Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cross-Border Bank Acquisitions: Is there a Performance Effect?

This paper uses a unique database that includes deal and bank balance sheet information for 220 cross-border acquisitions between 1996 and 2003 to analyze the characteristics and performance effects of international takeovers on target banks. A discrete choice estimation shows that banks are more likely to get acquired in a cross-border deal if they are large, bad performers, in a small country, and when the banking sector is concentrated. Post-acquisition performance for target banks does not improve in the first 2 years relative to domestically-owned financial institutions. This result is explained by a decrease in the banks’ net interest margin in developed countries and an increase in overhead costs in emerging economies.
Amphipathic α-Helix Mediates the Heterodimerization of Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase

Abstract Soluble guanylyl cyclase (soluble GC) is an enzyme consisting of αand β subunits and catalyzes the conversion of GTP to cGMP. The formation of the heterodimer is essential for the activity of soluble GC. Each subunit of soluble GC has been shown to comprize three functionally different parts: a C-terminal catalytic domain, a central dimerization domain, and an N-terminal regulatory domain. The central dimerization domain of the β1 subunit, which contains an N-terminal binding site (NBS) and a C-terminal binding site (CBS), has been postulated to be responsible for the formation of α/β heterodimer. In this study, we analyzed heterodimerization by the pull-down assay using the affinity between a histidine tag and Ni2+ Sepharose after co-expression of various N- and C-terminally truncated FLAG-tagged mutants of the α1 subunit and the histidine-tagged wild type of the β1 subunit in the vaculovirus/Sf9 system, and demonstrated that the CBS-like sequence of the α1 subunit is critical for the formation of the heterodimer with the β1 subunit and the NBS-like sequence of the α1 subunit is essential for the formation of the enzymatically active heterodimer, although this particular sequence was not involved in heterodimerization. The analysis of the secondary structure of the α1 subunit predicted the existence of an amphipathic α-helix in residues 431–464. Experiments with site-directed α1 subunit mutant proteins demonstrated that the amphipathicity of the α-helix is important for the formation of the heterodimer, and Leu463 in the α-helix region plays a critical role in the formation of a properly arranged active center in the dimer.
Effects of Life Stress, Social Support, and Cultural Norms on Parenting Styles Among Mainland Chinese, European Canadian, and Chinese Canadian Immigrant Mothers

The effects of life stress, social support, cultural beliefs, and social norms on parenting styles were examined for mainland Chinese (MC), Chinese Canadian (CC) and European Canadian (EC) mothers of 2- to 6-year-old children. Authoritarian parenting increased with stress and traditional parenting beliefs and decreased with social support. EC mothers used less authoritarian parenting than either CC or MC mothers. This cultural difference was fully mediated by stress. For authoritative parenting, there was a country of residence effect, which was not mediated; MCs were less authoritative than either CCs or ECs. All mothers were more authoritative when less stressed, when they had lower traditional childrearing beliefs, and when they were more individualist. The results suggest the importance of the immediate social environment in influencing these cultural differences.
Wishing to work: New perspectives on how adolescents’ part-time work intensity is linked to educational disengagement, substance use, and other problem behaviours

This study examines interrelations among students’ educational engagement, desired and actual school-year employment, substance use, and other problem behaviours. Cross-sectional findings from representative samples of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students in the United States, totalling over 300,000 respondents surveyed during the years 1992–1998, include the following: Large majorities of adolescents wish to work part-time during the school year, although most in earlier grades are not actually employed. Those who desire to work long hours tend to have low grades and low college aspirations; they are also more likely than average to use cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. Students’ preferences for part-time work emerge at younger ages (i.e., earlier grades) than actual work, and the preferences show equal or stronger correlations with educational disengagement and problem behaviours.
Residual neurovascular function and retinotopy in a case of hemianopia.

