Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Boards: Does One Size Fit All?

This paper re-examines (1) the relation between firm value and board structure and (2) the factors associated with cross-sectional variation in board structure. Conventional wisdom and existing empirical research suggest that firm value decreases as the size of the firm's board increases, and as the fraction of insiders on the board increases. In this paper, we argue that, contrary to conventional wisdom, some firms may benefit from having larger boards and greater fraction of insiders on the board. Outside directors serve both to monitor top management and to advise the CEO on business strategy. The monitoring role of the board has been studied extensively and the general consensus is that smaller boards are more effective at monitoring. The argument is that smaller groups are more cohesive, more productive, and can monitor the firm more effectively whereas large groups are fraught with problems such as social loafing and higher co-ordination costs. The advisory role of the board, however, has received far less attention. Since one function of board members is to provide advice and counsel to the CEO, we hypothesize that firms that require more advice (more complex firms) will need larger boards. In particular, we hypothesize that larger firms, diversified firms, and firms that rely more on debt financing, will derive greater firm value from having larger boards. Similarly, certain kinds of firms might benefit from higher insider representation on the board. Inside directors possess more firm-specific knowledge. Thus we conjecture that firms for which the firm-specific knowledge of insiders is relatively important, such as R&D-intensive firms, may derive greater value from having higher fraction of insiders on the board. Our findings are consistent with our hypotheses. For firms that have greater advising requirements, such as those that are large, diversified across industries, and rely more on debt financing, we find that Tobin's Q increases in board size. Furthermore, in firms for which the firm-specific knowledge of insiders is relatively important, such as R&D-intensive firms, Tobin's Q increases with the fraction of insiders on the board. Firms with high advising requirements have larger boards. Also, firms with high R&D have larger fraction of insiders on the board. These results challenge the notion that exchange listing requirements, mandates from institutional investors, and restrictions in the law, specifically those that limit board size and management representation on the board, necessarily enhance firm value.
Phenomenological Modeling of Hardening and Thermal Recovery in Metals

Modeling of hardening and thermal recovery in metals is considered within the context of unified elastic-viscoplastic theories. Specifically, the choices of internal variables and hardening measures, and the resulting hardening response obtained by incorporating saturation-type evolution equations into two general forms of the flow law are examined. Based on the analytical considerations, a procedure for delineating directional and isotropic hardening from uniaxial hardening data has been developed for the Bodner-Partom model and applied to a nickel-base superalloy, B1900 + Hf. Predictions based on the directional hardening properties deduced from the monotonic loading data are shown to be in good agreement with results of cyclic tests.
Exposure of erythrocytes to methylene blue shows the active role of catalase in removing hydrogen peroxide

Summary. Methylene blue (MB) is a powerful reducing agent that is widely used in clinical practice as well as for metabolic studies of the erythrocyte. We have investigated the role of catalase as a specific enzyme for the removal of hydrogen peroxide by measuring the in vitro effects of MB on human red cells. In the presence of MB, catalase underwent inactivation even with the co‐existence of active generation of NADPH, leaving the glutathione concentration unaffected. The data obtained in the present investigation show, using a different tool (MB), that catalase is the active enzyme in H2O2 detoxification and that its integrity is largely dependent on an adequate generation of NADPH.
Mindfulness and Technology: Traces of A Middle Way

We contemplate paths between form and formlessness as a middle way between digital technology for mindfulness, and mindfulness without digital technology, thereby inviting alternative departure points with interactive systems. In doing so, we step into a contested yet potentially fertile arena to challenge the handling, analysis and reporting of the relationship between mindfulness and technology and the methods used to interrogate it. Through the documenting of the authors' own creative practices (video, photography, and gardening), material traces and written vignettes of our experiments are presented to stimulate resonances and evoke mindfulness with readers. We also question the form of conference papers to consider how we can best share formless states of being in discussing their relevance for design.
Stimuli responsive nanomaterials for controlled release applications

Abstract The controlled release of therapeutics has been one of the major challenges for scientists and engineers during the past three decades. Coupled with excellent biocompatibility profiles, various nanomaterials have showed great promise for biomedical applications. Stimuli-responsive nanomaterials guarantee the controlled release of cargo to a given location, at a specific time, and with an accurate amount. In this review, we have combined the major stimuli that are currently used to achieve the ultimate goal of controlled and targeted release by “smart” nanomaterials. The most heavily explored strategies include (1) pH, (2) enzymes, (3) redox, (4) magnetic, and (5) light-triggered release.
Sjogrens syndrome--the non-apoptotic model of glandular hypofunction.

