Washington State University

About: Washington State University is a education organization based out in Pullman, Washington, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Gene. The organization has 26947 authors who have published 57736 publications receiving 2341509 citations. The organization is also known as: WSU & Wazzu.

Hydrogen peroxide homeostasis: Activation of plant catalase by calcium/calmodulin

Abstract: Environmental stimuli such as UV, pathogen attack, and gravity can induce rapid changes in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels, leading to a variety of physiological responses in plants. Catalase, which is involved in the degradation of H2O2 into water and oxygen, is the major H2O2-scavenging enzyme in all aerobic organisms. A close interaction exists between intracellular H2O2 and cytosolic calcium in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Studies indicate that an increase in cytosolic calcium boosts the generation of H2O2. Here we report that calmodulin (CaM), a ubiquitous calcium-binding protein, binds to and activates some plant catalases in the presence of calcium, but calcium/CaM does not have any effect on bacterial, fungal, bovine, or human catalase. These results document that calcium/CaM can down-regulate H2O2 levels in plants by stimulating the catalytic activity of plant catalase. Furthermore, these results provide evidence indicating that calcium has dual functions in regulating H2O2 homeostasis, which in turn influences redox signaling in response to environmental signals in plants.

Interdisciplinarity: A Critical Assessment

Abstract: This article draws together disparate research and theorizing on interdisciplinarity. We first describe widespread efforts to promote interdisciplinarity in U.S. universities and critically examine the assumptions underlying these initiatives. Next, we present a cross-sectional view of interdisciplinary communication, knowledge diffusion, research assessment, and interdisciplinary research centers. We then describe research and theories that provide historical perspectives on the disciplinary system, interdiscipline formation, applied and professional fields, and institutional fragmentation. We present original findings on the prevalence of research centers, faculty hiring patterns in hybrid fields, and the diffusion of research across disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. The review concludes with a critical summary and suggestions for future research.

Deciding to Bribe: a Cross-Level Analysis of Firm and Home Country Influences on Bribery Activity

Abstract: Local firms in their home countries often engage in behavior that constitutes corruption, at least through some cultural lenses. One such practice is bribery of public officials. This study uses mu...

Using a case study to test the role of three key social enablers in ERP implementation

Abstract: The literature indicates that three key social enablers—strong and committed leadership, open and honest communication, and a balanced and empowered implementation team—are necessary conditions/precursors for successful ERP implementation. In a longitudinal positivist case study, we find that, while all three enablers may contribute to ERP implementation success, only strong and committed leadership can be empirically established as a necessary condition. This presents a challenge to future ERP researchers for resolving apparent contradictions between the existing literature and the results of our analysis, and for investigating the nature of interactions among the leadership, communication, and team characteristics.

A Fundamental Relation between Compact Stellar Nuclei, Supermassive Black Holes, and Their Host Galaxies

Abstract: Imaging surveys with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) have shown that ?50%-80% of low- and intermediate-luminosity galaxies contain a compact stellar nucleus at their center, regardless of host galaxy morphological type. We combine HST imaging for early-type galaxies from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey with ground-based long-slit spectra from KPNO to show that the masses of compact stellar nuclei in Virgo Cluster galaxies obey a tight correlation with the masses of the host galaxies. The same correlation is obeyed by the supermassive black holes (SBHs) found in predominantly massive galaxies. The compact stellar nuclei in the Local Group galaxies M33 and NGC 205 are also found to fall along this same scaling relation. These results indicate that a generic by-product of galaxy formation is the creation of a central massive object (CMO)?either an SBH or a compact stellar nucleus?that contains a mean fraction, ?0.2%, of the total galactic mass. In galaxies with masses greater than gal ~ a few × 1010 ?, SBHs appear to be the dominant mode of CMO formation.