verticillium dahliae, Wasmannia auropunctata, and Zygochlamys patagonica. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Chaetodon baronessa, Falco columbarius, Falco eleonorae, Falco naumanni, Falco peregrinus, Falco subbuteo, Didelphis aurita, Gracilinanus microtarsus, Marmosops paulensis, Monodelphis Americana, Odontesthes hatcheri, Podocarpus grayi, Podocarpus lawrencei, Podocarpus smithii, Portunus pelagicus, Syngnathus acus, Syngnathus typhle,Uroteuthis (Photololigo) edulis, Uroteuthis (Photololigo) duvauceli and Verticillium albo-atrum. This article also documents the addition of nine sequencing primer pairs and sixteen allele specific primers or probes for Oncorhynchus mykiss and Oncorhynchus tshawytscha; these primers and assays were cross-tested in both species.

The POINT-AGAPE survey: 4 high signal-to-noise microlensing candidates detected towards M 31

We have carried out a survey of the Andromeda galaxy for unresolved microlensing (pixel lensing). We present a subset of four short timescale, high signal-to-noise microlensing candidates found by imposing severe selection criteria: the source flux variation exceeds the flux of an R = 21 magnitude star and the full width at half maximum timescale is less than 25 days. Remarkably, in three out of four cases, we have been able to measure or strongly constrain the Einstein crossing time of the event. One event, which lies projected on the M 31 bulge, is almost certainly due to a stellar lens in the bulge of M 31. The other three candidates can be explained either by stars in M 31 and M 32 or by MACHOs.

IL-31 does not induce normal human ciliated epithelial cells to differentiate into a phenotype consistent with the pathophysiology of asthma

Abstract Background IL-31 is a novel cytokine that has been implicated in allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis and more recently asthma. While IL-31 has been well studied in skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, little is known about the role IL-31 plays in asthma and specifically the differentiation process of the bronchial epithelium, which is central to the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. Methods We examined the effects of IL-13 (20 ng/ml), IL-31 (20 ng/ml) and an IL-13/IL-31 combination stimulation (20 ng/ml each) on the in vitro mucociliary differentiation of paediatric bronchial epithelial cells (PBECs) from healthy patients (n=6). IL-31 receptor (IL-31-RA) expression, markers of differentiation (goblet and ciliated cells), transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), quantification of goblet and ciliated cells, real time PCR for MUC5AC, ELISA for VEGF, EGF and MCP-1 (CCL-2) and ELISA for MUC5AC were assessed. Results We found that well-differentiated PBECs expressed IL-31-RA however it's expression did not increase upon stimulation with IL-31 or either of the other treatments. TEER indicated good formation of tight junctions which was found to be similar across all treatment groups (p=0.9). We found that IL-13 alone significantly reduced the number of ciliated cells compared with unstimulated (IL-13 stimuation: mean=4.8% (SD=2.5); unstimulated: mean=15.9%, (SD=7.4), p

Correlates of health status for family caregivers in bereavement

The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to identify aspects of caregiving associated with health status among family caregivers in bereavement. Study participants included 151 family caregivers of terminally ill patients who had died, on average, 294 days prior to the study telephone interview. The interview covered two main areas: patient characteristics and caregiver characteristics. Multivariate linear regressions revealed that as the age of the care recipient (regression coefficient [b] = -0.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.48,-0.15) and caregiver (b = -0.14; 95% CI = -0.25, -0.02) increased, caregivers experienced a decline in their physical health during bereavement. Furthermore, caregivers who reported that caregiving interrupted their usual activities (b = -5.97; 95% CI = -9.79, -2.15) had a decline in physical health during bereavement. A poorer mental health status during bereavement was seen in caregivers who reported poor physical health during caregiving (b = -4.31; 95% CI = -8.17, -0.45); and that they received insufficient family support in caregiving (b = -6.01; 95% CI = -9.75, -2.27). It was also revealed that a home death was associated with higher mental health of the caregiver (b = 3.55; 95% CI = 0.26, 6.84). The practice implications of these findings are discussed in this paper.

Support for a possible schizophrenia vulnerability locus in region 5q22-31 in Irish families

In our genome scan for schizophrenia genes in 265 Irish pedigrees, marker D5S818 in 5q22 produced the second best result of the first 223 markers tested (P = 0.002). We then tested an additional 13 markers and the evidence suggests the presence of a vulnerability locus for schizophrenia in region 5q22-31. This region appears to be distinct from those chromosome 5 regions studied in two prior reports, but the same as that producing positive results in the report by Wildenauer and colleagues found elsewhere in this issue. The largest pairwise heterogeneity LOD (H-LOD) score was found with marker D5S393 (max 3.04, P = 0.0005), assuming a narrow phenotypic category, and a genetic model with intermediate heterozygotic liability. In marked contrast to the H-LOD scores from our sample with markers from the regions of interest on chromosomes 6p and 8p, expanding the disease definition to include schizophrenia spectrum or nonspectrum disorders produced substantially smaller scores, with a number of markers failing to yield positive values at any recombination fraction. Using multipoint H-LODS, the strongest evidence for linkage occurs under the narrow phenotypic definition and recessive genetic model, with a peak at marker D5S804 (max 3.35, P = 0.0002). Multipoint nonparametric linkage analysis produced a peak in the same location (max z = 2.84, P = 0.002) with the narrow phenotypic definition. This putative vulnerability locus appears to be segregating in 10-25% of the families studied, but this estimate is tentative. Comparison of individual family multipoint H-LOD scores at the regions of interest on chromosomes 6p, 8p and 5q showed that only a minority of families yield high lod scores in two or three regions.

