Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Under- vs over-investment: hotel firms’ value around acquisitions

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the extent to which under- and over-investment problems affect hotel firms’ value around the time when acquisitions are announced. Design/methodology/approach Hotel firms are classified based on their financial constraints (under-investment), corporate governance mechanisms (over-investment) and organizational structures. Multivariate analyses are conducted utilizing the panel ordinary least squares regression to examine the effects of financial constraints, corporate governance mechanisms and organizational structures on acquisition returns. Findings The results show that financial constraints have a larger effect on the firm value compared to the effect of corporate governance. Also, acquisitions are viewed as over-investments in poorly governed, franchising and hotel-real estate investment trust (REIT) firms. Research limitations/implications The analyses are limited to gains from acquisitions in the hotel industry. Therefore, future studies may examine the effects of capital expenditures and cash holdings on hotel firm value. Practical implications Acquisitions could help financially constrained firms reduce informational asymmetries. Firms could expand through franchising when they are financially constrained. However, franchising firms should take restrictive actions to control managers from making acquisitions. The hotel-REIT organizational form does not seem to cause under-investment problems, and it functions as an additional corporate governance mechanism. Originality/value In addition to the C-corporation organizational structure, hotel firms extensively adopt REIT and expand through franchising, which might affect under- and over-investment problems. Nonetheless, little is known about whether capital investments create or reduce value for hotel firms. This study helps to explain how financial constraints, corporate governance mechanisms and organizational structures affect hotel firms’ value.
Efficiency Gain from Auxiliary Data Requiring Additional Nuisance Parameters

Summary. In a mark‐recapture study of an animal population, live‐recapture information may be supplemented by resightings from marked animals obtained throughout the period of the study and the two types of data analyzed simultaneously. The resighting data can only contribute to estimates of survival probability if they are jointly modeled with the live‐recapture data and require the inclusion of additional nuisance parameters. We show that, under quite general conditions, estimates of the original parameters are estimated with the same, or improved, precision despite the inclusion of the nuisance parameters. Banding data from female goldeneye ducks (Bucephala clangula) are used as an illustration.
Exploring Everyday Activities for Pervasive Decision-Aid

In this paper, we explain the process of establishing shopper's activity-models based on a series of user-researches as the basis of pervasive systems for a supermarket. Pervasive systems have been recognized as the technologies which enable user's decision-aid in his/her everyday-activities. For instance, a smart travel navigation system, which employs embedded and wearable devices and mobile agent technologies, was proposed as a promising information system for the society: it renders complex tasks into simple subtasks including providing adequate information regarding transit to the other train at an arbitrary station for visually-impaired person. Few researches on analysis of user's everyday-activities for the systems design, however, have been conducted. We believe important to examine user's everyday-activities as well as to develop elemental technologies of pervasive systems simultaneously, which will become a powerful way of solving a variety of real-world problems. An important knowledge regarding the model is that a shopper gradually elaborates vague plans primarily conceived at off the store into final decision-making at checkouts, instead of buying items according to well-defined plan as well as just on impulse. We regarded that the system dynamically adapting to these shopper's contexts is very different from other shopper's decision-aid systems
Roles of the Rabies Virus Phosphoprotein Isoforms in Pathogenesis