lead to glandular hypofunction. (1) inhibition of neurotransmitter release by cytokines; (2) enhanced breakdown of ACh by increased levels of cholinesterase; (3) blockade of M3R by antimuscarinic autoantibodies; (4) altered NO production; (5) perturbation of CICR by altered levels of cADPr (possibly as a result of altered NO levels); (6) altered Ca 2 þ tunnelling; and (7) altered expression or distribution of AQP5.
Novel role of cannabinoid receptor 2 in inhibiting EGF/EGFR and IGF-I/IGF-IR pathways in breast cancer

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women. Cannabinoid receptor 2 (CNR2 or CB2) is an integral part of the endocannabinoid system. Although CNR2 is highly expressed in the breast cancer tissues as well as breast cancer cell lines, its functional role in breast tumorigenesis is not well understood. We observed that estrogen receptor-α negative (ERα-) breast cancer cells highly express epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as well as insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR). We also observed IGF-IR upregulation in ERα+ breast cancer cells. In addition, we found that higher CNR2 expression correlates with better recurrence free survival in ERα- and ERα+ breast cancer patients. Therefore, we analyzed the role of CNR2 specific agonist (JWH-015) on EGF and/or IGF-I-induced tumorigenic events in ERα- and ERα+ breast cancers. Our studies showed that CNR2 activation inhibited EGF and IGF-I-induced migration and invasion of ERα+ and ERα- breast cancer cells. At the molecular level, JWH-015 inhibited EGFR and IGF-IR activation and their downstream targets STAT3, AKT, ERK, NF-kB and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). In vivo studies showed that JWH-015 significantly reduced breast cancer growth in ERα+ and ERα- breast cancer mouse models. Furthermore, we found that the tumors derived from JWH-015-treated mice showed reduced activation of EGFR and IGF-IR and their downstream targets. In conclusion, we show that CNR2 activation suppresses breast cancer through novel mechanisms by inhibiting EGF/EGFR and IGF-I/IGF-IR signaling axes.
Differential Distribution of erbB Receptors in Human Glioblastoma Multiforme: Expression of erbB3 in CD133-Positive Putative Cancer Stem Cells

Glioblastomas are the most common primary central nervous system tumors in adults, and they remain resistant to current treatments. erbB1 signaling is frequently altered in glioblastomas, suggesting thaterbB receptor family members may represent targets for molecular therapy. We performed a comprehensive analysis of erbB receptor and ligand expression profiles in a panel of 9 glioblastomas andcompared them to nonneoplastic cerebral tissue containing neocortex and adjacent white matter. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis showed that erbB1signaling and erbB2 receptors exhibited highly variable deregulation profiles in the tumors, with patterns ranging from underexpression to overexpression; in contrast, erbB3 and erbB4 were downregulated. We next performed immunohistochemistry to determinethe distribution patterns of erbB receptors among the main neuralcell types in the tumors with special reference to the putative tumor stem cell population. Results revealed intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity in all 4 erbB expression profiles, but each receptor exhibited a distinct distribution pattern among glial fibrillary acidic protein-, Olig2-, NeuN-, and CD133-positive populations. Although erbB1 immunoreactivity was detected in only small subsets of CD133-positive putative tumor stem cells, erbB3 immunoreactivity was prominent in this population, suggesting that erbB3 may represent a new potential therapeutic target.
Distinct Pathways of Nonhomologous End Joining That Are Differentially Regulated by DNA-dependent Protein Kinase-mediated Phosphorylation*

Nonhomologous end joining is the most common mechanism of DNA double-strand break repair in human cells. Here we show that nonhomologous end joining can occur by two biochemically distinct pathways. One requires a fraction containing the Mre11-Rad50-NBS1 complex. The other requires a fraction containing a novel, ∼200-kDa factor that does not correspond to any of the previously described double-strand break repair proteins. The two pathways converge, sharing a common requirement for the DNA ligase IV-XRCC4 complex to catalyze the final step of phosphodiester bond formation. Whereas the Mre11-Rad50-NBS1-dependent pathway does not require, and may be inhibited by, DNA-dependent protein kinase-mediated phosphorylation, the new pathway depends on this phosphorylation for release from a DNA-dependent protein kinase-mediated reaction checkpoint. The existence of two distinct pathways, which are differentially regulated by the DNA-dependent protein kinase, provides a possible explanation for the selective repair defects seen in DNA-dependent protein kinase-deficient mutants.
Epistemology, Assessment, Pedagogy: Where Learning Meets Analytics in the Middle Space