INTRODUCTION For occipital cortex strokes resulting in vision disorders, questions about the viability of residual visual cortex remain. CLINICAL PICTURE In a patient with a one-year-old, left, complete, homonymous hemianopia due to a right, posterior cerebral artery, ischaemic infarct, we assessed the visual cortex with fMRI retinotopic mapping prior to starting vision restoration therapy. OUTCOME The patient was found to have residual neurovascular function and retinotopic representation in the surviving visual cortex around the infarcted area. CONCLUSION The ability to respond to stimuli in part of the blind field, though not consciously perceived, suggests the potential for recovery.
The role of CD4+ T cells in the induction of contact hypersensitivity to mercury in a murine model

Background: The exact immunopathogenesis of contact hypersensitivity (CH) to mercury remains unclear. Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the role of CD4+ T cells in mercury-induced CH in mice. Methods: Splenic CD4+ T cells obtained from nonsensitized and mercury-sensitized Balb/c mice were adoptively transferred to groups I and II of the syngeneic recipients, respectively. All recipients were ear-challenged with mercury. The next experiments were to transfer nonsensitized CD4+ T cells to group A of the recipients, whereas mercury-sensitized CD4+ T cells were transferred to groups B and C. Groups A and B were ear-challenged with mercury, whereas group C was ear-challenged with chromium. The ear swelling 24 hours and 48 hours after challenge was used to assess CH. Results: The results of the present study showed that mercury-sensitized but not nonsensitized CD4+ T cells could transfer CH in mice. Furthermore, mercury-sensitized CD4+ T cells could transfer the induction of CH only in the recipients that were challenged with mercury, but not those that were challenged with chromium. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that mercury-induced CH may be mediated by mercury-specific CD4+ T cells.
Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation to treat aplastic anaemia

Aplastic anaemia (AA) consists of pancytopenia and empty bone marrow. Its incidence varies worldwide but predominates in developing countries. Diverse aetiologies are involved, with autoimmunity at the centre of the p-icture. For the 70% of patients with the severe and very severe forms of AA and who lack a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling, immunosuppressive therapy (IST) is key in treating the disease, with a remission rate close to 70%, an 80 – 90% 5-year survival rate in responding patients and a relapse rate close to 10%. For the 30% with a sibling donor available, h-aematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) from bone marrow or peripheral blood has up to a 90% chance of cure, with a 5 – 10% graft rejection/failure rate. Patients who fail IST (25 – 30%) and lack a sibling donor can benefit from CD34+-enriched, p-artially T cell-depleted unrelated stem cell transplants, with a g-eneral survival rate up to 37%, the newest source of stem cells for this modality being cord blood. Non-myeloablative, irradiation-free co-nditioning regimens offer appreciable benefits, and new immunosuppressive agents, such as fludarabine and alemtuzumab, have been incorporated with promising preliminary results. Graft-versus-host disease, graft failure and infections remain significant challenges in HSCT for which innovative treatment strategies are being developed at present.
An adenovirus mRNA which encodes a 14,700-Mr protein that maps to the last open reading frame of region E3 is expressed during infection

The E3 regions of adenovirus types 2 and 5, respectively, are known to synthesize proteins of 19,000 Mr (19K) and 11.6K, but information regarding the identity and characterization of other potential E3 proteins encoded by the six remaining open reading frames (ORFs) is lacking. In this study, we show that the last ORF of region E3, which encodes a 14.7K protein, is expressed in adenovirus-infected cells. This information was largely derived from analysis of an E3 deletion mutant (H2dl801) in which an extensive deletion (1,939 base pairs) was found to eliminate all ORFs except for two proteins of 12.5K and 14.7K. The 14.7K protein was translated from RNA isolated from H2dl801-infected cells that had been hybridization selected to E3 DNA; hybridization-selected RNA from wild-type adenovirus type 5-infected cells translated both the 19K and the 14.7K proteins. Moreover, an antiserum directed against a bacterial 14.7K fusion protein (A. E. Tollefson and W. S. M. Wold, J. Virol. 62:33-39, 1988) immunoprecipitated the 14.7K translation product synthesized by wild-type and mutant H2dl801 adenovirus mRNAs.
The Effects of Nano Fillers on Space Charge Distribution in Cross-Linked Polyethylene