ABSTRACT Rabies virus (RABV) P gene mRNA encodes five in-frame start codons, resulting in expression of full-length P protein (P1) and N-terminally truncated P proteins (tPs), designated P2, P3, P4, and P5. Despite the fact that some tPs are known as interferon (IFN) antagonists, the importance of tPs in the pathogenesis of RABV is still unclear. In this study, to examine whether tPs contribute to pathogenesis, we exploited a reverse genetics approach to generate CE(NiP)ΔP2-5, a mutant of pathogenic CE(NiP) in which the P gene was mutated by replacing all of the start codons (AUG) for tPs with AUA. We confirmed that while CE(NiP) expresses detectable levels of P2 and P3, CE(NiP)ΔP2-5 has an impaired ability to express these tPs. After intramuscular inoculation, CE(NiP)ΔP2-5 caused significantly lower morbidity and mortality rates in mice than did CE(NiP), indicating that tPs play a critical role in RABV neuroinvasiveness. Further examinations revealed that this less neuroinvasive phenotype of CE(NiP)ΔP2-5 correlates with its impaired ability to replicate in muscle cells, indicative of the importance of tPs in viral replication in muscle cells. We also demonstrated that CE(NiP)ΔP2-5 infection induced a higher level of Ifn-β gene expression in muscle cells than did CE(NiP) infection, consistent with the results of an IFN-β promoter reporter assay suggesting that all tPs function to antagonize IFN induction in muscle cells. Taken together, our findings strongly suggest that tPs promote viral replication in muscle cells through their IFN antagonist activities and thereby support infection of peripheral nerves. IMPORTANCE Despite the fact that previous studies have demonstrated that P2 and P3 of RABV have IFN antagonist activities, the actual importance of tPs in pathogenesis has remained unclear. Here, we provide the first evidence that tPs contribute to the pathogenesis of RABV, especially its neuroinvasiveness. Our results also show the mechanism underlying the neuroinvasiveness driven by tPs, highlighting the importance of their IFN antagonist activities, which support viral replication in muscle cells.
Development of an in vitro fluorometric assay to study adherence of Pasteurella haemolytica to bovine cells.

OBJECTIVE To develop an in vitro fluorometric assay to assess Pasteurella haemolytica adherence to bovine respiratory and epithelial cells and compare adherence of single strains of P. haemolytica serovars A1 and A2 (PhA1 and PhA2, respectively). SAMPLE POPULATION Monolayers of bovine turbinate and Madin Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells. PROCEDURE To determine optimal inoculum concentration and incubation time, various concentrations of P. haemolytica were labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate and incubated with monolayers of bovine cells for various times. Bovine cells were washed to remove nonadherent bacteria, and percentage of bacteria adhered (percentage of adherence) was estimated fluorometrically. Percentage of adherence of PhA1 was compared with that of PhA2. RESULTS The optimal inoculum concentration that resulted in measurable fluorescence of adherent bacteria was 1 x 10(8) colony-forming units/ml, and the optimal incubation time was 45 minutes. Percentage of adherence of PhA1 to MDBK and turbinate cells was significantly greater than that determined for PhA2. CONCLUSIONS The in vitro fluorometric assay is a time-efficient, inexpensive, and labor-saving method for evaluation of P. haemolytica adherence to bovine cells. The concentration of bacteria used to inoculate bovine cells in this assay is similar to that typically used in other types of in vitro adherence assays. The predominance of PhA1 over PhA2 during the early stages of bovine respiratory disease may be attributable to the ability of PhA1 to adhere more avidly to nasopharyngeal tissue.
Staurosporine Induces Formation of Two Types of Extra-Long Cell Protrusions: Actin-Based Filaments and Microtubule-Based Shafts

Staurosporine (STS) has been known as a classic protein kinase C inhibitor and is a broad-spectrum inhibitor targeting over 250 protein kinases. In this study, we observed that STS treatment induced drastic morphologic changes, such as elongation of a very large number of nonbranched, actin-based long cell protrusions that reached up to 30 µm in an hour without caspase activation or PARP cleavage in fibroblasts and epithelial cells. These cell protrusions were elongated not only from the free cell edge but also from the cell-cell junctions. The elongation of STS-dependent protrusions was required for ATP hydrolysis and was dependent on myosin-X and fascin but independent of Cdc42 and VASP. Interestingly, in the presence of an actin polymerization inhibitor, namely, cytochalasin D, latrunculin A, or jasplakinolide, STS treatment induced excess tubulin polymerization, which resulted in the formation of many extra-long microtubule (MT)–based protrusions toward the outside of the cell. The unique MT-based protrusions were thick and linear compared with the STS-induced filaments or stationary filopodia. These protrusions, which were composed of microtubules, have been scarcely observed in cultured non-neuronal cells. Taken together, our findings revealed that STS-sensitive kinases are essential for the maintenance of normal cell morphology, and a common unidentified molecular mechanism is involved in the formation of the following two different types of protrusions: actin-based filaments and MT-based shafts.
Characterisation of the Diagnostic Window of Serum Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein for the Differentiation of Intracerebral Haemorrhage and Ischaemic Stroke