Learning Analytics is an emerging research field and design discipline that occupies the “middle space” between the learning sciences/educational research and the use of computational techniques to capture and analyze data (Suthers & Verbert, 2013). We propose that the literature examining the triadic relationships between epistemology (the nature of knowledge), pedagogy (the nature of learning and teaching), and assessment provide critical considerations for bounding this middle space. We provide examples to illustrate the ways in which the understandings of particular analytics are informed by this triad. As a detailed worked example of how one might design analytics to scaffold a specific form of higher order learning, we focus on the construct of epistemic beliefs: beliefs about the nature of knowledge. We argue that analytics grounded in a pragmatic, socio-cultural perspective are well placed to explore this construct using discourse-centric technologies. The examples provided throughout this paper, through emphasizing the consideration of intentional design issues in the middle space, underscore the “interpretative flexibility” (Hamilton & Feenberg, 2005) of new technologies, including analytics.
Modelling of mixed lubrication in plain bearings based on the theory of flow factors and incorporating a dry contact analysis

Three topics are considered in this thesis. The first is evaluation of the effective elastic moduli of porous materials and considers materials such as porous glass, sandstone, sintered bronze and iron materials, porous ceramics. Models with spherical pores were first considered showing good agreement for some materials but not for materials prepared by powder sintering. A number of modifications of increasing complexity were introduced accounting for non-spherical pores and their interaction. The models then compare well with experimental data for sintered materials. The other topics of the thesis can be used to model mixed lubrication in plain bearings where part of the load is carried by contacting asperities and part by the lubricant film. The roughness features affect the ability of the lubricant to flow in the gap between the surfaces and surface deflection is caused by asperity contact pressures only. A method is presented to solve dry contact problems for nominally plane surfaces using a simple elastic-plastic model at asperity contacts and a differential formulation for the elastic deflection. Periodic roughness defined over a representative area is incorporated using Fourier transforms to calculate the convolutions. The method is validated by comparison with the results of an elastic-plastic rough surface contact analysis obtained using a finite element method. A method is then developed to model the mixed lubrication problem based on the homogenised Reynolds equation where the effect of the roughness features is isolated from that of the global geometry of the bearing. Local rough problems are solved and the average effect of the roughness on lubricant flow expressed in terms of flow factors, which are functions of global film thickness. When direct asperity contact occurs the deflected shape is obtained from dry contact analysis of the representative roughness area. The global problem is then solved using the Reynolds equation modified with appropriate flow factors taking the mean contact pressure obtained from the local problem into account in load determination. The homogenised method is validated against the series of deterministic solutions and cases of surfaces with measured roughness are presented.
Trimeric Membrane-anchored gp41 Inhibits HIV Membrane Fusion*

The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein is composed of a receptor binding subunit, gp120 that is non-covalently linked to the membrane-anchored fusion protein, gp41. Triggered by cellular receptor binding, the trimeric envelope complex mediates the fusion of viral and cellular membranes through the rearrangement of the fusion protein subunit into a six-helical bundle core structure. Here we describe the biophysical and functional properties of a membrane-anchored fragment of gp41 (gp41ctm) that includes the complete C-terminal heptad repeat region 2, the connecting part, and the transmembrane region. We show that the transmembrane domain of the envelope glycoprotein is sufficient for trimerization in vitro, contributing most of the α-helical content of gp41ctm. Trimeric gp41ctm is protease-resistant and recognizes neutralizing antibodies 2F5 and 4E10. However, gp41ctm and gp41ctm proteoliposomes elicit no clear neutralizing immune responses in preliminary mouse studies. We further show that gp41ctm and surprisingly also gp41ctm proteoliposomes have potent anti-viral activity. Our data suggest that liposome-anchored gp41ctm exerts its inhibitory action outside of the initial fusion contact site, and its implications for the fusion reaction are discussed.
Models for the Eremenko–Lyubich class

If f is in the Eremenko–Lyubich class B (transcendental entire functions with bounded singular set), then Ω={z:|f(z)|>R} and f|Ω must satisfy certain simple topological conditions when R is sufficiently large. A model (Ω,F) is an open set Ω and a holomorphic function F on Ω that satisfy these same conditions. We show that any model can be approximated by an Eremenko–Lyubich function in a precise sense. In many cases, this allows the construction of functions in B with a desired property to be reduced to the construction of a model with that property, and this is often much easier to do.
Congenital contractural arachnodactyly Report of four additional families and review of literature