The performance of polymeric insulation will be distorted by the accumulation of space charge. This will lead to local electric field enhancement within the insulation material that can cause degradation and electrical breakdown. The introduction of nanofillers in the insulation material is expected to reduce the space charge effect. However, there is a need to analyze potential nanofillers to determine the best option. Therefore, the objective of this research work is to examine two types of nanofillers for Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE); Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and Acrylic (PA40). The effects of these nanofillers were measured using the Pulsed-Electro Acoustic (PEA) method. The development of space charge is observed at three different DC voltage levels in room temperature. The results show that hetero charge distribution is dominant in pure XLPE materials. The use of both nanofiller types have significant effect in decreasing the space charge accumulation. With nanofillers, the charge profile changed to homo-charge distribution, suppressing the space charge formation. Comparison between both the nanofillers show that PA40 has better suppression performance than ZnO.
Scalable Model Selection for Belief Networks

We propose a scalable algorithm for model selection in sigmoid belief networks (SBNs), based on the factorized asymptotic Bayesian (FAB) framework. We derive the corresponding generalized factorized information criterion (gFIC) for the SBN, which is proven to be statistically consistent with the marginal log-likelihood. To capture the dependencies within hidden variables in SBNs, a recognition network is employed to model the variational distribution. The resulting algorithm, which we call FABIA, can simultaneously execute both model selection and inference by maximizing the lower bound of gFIC. On both synthetic and real data, our experiments suggest that FABIA, when compared to state-of-the-art algorithms for learning SBNs, $(i)$ produces a more concise model, thus enabling faster testing; $(ii)$ improves predictive performance; $(iii)$ accelerates convergence; and $(iv)$ prevents overfitting.
Carotid artery distensibility and distending pressure in hypertensive humans.

Whether the decrease in large-artery distensibility observed in hypertensive patients is due primarily to an increase in distending pressure or to hypertension-induced changes in structural properties has been much debated. We determined noninvasively the diameter-pressure curve of the common carotid artery over the systolic-diastolic range by continuously recording both the pulsatile changes in internal diameter (high-resolution echo-tracking system) and, simultaneously on the contralateral artery, the pressure waveform (high-fidelity applanation tonometry). We then derived the distensibility/pressure curve and compared arterial distensibility in 14 normotensive subjects and 15 age- and sex-matched hypertensive subjects at their respective mean arterial pressures (MAP) and at a common distending pressure: 100 mm Hg. Distensibility decreased as blood pressure increased, and distensibility at MAP was significantly lower in hypertensive than in normotensive subjects (7.8 +/- 0.7 versus 11.7 +/- 1.7 kPa-1.10(-3), mean +/- SEM; P < . 05). In hypertensive subjects, the distensibility-pressure curve was shifted toward higher levels of blood pressure, and a large part of the curve overlapped that of normotensive subjects. No significant downward shift of the distensibility-pressure curve was observed in hypertensive subjects, and distensibility at 100 mm Hg was not significantly different from that of normotensive subjects (10.0 +/- 1.0 versus 9.0 +/- 1.1 kPa-1.10(-3)). Distensibility at 100 mm Hg decreased with aging (P < .05) and was not reduced in hypertensive subjects compared with normotensive subjects after adjustment for age. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Perception of Organizational Politics and Workplace Deviance; Mediating Effect of Job Stress and Low Job satisfaction

The purpose of this article is to study about workplace deviance (theft and intent to quit) as an important outcome of perception of organizational politics and also to investigate whether job stress and low job satisfaction mediate this relationship. Using a sample of 145 employees belonging to different organizations of Peshawar, Abbottbad and Islamabad, this study tests the direct relations and mediators effect using standard regression and hierarchical regression analyses. The results suggest that perception of organizational politics positively affects theft, whereas, no direct link was found between intent to quit and perception of organizational politics. The results also indicate that job stress and low job satisfaction fully mediate the relationship between perception of organizational politics and workplace deviance behavior i.e. theft. In the context of developing countries this study is worth considerable in literature of organizational behavior and psychology. Practical implications and future avenues are also discussed in the end.
Multilevel Entrepreneurship Research: Opportunities for Studying Entrepreneurial Decision Making

