Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do Acquisitions of Private Targets Create Higher Value?

Acquirers, on average, earn higher announcement-period returns when their targets are privately held than when their targets are publicly traded. We show that private targets have significantly more intangible assets than do public targets. We then develop a valuation model that is based on the fair values of the targets’ tangible and intangible assets and demonstrate that relative to public targets, private targets, while commanding higher premiums over their stand-alone values, also generate higher synergies in the acquisitions. However, the higher synergies in private target acquisitions are not the result of the target status but are driven by the larger amount of intangible assets acquired in those deals. We also find that the variance of synergies in private targets is much larger than that in acquisitions of public targets. Finally, our results are robust for known effects such as mode of payment and expected growth.
Brand compass: charting a course to improve firm performance

Abstract This study contributes to the internal brand management domain from a firm asset perspective. We argue brand compass is an inside-out identity-focused firm asset consisting of brand vision, brand commitment and shared brand understanding. We build a theoretical argument for examining brand compass together with two important outward focused orientations: market orientation and innovation orientation. Through structural equation modelling, within the context of retailing, the findings chart a course to improve firm performance.
Coronary blood flow in patients with stable coronary artery disease treated long term with folic acid and vitamin B12

BackgroundPlasma concentration of total homocysteine is associated with risk of cardiovascular disease in epidemiological studies. We wanted to examine the effects of B-vitamin therapy, which may lower total homocysteine, on coronary flow and vascular function in patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD). MethodsForty patients with stable CAD, mean (standard deviation) aged 57.8 (9.0) years, recruited into the Western Norway B-Vitamin Intervention Trial, were randomly assigned to daily oral treatment with 0.8 mg of folic acid and 0.4 mg of vitamin B12 or placebo, and 40 mg of vitamin B6 or placebo, using a 2×2 factorial design. At baseline, and after 9 and 24 months, coronary blood flow was assessed by coronary angiography and Doppler flow-wire measurements during intracoronary infusion of saline (basal), incremental doses of acetylcholine, adenosine, and nitroglycerin. ResultsWe found a significant increase in basal (P<0.02) and adenosine-induced (P<0.05) coronary blood flow in patients who received folic acid/vitamin B12 for 24 months, compared with placebo or vitamin B6 alone. Folic acid/vitamin B12 or vitamin B6 treatment did not change endothelial-dependent response after acetylcholine infusion or flow-dependent proximal dilatation in response to adenosine-induced maximal hyperemia (P≥0.45). ConclusionLong-term treatment with a combination of folic acid and vitamin B12 increase basal and adenosine-induced maximal coronary blood flow. This may reflect improved microvascular function in patients with stable CAD.
Mean-Variance Analysis and Efficient Portfolio Selection in the Nigerian Capital Market

Mean-variance analysis makes possible the choice of an efficient set of security combinations that optimize investment and maximize investor utility. Portfolio returns and variances data of 56 probable portfolio combinations of share investments in eight sampled firms show that only seven probable two -asset portfolio combinations are advisable efficient combinations: two involving manufacturing firms, brewery and petroleum marketing, food and beverages and building materials, as there exists negative covariances between them; and five combinations involving investment in bank shares with investment in either shares in a firm in the petroleum marketing, brewery, food and beverages and building materials sectors. Further results show that combination of two bank securities in a portfolio is not advisable as there exists positive covariances between the four sampled banks. Portfolio combinations inclusive of a bank give high returns necessitating investors’ inclusion of investment in bank shares in their portfolio selections. To select efficient portfolio combinations maximizing portfolio returns and minimizing portfolio risks, Nigerian investors should not combine share investments in two banks as they bear the similar risks: industry and syst ematic risks with expected high volatility in earnings, but combine investment in either two manufacturing firms or a manufacturing firm with share investment in a bank in a twoasset portfolio.
Association Between Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Gene Polymorphism and Coronary Artery Disease

An insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the gene for angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) is associated with myocardial infarction and other cardiac pathology. There is evidence for a role of the renin‐angiotensin system in cell growth and in the repair of damaged arterial walls, so the ACE gene is postulated to be a candidate gene affecting the important clinical problem of coronary artery disease (CAD). In view of the clinical importance of the ACE as a major marker of cardiovascular diseases, we investigated the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene in Turkish CAD patients in comparison with control subjects to evaluate a possible association between CAD and the gene encoding ACE. Polymerase chain reaction, restriction fragment length polymorphism, and agarose gel electrophoresis techniques were used to determine the ACE genotype in 58 subjects. The frequencies of ACE D and ACE I allele among the patients with CAD were 62.26% and 37.73% and in the control subjects were 49.3% and 50.76%, respectively. The greater frequency of deletion allele (D) was in the CAD group than in the control subjects was significant (P < 0.01).
A layout modification approach to via minimization

The approach is to eliminate vias systematically by modifying the routing layout. The algorithm was implemented and applied to benchmark routing layouts published in the literature. Significant reduction in the number of vias was obtained without increasing the routing area. The experimental results show that the algorithm is more effective in via reduction and more efficient in running time than conventional via minimization algorithms. In particular, for Burstein's 19-track two-layer routing solution to Deutsch's difficult problem, the algorithm obtains a 34% reduction in the number of vias, which is more than an 11% improvement over the conventional constrained via minimization (CVM) approach. The application of the algorithm to various solutions to Deutsch's difficult problem produces the fewest of vias ever reported in the literature. >
Culture of embryonic cells from the tick Boophilus microplus (Ixodidae).

A simple and successful method for setting up primary cultures of Boophilus microplus embryonic cells surface-sterile eggs is described. One culture has been taken through 14 subcultures to date. The cells vary in morphology, most being round or epithelial-type. Fibroblast-type cells are also present. The cultures are being studied for arbovirus growth.
Comparison of Multidetector CT Angiography and MR Imaging of Cervical Artery Dissection

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Conventional angiography has been historically considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of cervical artery dissection, but MR imaging/MR angiography (MRA) and CT/CT angiography (CTA) are commonly used noninvasive alternatives. The goal of this study was to compare the ability of multidetector CT/CTA and MR imaging/MRA to detect common imaging findings of dissection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients in the data base of our Stroke Center between 2003 and 2007 with dissections who had CT/CTA and MR imaging/MRA on initial work-up were reviewed retrospectively. Two neuroradiologists evaluated the images for associated findings of dissection, including acute ischemic stroke, luminal narrowing, vessel irregularity, wall thickening/hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, and intimal flap. The readers also subjectively rated each vessel on the basis of whether the imaging findings were more clearly displayed with CT/CTA or MR imaging/MRA or were equally apparent. RESULTS: Eighteen patients with 25 dissected vessels (15 internal carotid arteries [ICA] and 10 vertebral arteries [VA]) met the inclusion criteria. CT/CTA identified more intimal flaps, pseudoaneurysms, and high-grade stenoses than MR imaging/MRA. CT/CTA was preferred for diagnosis in 13 vessels (5 ICA, 8 VA), whereas MR imaging/MRA was preferred in 1 vessel (ICA). The 2 techniques were deemed equal in the remaining 11 vessels (9 ICA, 2 VA). A significant preference for CT/CTA was noted for VA dissections (P < .05), but not for ICA dissections. CONCLUSION: Multidetector CT/CTA visualized more features of cervical artery dissection than MR imaging/MRA. CT/CTA was subjectively favored for vertebral dissection, whereas there was no technique preference for ICA dissection. In many cases, MR imaging/MRA provided complementary or confirmatory information, particularly given its better depiction of ischemic complications.
Microbiology of 'obiolor': a Nigerian fermented non-alcoholic beverage.