We report here four families with congenital contractural arachnodactyly (CCA) in which a wide range of phenotypic expression is observed. In one family with a large number of affected individuals the condition is mildly expressed. These individuals usually have crumpled ears, camptodactyly with ulnar deviation of the fingers, adducted thumbs, limited elbow and/or knee extension, and hypoplasia of the calf muscles. Arachnodactyly is not a constant feature. No spinal deformities are present and only the proband has clubfoot deformities. With time, affecteds have experienced spontaneous improvement of their contractures and their condition in adulthood has not interfered with a normal lifestyle. Within this family there is little phenotypic variation between affected individuals. Those affected within each of the other families have had varying degrees of severity of the condition. A review of 29 other kindreds described in the literature with congenital contractural arachnodactyly shows that in this condition the most common features are abnormally formed ears, camptodactyly, arachnodactyly, adducted thumbs, limited movement of the elbows and knees, and underdevelopment of the calf muscles. Spontaneous improvement of the contractures with age is reported in 94% of cases. Kyphosis, scoliosis or kyphoscoliosis occurred in 50% and these defects were present in those who where more severely affected with CCA. No ocular problems have been reported in this syndrome, but congenital heart defects have occurred in 14.7%. Marfan syndrome is the most important condition to differentiate from congenital contractural arachnodactyly since these two conditions are similar phenotypically. However, in the former there are frequently serious ocular and cardiovascular problems which lead to significant morbidity and/or early death.
Safety Climate of Commercial Vehicle Operation Report # MATC-UI : 125 Final Report

The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the information presented herein. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation University Transportation Centers Program, in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the contents or use thereof. Safety Climate of Commercial Vehicle Operation Report # MATC-UI: 125 Final Report
Constraining Climate Sensitivity from the Seasonal Cycle in Surface Temperature

Abstract The estimated range of climate sensitivity has remained unchanged for decades, resulting in large uncertainties in long-term projections of future climate under increased greenhouse gas concentrations. Here the multi-thousand-member ensemble of climate model simulations from the climateprediction.net project and a neural network are used to establish a relation between climate sensitivity and the amplitude of the seasonal cycle in regional temperature. Most models with high sensitivities are found to overestimate the seasonal cycle compared to observations. A probability density function for climate sensitivity is then calculated from the present-day seasonal cycle in reanalysis and instrumental datasets. Subject to a number of assumptions on the models and datasets used, it is found that climate sensitivity is very unlikely (5% probability) to be either below 1.5–2 K or above about 5–6.5 K, with the best agreement found for sensitivities between 3 and 3.5 K. This range is narrower than most prob.
CRISPR/Cas9 Promotes Functional Study of Testis Specific X-Linked Gene In Vivo

Mammalian spermatogenesis is a highly regulated multistage process of sperm generation. It is hard to uncover the real function of a testis specific gene in vitro since the in vitro model is not yet mature. With the development of the CRISPR/Cas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated 9) system, we can now rapidly generate knockout mouse models of testis specific genes to study the process of spermatogenesis in vivo. SYCP3-like X-linked 2 (SLX2) is a germ cell specific component, which contains a Cor1 domain and belongs to the XLR (X-linked, lymphocyte regulated) family. Previous studies suggested that SLX2 might play an important role in mouse spermatogenesis based on its subcellular localization and interacting proteins. However, the function of SLX2 in vivo is still elusive. Here, to investigate the functions of SLX2 in spermatogenesis, we disrupted the Slx2 gene by using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Since Slx2 is a testis specific X-linked gene, we obtained knockout male mice in the first generation and accelerated the study process. Compared with wild-type mice, Slx2 knockout mice have normal testis and epididymis. Histological observation of testes sections showed that Slx2 knockout affected none of the three main stages of spermatogenesis: mitosis, meiosis and spermiogenesis. In addition, we further confirmed that disruption of Slx2 did not affect the number of spermatogonial stem cells, meiosis progression or XY body formation by immunofluorescence analysis. As spermatogenesis was normal in Slx2 knockout mice, these mice were fertile. Taken together, we showed that Slx2 itself is not an essential gene for mouse spermatogenesis and CRISPR/Cas9 technique could speed up the functional study of testis specific X-linked gene in vivo.
Monocular Stereo Measurement Using High-Speed Catadioptric Tracking

This paper presents a novel concept of real-time catadioptric stereo tracking using a single ultrafast mirror-drive pan-tilt active vision system that can simultaneously switch between hundreds of different views in a second. By accelerating video-shooting, computation, and actuation at the millisecond-granularity level for time-division multithreaded processing in ultrafast gaze control, the active vision system can function virtually as two or more tracking cameras with different views. It enables a single active vision system to act as virtual left and right pan-tilt cameras that can simultaneously shoot a pair of stereo images for the same object to be observed at arbitrary viewpoints by switching the direction of the mirrors of the active vision system frame by frame. We developed a monocular galvano-mirror-based stereo tracking system that can switch between 500 different views in a second, and it functions as a catadioptric active stereo with left and right pan-tilt tracking cameras that can virtually capture 8-bit color 512×512 images each operating at 250 fps to mechanically track a fast-moving object with a sufficient parallax for accurate 3D measurement. Several tracking experiments for moving objects in 3D space are described to demonstrate the performance of our monocular stereo tracking system.