Background: The rapid differentiation between intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) and ischaemic stroke (IS) using biomarker testing would allow the prehospital, cause-specific management of stroke patients. Based on single measurements made during the acute phase of stroke, the value of serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was reported to be higher in ICH patients than in IS patients. The aim of the present study was to characterise the diagnostic window of serum GFAP for differentiating between ICH and IS. Methods: 63 stroke patients admitted within 6 h of symptom onset were prospectively included. ICH (n = 18) and IS (n = 45) were diagnosed using brain imaging. Blood sampling was scheduled for 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after stroke onset (if applicable), and serum GFAP was measured using an ELISA test. Results: For the first 24 h after stroke, median GFAP values in IS patients remained below the detection limit. Between 2 and 6 h of stroke onset, serum GFAP was significantly higher in ICH patients than in IS patients (p < 0.001 for all 4 time points). According to a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the overall diagnostic accuracy of GFAP in differentiating between ICH and IS was >0.80 within the 2- to 6-hour time window. Two hours after stroke onset, serum GFAP values were significantly correlated with ICH volume (r = 0.755, p = 0.007). Conclusions: The time window between 2 and 6 h after stroke onset is best for using GFAP to differentiate between ICH and IS. In the very early phase (i.e. <2 h), sensitivity for detecting ICH is low, thus hampering the application of GFAP as a near-patient test in the prehospital phase.
Effects of low‐intensity resistance exercise with blood flow restriction on coagulation system in healthy subjects

Recent studies have demonstrated that even a low‐intensity resistance exercise can effectively induce muscle hypertrophy and strength increase when combined with moderate blood flow restriction (BFR) into the exercising muscle. Although serious side effects of low‐intensity resistance exercise with BFR have not been reported, a concern of thrombosis has been suggested, because this type of exercise is performed with restricted venous blood flow and pooling of blood in extremities. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of low‐intensity resistance exercise with BFR on coagulation system in healthy subjects. Ten healthy men (25·1 ± 2·8 year) performed four sets of leg press exercises with and without BFR (150–160 mmHg) at an intensity of 30% of one‐repetition maximum (1RM). In each exercise session, one set with 30 repetitions was followed by three sets with 15 repetitions. Blood samples were taken before, and 10 min, 1, 4 and 24 h after the exercise. Prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (PTF) and thrombin–antithrombin III complex (TAT) were measured as markers of thrombin generation, whereas D‐dimer and fibrin degradation product (FDP) were measured as markers of intravascular clot formation. Changes in plasma volume (PV) were calculated from haemoglobin and hematocrit values. PV reduction was significantly greater after the exercise with BFR than without (P<0·05). However, neither markers of thrombin generation nor intravascular clot formation increased after the exercises. These results suggest that low‐intensity resistance exercise with BFR does not activate coagulation system in healthy subjects.
LOCALIZATION OF P-GLYCOPROTEIN mRNA IN THE TISSUES OF HAEMONCHUS CONTORTUS ADULT WORMS AND ITS RELATIVE ABUNDANCE IN DRUG-SELECTED AND SUSCEPTIBLE STRAINS