Obiolor is an acidic non-alcoholic beverage prepared by fermenting sorghum and millet malts. The traditional process for the production and microbiological characteristics of the beverage were investigated. Bacillus spp. , Lactobacillus plantarum and Streptococcus lactis were the associated micro-organisms most actively involved. Yeasts were present in low numbers towards the end of the fermentation. Other micro-organisms isolated did not appear to play a role in the fermentation process. Variations in the important microbial groups involved and their metabolic products were studied. Titratable acidity increased gradually until the end of the fermentation while the total soluble solids and pH declined. Acetobacter spp. were probably responsible for the unacceptability of the product after 24 h.
Seasonal evaluation of reproductive status and exposure to environmental estrogens in hornyhead turbot at the municipal wastewater outfall of Orange County, CA

Seasonal changes in developmental stages, condition factor (CF), gonadosomatic index, and plasma vitellogenin (Vtg) concentrations in male and female hornyhead turbot were examined at the wastewater outfall (T1) of the Orange County Sanitation District, and two farfield sites T11 (7.7 km northwest of the outfall) and Dana Point (35 km south of the outfall) between February 2005 and May 2006. Fish collected from the three sites exhibited male‐oriented sex ratios. With few exceptions, developmental stages, CF, and GSI of both genders and plasma Vtg concentrations of females were not significantly different in samples collected from different sites at the same sampling period. More advanced gonad developmental stages and higher plasma Vtg concentrations in females were observed in August, indicating the seasonality of the reproductive cycle for this species. Plasma Vtg concentrations in males were observed in all of the sampling sites with the highest prevalence at T11 relative to T1 and Dana Point. The Vtg expression in males from the three sampling sites indicated widespread exposure to estrogenic compounds in waters of coastal California. However, the histopathological and reproductive relevance of the responses appeared to be insignificant and may not affect the population in these locations. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 22: 464–471, 2007.
Increased serum IL-33 levels may indicate vascular involvement in systemic sclerosis

Interleukin 33 (IL-33) belongs to the IL-1 family and was found in smooth muscle cells, epithelial cells, fibroblasts, keratinocytes, endothelial cells, dendritic cells and activated macrophages.1 IL-33 binds the orphan receptor ST2 and induces gene expression of Th2-associated cytokines. Treatment of wild-type mice with IL-33 led to changes in vessels, digestive tract and lungs.2 Manetti et al 3 recently investigated serum IL-33 levels by means of an ELISA in 58 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and 30 healthy individuals. They observed that serum IL-33 was significantly increased in patients with SSc as compared with healthy controls. They also found that serum IL-33 levels were associated with early disease stage and microvascular involvement as determined by capillaroscopy. The study of Manetti et al 3 prompted us to investigate serum IL-33 …
Leader-Follower Approach using Full-State Linearization via Dynamic Feedback

In this work, the leader-follower control problem is solved by using full-state linearization via dynamic feedback. This approach has certain advantages over the well known input-output linearization such as no relative point selection, simple extension to n-robots formation and representation of all dynamics in case of car-like robot model. Simulation results verify the validity and limitation of these controllers by Matlab. The new 3-D robot simulator Gazebo with robot server Player is also used to verify the results
Effects of manual work on recovery from lateral epicondylitis.