miR-31 Dysregulation in Cystic Fibrosis Airways Contributes to Increased Pulmonary Cathepsin S Production

Rationale:
Cathepsin S (CTSS) activity is increased in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). This activity contributes to lung inflammation via degradation of antimicrobial proteins, such as lactoferrin and members of the β-defensin family.

Objectives:
In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that airway epithelial cells are a source of CTSS, and mechanisms underlying CTSS expression in the CF lung.

Methods:
Protease activity was determined using fluorogenic activity assays. Protein and mRNA expression were analyzed by ELISA, Western blotting, and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.Measurements and Main Results: In contrast to neutrophil elastase, CTSS activity was detectable in 100% of CF BAL fluid samples from patients without Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. In this study, we identified epithelial cells as a source of pulmonary CTSS activity with the demonstration that CF airway epithelial cells express and secrete significantly more CTSS than non-CF control cells in the absence of proinflammatory stimulation. Furthermore, levels of the transcription factor IRF-1 correlated with increased levels of its target gene CTSS. We discovered that miR-31, which is decreased in the CF airways, regulates IRF-1 in CF epithelial cells. Treating CF bronchial epithelial cells with a miR-31 mimic decreased IRF-1 protein levels with concomitant knockdown of CTSS expression and secretion.

Conclusions:
The miR-31/IRF-1/CTSS pathway may play a functional role in the pathogenesis of CF lung disease and may open up new avenues for exploration in the search for an effective therapeutic target.

Genomic Resources Notes Accepted 1 June 2015 - 31 July 2015

This article documents the public availability of (i) microbiomes in diet and gut of larvae from the dipteran Dilophus febrilis using massive parallel sequencing, (ii) SNP and SSR discovery and characterization in the transcriptome of the Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus, L) and (iii) assembled transcriptome for an endangered, endemic Iberian cyprinid fish (Squalius pyrenaicus).

Effects of defined mixtures of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on multiple cellular responses in the human hepatocarcinoma cell line, HepG2, using high content analysis screening

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic substances, highly resistant to environmental degradation, which can bio-accumulate and have long-range atmospheric transport potential. Most studies focus on single compound effects, however as humans are exposed to several POPs simultaneously, investigating exposure effects of real life POP mixtures on human health is necessary. A defined mixture of POPs was used, where the compound concentration reflected its contribution to the levels seen in Scandinavian human serum (total mix). Several sub mixtures representing different classes of POP were also constructed. The perfluorinated (PFC) mixture contained six perfluorinated compounds, brominated (Br) mixture contained seven brominated compounds, chlorinated (Cl) mixture contained polychlorinated biphenyls and also p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, hexachlorobenzene, three chlordanes, three hexachlorocyclohexanes and dieldrin. Human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cells were used for 2h and 48h exposures to the seven mixtures and analysis on a CellInsight™ NXT High Content Screening platform. Multiple cytotoxic endpoints were investigated: cell number, nuclear intensity and area, mitochondrial mass and membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Both the Br and Cl mixtures induced ROS production but did not lead to apoptosis. The PFC mixture induced the ROS production and likely induced cell apoptosis accompanied by the dissipation of MMP. Synergistic effects were evident for ROS induction when cells were exposed to the PFC+Br mixture. No significant effects were detected in the Br+Cl, PFC+Cl or total mixtures, which contain the same concentrations of chlorinated compounds as the Cl mixture plus additional compounds; highlighting the need for further exploration of POP mixtures in risk assessment.

Photoionization cross sections for the trans-iron element Se + from 18 to 31 eV

Absolute photoionization cross-section calculations are presented for Se + using large-scale close-coupling calculations within the Breit--Pauli and Dirac--Coulomb R -matrix approximations. The results from our theoretical work are compared with recent measurements (Esteves 2010 PhD Thesis publication number AAI3404727, University of Reno, NV, USA; Sterling et al 2011 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 44 025701; Esteves et al 2011 Phys. Rev. A 84 013406) made at the advanced light source (ALS) radiation facility in Berkeley, CA, USA. We report on results for the photon energy range 18.0--31.0 eV, which spans the ionization thresholds of the 4 S o 3/2 ground state and the low-lying 2 D o 5/2,3/2 and 2 P o 3/2,1/2 metastable states. Metastable fractions are inferred from our present work. Resonance energies and quantum defects of the prominent Rydberg resonances series identified in the spectra are compared for the 4p → n d transitions with the recent ALS experimental measurements made on this complex trans-iron element.