Entrepreneurship is a domain of research that can be investigated from different disciplines, functions, and contexts. As a result, there are ample opportunities for multilevel research. In this article, the author acknowledges a foundation of multilevel research on decision making in the entrepreneurial context and explores future research opportunities to build on it. This exploration is organized conceptually as a hierarchy of levels below and above that of the individual, and the author uses conjoint analysis as a methodological framework to keep these ideas anchored in what is empirically possible. Specifically, this article explores (a) multilevel research on decisions to explain how a sample of individuals makes a decision on an entrepreneurial task, (b) additional possibilities for cross-level research that explains variance in decision policies based on individual differences, and (c) research opportunities that bridge the levels of the decision, the individuals, and the contexts in which they are embedded. The hope is that this article stimulates multilevel research on entrepreneurial decision making and other multilevel and cross-level issues in the entrepreneurship domain.
Sex Differences in Masculine Depression

Gender role socialization significantly affects how many men and women think, feel, and behave, which subsequently affects their depressive symptom presentation. This study involved an examination of symptoms of masculine depression in men and women college students (n = 548) using the recently developed Masculine Depression Scale (MDS). Analyses of variance (ANOVA) were used to test for significant differences between men’s and women’s scale and subscale scores on the MDS. Overall, the results indicated that men endorsed significantly more externalizing symptoms than women. Additional clinical and research implications, limitations of the study, and suggestions for future research are also addressed.
Outbound FDI by software companies

The HMY model makes the prediction that in a static setting, high-productivity firms self-select themselves to do FDI. This reflects a tradeoff between the fixed costs of FDI versus the costs of transportation which are encountered in exporting. In this paper, we examine a natural experiment where capital controls, which prevented outbound FDI by Indian software companies, were eased. Software services have two unique features: near-zero transportation costs, and non-commoditised products. We propose a model of the optimisation of the firm which yields a reversal of the HMY prediction: it predicts that the least productive firms will self-select themselves to do FDI. The empirical evidence supports this prediction. ∗This work was done under the NIPFP-DEA Research Program. We are grateful to Sayan Dasgupta for able research assistance. We are also grateful to CMIE for all the databases used in the paper.
Presurgical Psychological and Neuroendocrine Predictors of Psychiatric Morbidity After Major Vascular Surgery: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

Objectives Major life stressors, including major surgeries, are often followed by psychiatric symptoms and disorders. Prior retrospective work found abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair is followed by increased psychiatric morbidity, which may adversely influence physical and functional recovery. Identifying risk factors before surgery, such as dysregulation in stress response systems, might be useful in improving preventative intervention. Methods Two hundred sixteen patients receiving open AAA or aortofemoral bypass surgeries, endovascular AAA repair, or nonsurgical AAA treatment were recruited from two vascular surgery services. Psychiatric symptoms and salivary cortisol measures (waking, 4 PM, and 11 PM, before and after low-dose dexamethasone) were obtained at intake and 3- and 9-month follow-ups. Results After open surgeries, 18% of patients had new psychiatric disorders, compared with 4% of patients receiving endovascular AAA repair or nonsurgical treatment (odds ratio = 6.0, 95% confidence interval = 1.6–22.1, p = .007). Having a history of major depression predicted the onset of new disorders in surgical patients. Presurgical cortisol levels were associated with both baseline (r = 0.23, p < .05) and 9-month (r = 0.32, p < .01) psychiatric symptoms (cortisol B = 1.0, standard error = 0.48, p < .05, in repeated-measures mixed model). Conclusions Open AAA repair surgery is prospectively linked to the development of psychiatric morbidity, and history of depression elevates risk. Cortisol measures before surgery are associated with current and future psychological functioning, suggesting potential neurobiological mechanisms that may contribute to vulnerability. These results can help identify surgical patients at risk and point to potential targets for risk reduction interventions.
Interleukin-6 production by human neonatal monocytes stimulated by type III group B streptococci.