OBJECTIVES This study investigates the influence of manual work on the persistence of lateral epicondylitis during a 12-month follow-up period after consultation in general practice. METHODS A cohort study was made of 164 adult consulters with tennis elbow, who had initially been recruited to a randomized controlled trial from 23 general practices in North Staffordshire and South Cheshire. As part of the recruitment process prior to treatment randomization, self-reported questionnaires on symptoms and sociodemographic characteristics were completed. Four weeks, six months, and twelve months later, the schedules were repeated. The main outcomes were measures of elbow symptoms (pain and function) based on a ten-point Likert scale. Total pain and function for the whole 12-month period were assessed using an area-under-the-curve (AUC) analysis. The pain and function scores were analyzed according to employment status (manual versus nonmanual work) and severe versus mild upper-limb stress in manual occupations. RESULTS The AUC scores for elbow pain and function were significantly higher for the manual workers, and manual work was associated with increased elbow pain and decreased function in the 4-week and 6-month follow-ups. The greater the severity of upper-limb stresses, the worse the outcome. CONCLUSIONS Previous epidemiologic studies have shown that manual occupations are a risk factor for developing lateral epicondylitis. It is feasible that resuming manual work after treatment may hinder recovery or increase the risk of relapse. The study lends support to this hypothesis.
A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Cyclosporine (CsA) is one of the immunosuppressive drugs, whose pharmacokinetic characteristics vary greatly among individuals. The published data reveal conflicting effects of the polymorphism of MDR1 exon 12 SNP C1236T on the pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine. This study aims to conduct a meta-analysis to investigate the effect of SNP C1236T on the pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine. Methods: A literature retrieval was conducted to find the relevant papers in databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang Database (Wan Fang), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals (VIP) electronic source for published studies until January 2017. The pharmacokinetic parameters, including C0 (trough blood concentration), C2 (whole-blood levels at 2hours after drug intake), Cmax (the maximum concentration), and daily dose were extracted and a meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.3. Results: A total of 11 papers concerning 1361 individuals were included in the meta-analysis. As for dose adjusted C0, the results showed difference between subjects carrying CC genotypes and TT genotypes (MD: 6.76, 95% CI [2.38, 11.14], P= .02]. As for C2, the results showed significant difference between subjects carrying CC genotypes and CT genotypes (MD: 18.50, 95%CI [ 35.49, 1.52], P= .03), as well as CC genotypes and TT genotypes (MD: 19.01, 95%CI ( 35.85, 2.16), P= . 03). As for Cmax, daily dose, and C0, the overall results showed no major influence. Conclusions:MDR1C1236T polymorphismmay have aminor effect on cyclosporine pharmacokinetics in transplantation patients. Abbreviations: C0 = trough blood concentration, C2 = whole-blood levels at 2 hours after drug intake, Cmax = the maximum concentration, CsA = cyclosporine, MDR1 = multidrug resistance gene, SNP = single nucleotide polymorphisms.
Optimal controller for linear systems with unknown parameters

This paper presents the optimal LQG controller for linear systems with unknown parameters. The optimal controller equations are obtained using the separation principle, whose applicability to the considered problem is substantiated. Performance of the obtained optimal controller is verified in the illustrative example against the conventional LQG controller that is optimal for linear systems with known parameters. Simulation graphs verifying overall performance and computational accuracy of the designed optimal controller are included.
The Relation between Contingency Factors and the Efficiency of NPOs

There is growing concern regarding the enhancement of NPOs ́ efficiency as it is considered an excellent strategy to tackle the imbalance between greater social demand and the decrement of their resources, as well as the lack of credibility in the current best practices of the sector. Within a Colombian context, this paper sets out two main objectives. Firstly, an analysis of the efficiency of NPOs in reaching their social goals and, secondly an analysis of the influence of certain factors in NPOs ́ efficiency. The main findings indicate that, in general terms, Colombian NPOs should make a greater effort in the efficient management of their resources. Moreover, younger entities and those with a national scope are shown to be the most interested in improving their levels of efficiency.
Nonlinearly-activated noise-tolerant zeroing neural network for distributed motion planning of multiple robot arms

This paper investigates the distributed motion planning of multiple robot arms with limited communications in the presence of noises. To do this, a nonlinearly-activated noise-tolerant zeroing neural network (NANTZNN) is designed and presented for the first time for solving the presented distributed scheme online. Theoretical analyses and simulation results show the effectiveness and accuracy of the presented distributed scheme with the aid of NANTZNN model.
Dynamic Interpretation of Emerging Risks in the Financial Sector