Membrane transporter P-glycoproteins (Pgps) are present in a number of nematode species, including Haemonchus contortus. Allelic variation in some Pgp genes has been found to be associated with resistance to the anthelmintic ivermectin (IVM), although functional verification of a role for Pgps in IVM resistance has yet to be demonstrated. By in situ hybridization, the distribution of Pgp mRNA was visualized in transverse cryosections of adult H. contortus, using a digoxigenin-labeled cDNA probe encoding the ATP-binding region of an H. contortus Pgp. The probe sequence targeted a conserved ATP-binding region of Pgp-A (97.9% identity). It also shared 49.7–71.1% identity with 11 other Pgp sequences previously identified in H. contortus and may hybridize these sequences to give an overall measure of the total P-glycoprotein mRNA. Staining was predominately localized along the intestinal tract of the worms, with the most intense staining localized in the pharynx and anterior intestine. In the mid- and posterior intestinal regions, staining was restricted to the luminal side of the intestine. Some staining was also associated with the vas deferens and the lateral hypodermal chords anterior to the nerve ring. Using densitometry, the levels of Pgp mRNA in the pharynges of unselected and IVM- and moxidectin (MOX)-selected strains of male and female H. contortus were compared. No differences were detected between the levels of expression of Pgp in the susceptible strain versus the IVM- or MOX-selected strains. Evidence in the literature suggests that not all Pgp homologues are linked to chemical resistance phenotypes. It is thus possible that expression of 1 of the H. contortus Pgps is altered in IVM-resistant strains but that this phenomenon was undetectable in our experiments.
Properties of Wild-Type, C-Terminally Truncated, and Chimeric Maedi-Visna Virus Glycoprotein and Putative Pseudotyping of Retroviral Vector Particles

ABSTRACT We have characterized the properties of the maedi-visna virus (MVV) glycoprotein, which has a long cytoplasmic C-terminal domain, and of a panel of C-terminally truncated and C-terminally chimeric MVV-Env constructs. Cells expressing wild-type MVV glycoprotein form syncytia with target cells from many different species and tissues, demonstrating that the MVV-Env cellular receptor is widely distributed. Similar to the situation with other lentiviral glycoproteins, truncation of the C-terminal domain of MVV-Env significantly increases its membrane fusion capacity. However, despite their presence in a fusogenic form at the cell surface, neither the wild-type nor any of the C-terminally modified MVV-Env constructs, these latter lacking sterically inhibitory C termini, were able to successfully pseudotype murine leukemia virus- or human immunodeficiency virus-derived vector particles.
Functioning and disability levels in primary care out-patients with one or more anxiety disorders

Background Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health disorders and are associated with substantial disability and reduced well-being. It is unknown whether the relative impact of different anxiety disorders is due to the anxiety disorder itself or to the co-occurrence with other anxiety disorders. This study compared the functional impact of combinations of anxiety disorders in primary care out-patients. Method A total of 1004 patients with panic disorder (PD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) provided data on their mental and physical functioning, and disability. Multivariate regressions compared functional levels for patients with different numbers and combinations of disorders. Results Of the patients, 42% had one anxiety disorder only, 38% two, 16% three and 3% all four. There were few relative differences in functioning among patients with only one anxiety disorder, although those with SAD were most restricted in their work, social and home activities and those with GAD were the least impaired. Functioning levels tended to deteriorate as co-morbidity increased. Conclusions Of the four anxiety disorders examined, GAD appears to be the least disabling, although they all have more in common than in distinction when it comes to functional impairment. A focus on unique effects of specific anxiety disorders is inadequate, as it fails to address the more pervasive impairment associated with multiple anxiety disorders, which is the modal presentation in primary care.
Antibody fragments from a ‘single pot’ phage display library as immunochemical reagents.

The display of repertoires of antibody fragments on the surface of filamentous bacteriophage offers a new way of making antibodies with predefined binding specificities. Here we explored the use of this technology to make immunochemical reagents to a range of antigens by selection from a repertoire of > 10(8) clones made in vitro from human V gene segments. From the same ‘single pot’ repertoire, phage were isolated with binding activities to each of 18 antigens, including the intracellular proteins p53, elongation factor EF‐1 alpha, immunoglobulin binding protein, rhombotin‐2 oncogene protein and sex determining region Y protein. Both phage and scFv fragments secreted from infected bacteria were used as monoclonal and polyclonal reagents in Western blots. Furthermore the monoclonal reagents were used for epitope mapping (a new epitope of p53 was identified) and for staining of cells. This shows that antibody reagents for research can be readily derived from ‘single pot’ phage display libraries.
Sildenafil citrate and uteroplacental perfusion in fetal growth restriction