The subcellular components of type III group B streptococci (GBS) that contribute to the host inflammatory response were determined by measuring production of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 by cord blood monocytes. Monocytes were stimulated with encapsulated (COH1) or unencapsulated (COH1-13) whole type III GBS or with purified GBS components, including type III capsular polysaccharide (III-PS), group B antigen (GB-Ag), lipoteichoic acid (LTA), or Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. Monocytes exposed to COH1 and COH1-13 released similar amounts of IL-6. GBS III-PS, GB-Ag, and LTA each induced IL-6. However, IL-6 release by monocytes was significantly greater after stimulation by GB-Ag than by III-PS or LTA (P < .05). Sera from 16 neonates with systemic GBS disease had IL-6 levels of 8 pg/mL to 4.28 ng/mL. GB-Ag is a potent inducer of IL-6 and may play an important role in tissue inflammation during GBS infection.
Impairment of In Vitro and In Vivo Heart Function in Angiotensin-(1-7) Receptor Mas Knockout Mice

In this study we investigated the effects of the genetic deletion of the angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) receptor Mas on heart function. Localization of Mas in the mouse heart was evaluated by binding of rhodamine-labeled Ang-(1-7). Cardiac function was examined using isolated heart preparations. Echocardiography was used to confirm the results obtained with isolated heart studies. To elucidate the possible mechanisms involved in the cardiac phenotype observed in Mas−/− mice, whole-cell calcium currents in cardiomyocytes and the expression of collagen types I, III, and VI and fibronectin were analyzed. Ang-(1-7) binding showed that Mas is localized in cardiomyocytes of the mouse heart. Isolated heart techniques revealed that Mas-deficient mice present a lower systolic tension (average: 1.4±0.09 versus 2.1±0.03 g in Mas+/+ mice), ±dT/dt, and heart rate. A significantly higher coronary vessel resistance was also observed in Mas-deficient mice. Echocardiography revealed that hearts of Mas-deficient mice showed a significantly decreased fractional shortening, posterior wall thickness in systole and left ventricle end-diastolic dimension, and a higher left ventricle end-systolic dimension. A markedly lower global ventricular function, as defined by a higher myocardial performance index, was observed. A higher delayed time to the peak of calcium current was also observed. The changes in cardiac function could be partially explained by a marked change in collagen expression to a profibrotic profile in Mas-deficient mice. These results indicate that Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis plays a key role in the maintenance of the structure and function of the heart.
The Expression of the t-SNARE AtSNAP33 Is Induced by Pathogens and Mechanical Stimulation1

The fusion of vesicles in the secretory pathway involves the interaction of t-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (t-SNAREs) on the target membrane and v-SNAREs on the vesicle membrane. AtSNAP33 is an Arabidopsis homolog of the neuronal t-SNARE SNAP-25 involved in exocytosis and is localized at the cell plate and at the plasma membrane. In this paper, the expression of AtSNAP33 was analyzed after different biotic and abiotic stresses. The expression of AtSNAP33increased after inoculation with the pathogens Plectosporium tabacinum and virulent and avirulent forms ofPeronospora parasitica and Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato. The expression ofPR1 transcripts encoding the secreted pathogenesis-related protein 1 also increased after inoculation with these pathogens and the expression of AtSNAP33 preceded or occurred at the same time as the expression of PR1. AtSNAP33 was also expressed in npr1 plants that do not express PR1 after pathogen inoculation as well as incpr1 plants that overexpress PR1 in the absence of a pathogen. The level of AtSNAP33 decreased slightly in leaves inoculated with P. parasitica in theNahG plants, and eds5 andsid2 mutants that are unable to accumulate salicylic acid (SA) after pathogen inoculation, indicating a partial dependence on SA. AtSNAP33 was also expressed in systemic noninoculated leaves of plants inoculated with P. syringae. In contrast to the situation in infected leaves, the expression of AtSNAP33 in systemic leaves was fully SA dependent. Thus, the expression of AtSNAP33 after pathogen attack is regulated by SA-dependent and SA-independent pathways. Mechanical stimulation also led to an increase ofAtSNAP33 transcripts.