We use computational linguistics to develop a dynamic, interpretable methodology that can detect emerging risks in the financial sector. Our model can predict heightened risk exposures as early as mid-2005, well in advance of the 2008 financial crisis. Risks related to real estate, prepayment, and commercial paper are elevated. Individual bank exposure strongly predicts returns, bank failures, and return volatility. We also document a rise in market instability since 2014 related to sources of funding and mergers and acquisitions. Overall, our model predicts the buildup of emerging risk in the financial system and bank-specific exposures in a timely fashion. Received March 1, 2018; editorial decision November 18, 2018 by Editor Itay Goldstein.
Geminin Cleavage during Apoptosis by Caspase-3 Alters Its Binding Ability to the SWI/SNF Subunit Brahma*

Geminin has been proposed to coordinate cell cycle and differentiation events through balanced interactions with the cell cycle regulator Cdt1 and with homeobox transcription factors and chromatin remodeling activities implicated in cell fate decisions. Here we show that Geminin is cleaved in primary cells and cancer cell lines induced to undergo apoptosis by a variety of stimuli. Geminin targeting is mediated by caspase-3 both in vivo and in vitro. Two sites at the carboxyl terminus of Geminin (named C1 and C2) are cleaved by the caspase, producing truncated forms of Geminin. We provide evidence that Geminin cleavage is regulated by phosphorylation. Casein kinase II alters Geminin cleavage at site C1 in vitro, whereas mutating phosphorylation competent Ser/Thr residues proximal to site C1 affects Geminin cleavage in vivo. We show that truncated Geminin produced by cleavage at C1 can promote apoptosis. In contrast, Geminin cleaved at site C2 has lost the ability to interact with Brahma (Brm), a catalytic subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, while binding efficiently to Cdt1, indicating that targeting of Geminin during apoptosis differentially affects interactions with its binding partners.
Cerebrovascular Reacivity Assessment in Patients with Carotid Artery Disease: A Combined TCD and NIRS Study

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) and near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) are two noninvasive diagnostic tools that have been shown to evaluate cerebral vasomotor reactivity by measuring changes in mean cerebral blood flow velocities (MCBFV) of proximal intracranial arteries and absolute brain‐tissue oxygen‐saturation (TOS) in microcirculation, respectively, during hemodynamic challenge. We evaluated the potential correlation between TCD and NIRS measurements of vasomotor reactivity (VMR) in patients with carotid artery disease (CARAD).
Glycoprotein E of Varicella-Zoster Virus Enhances Cell-Cell Contact in Polarized Epithelial Cells

ABSTRACT Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection involves the cell-cell spread of virions, but how viral proteins interact with the host cell membranes that comprise intercellular junctions is not known. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells were constructed to express the glycoproteins gE, gI, or gE/gI constitutively and were used to examine the effects of these VZV glycoproteins in polarized epithelial cells. At low cell density, VZV gE induced partial tight junction (TJ) formation under low-calcium conditions, whether expressed alone or with gI. Although most VZV gE was intracellular, gE was also shown to colocalize with the TJ protein ZO-1 with or without concomitant expression of gI. Freeze fracture electron microscopy revealed normal TJ strand morphology in gE-expressing MDCK cells. Functionally, the expression of gE was associated with a marked acceleration in the establishment of maximum transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) in MDCK-gE cells; MDCK-gI and MDCK-gE/gI cells exhibited a similar pattern of early TER compared to MDCK cells, although peak resistances were lower than those of gE alone. VZV gE expression altered F-actin organization and lipid distribution, but coexpression of gI modulated these effects. Two regions of the gE ectodomain, amino acids (aa) 278 to 355 and aa 467 to 498, although lacking Ca2+ binding motifs, exhibit similarities with corresponding regions of the cell adhesion molecules, E-cadherin and desmocollin. These observations suggest that VZV gE and gE/gI may contribute to viral pathogenesis by facilitating epithelial cell-cell contacts.