Background: To determine whether the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, Sildenafil citrate, affects uteroplacental perfusion. Materials and Methods: Based on a randomized double-blinded and placebo-controlled trial, forty one pregnant women with documented intrauterine growth retardation at 24-37 weeks of gestation were evaluated for the effect of a single dose of Sildenafil citrate on uteroplacental circulation as determined by Doppler ultrasound study of the umbilical and middle cerebral arteries. Statistical analysis included χ2-test to compare proportions, and independent-samples t-test and paired student's t-test to compare continuous variables. Results: Sildenafil group fetuses demonstrated a significant decrease in systolic/diastolic ratios (0.60 [SD 0.40] [95% Cl 0.37-0.84], P=0.000), and pulsatility index (0.12 [SD 0.15] [95% Cl 0.02-0.22], P=0.019) for the umbilical artery and a significant increase in middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (MCA PI) (0.51 [SD 0.60] [95% Cl 0.16-0.85], P=0.008). Conclusion: Doppler velocimetry index values reflect decreased placental bed vascular resistance after Sildenafil. Sildenafil citrate can improve fetoplacental perfusion in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction. It could be a potential therapeutic strategy to improve uteroplacental blood flow in pregnancies with fetal growth restriction (FGR).
Statistical compact modeling of Low Frequency Noise in Buried-Channel, Native, and standard MOSFETs

In this paper, Buried-Channel and Native MOSFETs are thoroughly investigated in terms of Low Frequency Noise (LFN) variability for different bias and area conditions. These devices are compared with standard bulk CMOS transistors indicating lower levels of LFN regarding both its mean value and its variability. Moreover a recently proposed compact MOSFET model for LFN and its variability, is validated with excellent results. More specifically, it covers the increase of noise deviation in weak inversion and generally its strong bias-dependence in larger devices while it also gives consistent results regarding the scaling of LFN variability.
Identification of Receptors and Signaling Pathways for Orphan Bone Morphogenetic Protein/Growth Differentiation Factor Ligands Based on Genomic Analyses*

There are more than 30 human transforming growth factor β/bone morphogenetic protein/growth differentiation factor (TGFβ/BMP/GDF)-related ligands known to be important during embryonic development, organogenesis, bone formation, reproduction, and other physiological processes. Although select TGFβ/BMP/GDF proteins were found to interact with type II and type I serine/threonine receptors to activate downstream Smad and other proteins, the receptors and signaling pathways for one-third of these TGFβ/BMP/GDF paralogs are still unclear. Based on a genomic analysis of the entire repertoire of TGFβ/BMP/GDF ligands and serine/threonine kinase receptors, we tested the ability of three orphan BMP/GDF ligands to activate a limited number of phylogenetically related receptors. We characterized the dimeric nature of recombinant GDF6 (also known as BMP13), GDF7 (also known as BMP12), and BMP10. We demonstrated their bioactivities based on the activation of Smad1/5/8-, but not Smad2/3-, responsive promoter constructs in the MC3T3 cell line. Furthermore, we showed their ability to induce the phosphorylation of Smad1, but not Smad2, in these cells. In COS7 cells transfected with the seven known type I receptors, overexpression of ALK3 or ALK6 conferred ligand signaling by GDF6, GDF7, and BMP10. In contrast, transfection of MC3T3 cells with ALK3 small hairpin RNA suppressed Smad signaling induced by all three ligands. Based on the coevolution of ligands and receptors, we also tested the role of BMPRII and ActRIIA as the type II receptor candidates for the three orphan ligands. We found that transfection of small hairpin RNA for BMPRII and ActRIIA in MC3T3 cells suppressed the signaling of GDF6, GDF7, and BMP10. Thus, the present approach provides a genomic paradigm for matching paralogous polypeptide ligands with a limited number of evolutionarily related receptors capable of activating specific downstream Smad proteins.