Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What drives Chinese overseas M&A investment? Evidence from micro data

In recent years Chinese foreign acquisitions have increased significantly. In Europe and the US, these investments are often criticized. Critics argue that Chinese investors outbid other investors with help from their government, that the acquisitions lead to undesirable technology transfer or that they may have negative consequences for the employees of the target firm. We use a large deal-level dataset on cross-border acquisitions to investigate whether Chinese foreign acquisitions differ from cross-border investment coming from other countries. We find that relative to non-Chinese investors, Chinese acquirers indeed appear to be different in some dimensions. They focus on targets with higher debt levels and lower profitability. At the same time, they don’t seem to pay more for targets with given characteristics, questioning the view that they are subsidized to outbid other investors. Policy initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and Made in China 2025 influence state-owned but not private Chinese investors, suggesting that geopolitical or technology interests play a role. In the years after the takeover, target companies acquired by Chinese investors exhibit lower growth in capital productivity but a higher growth of employee compensation.
Accurate Thermal Transient Measurements Interpretation of Monochromatic LEDs

In this work we determine the factors that influence the accuracy of LEDs thermal transient analysis, in particular, the leakage of heat into the dome material and the parasitic generation of heat on the reflector cup surface due to the light reflection losses are considered. Our analysis indicates a significant impact of these two factors on interpretation of the thermal transient measurements of mid-power LEDs. The paper demonstrates the significance of the physical phenomena behind these factors for creation of LEDs finiteelement thermal models. We quantify the inaccuracies in the thermal structure functions associated with these effects. We determine possible inaccuracies of finite-element models parameters calibration by thermal structure function or transient thermal response alignment if these factors are not accounted for. We show a substantial impact of the parasitic heat losses on the LEDs’ reflector cup surface on the results of thermal transient for LEDs with high internal quantum efficiency encapsulated in packages with low light extraction efficiency.
Network Analysis of Economic and Financial Uncertainties in Advanced Economies: Evidence from Graph-Theory

We investigate the nonlinear dependencies and interconnectedness of macroeconomic and financial uncertainties in 11 developed countries. The study applies structure learning with weakly additive noise model using Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) to data covering 1997:01 to 2017:09. The results indicate the existence of nonlinear dependencies among macroeconomic and financial uncertainties. That an increased macroeconomic and financial uncertainty in a particular economy affects other economies. Overall, Spain happens to be a major receiver of macroeconomic and financial uncertainties from the other developed economies. The findings call for macroprudential policies to ensure stability in these economies.
Robbing Peter to Pay Paul? Delegation Contracts and Social Spillovers

In this study, I present an experimental design to explore Friedman’s claim that the managerial pursuit of socially responsible activities is always costly to owners when the material interests of owners are in conflict with the material interests of a third party. Leaving normative arguments aside, I investigate the descriptive validity of his claim when agents have full discretion over their productivity as well as the social impact of the firm. The results show that more socially-minded agents generally choose more socially responsible ways to generate profits but fully endogenize the costs, such that principals receive identical payoffs. Differentiating between prudent and hazardous profit targets reveals that the observation holds only when the principal’s profit targets do not require damages to the third party. Most agents tend to reduce efforts in response to hazardous targets. This suggests that prosocial agents maximize value for prosocial principals, and self-interested agents maximize value for self-interested principals. Principals extract the highest surplus when bonuses are discretionary rather than incentive compatible.
Host plants distribution and overwintering of cotton mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis; Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae).

ABSTRACT Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae) has been noted as a sap sucking pest on cultivated cotton Gosspium hirsutum L. in Pakistan from 2005. Since 2005, this New World species has emerged as serious pest of cotton and other crops and weeds in Pakistan and neighbouring countries. The species is polyphagous and invasive, and can attack many other economic crops. The study found the host plant range and the over wintering of the pest in agroecological conditions Pakistan during surveys from 2005 to 2009. This information can be helpful in management of this pest. © 2010 Friends Science Publishers Key Words: Phenacoccus solenopsis; Pakistan; Host plants; Polyphagous mealybug INTRODUCTION Phenacoccus. solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) has been reported from 35 localities of various ecological zones of the globe (Ben-Dov et al. , 2009). It has a wide range of variation in morphological characters, biological adaptations and ecological adjustability (Hodgson
The molecular mechanisms involved in lipid metabolism during low intensity exercise

An important molecular mechanism by which physical activity reduces cardiovascular risk is through regulation of plasma lipids. This study aimed to investigate whether low intensity exercise modulates monocytic lipid metabolism and the activity of the nuclear transcription factor Peroxisome Proliferators-Activated Receptor-γ (PPARγ). Furthermore, this study aimed to elucidate the molecular signalling mechanisms induced through PPARγ activation. Thirty-four sedentary adults, mean age 45.6 ± 11.1 years, participated in an eight week low intensity exercise programme consisting of walking 10,000 steps, three times a week. Compared to controls, there was a significant decrease in total cholesterol (pre-exercise: 5.73 1.39 mmol/L; post-exercise: 5.32 1.28 mmol/L) and a significant increase in high density lipoprotein (pre-exercise: 1.46 0.47 mmol/L; post-exercise: 1.56 0.50 mmol/L) after the exercise programme. There was also a significant increase in serum oxidised LDL (oxLDL) concentrations pre to post exercise (0 weeks: 554 107ng/ml; 4weeks: 698 134ng/ml; 8weeks: 588 145ng/ml). A significant increase in leukocyte mRNA expression for PPARγ (4 weeks: 1.8 0.9 fold; 8 weeks: 4.3 1.9 fold) was observed, which was reinforced by increased PPARγ DNA-binding activity post exercise (pre-exercise: 0.22 0.09 OD units; post-exercise: 1.13 0.29 OD units. A significant increase in gene expression was observed for the oxLDL scavenger receptor CD36 (4 weeks: 3.8 0.6 fold; 8 weeks: 2.7 0.5 fold). LXR (8 weeks: 3.5 0.8 fold) and two LXRα regulated genes involved in RCT, namely ABCA1 and ABCG1 were significantly upregulated after eight weeks of exercise (8 weeks: ABCA1: 3.46 0.56 fold; ABCG1: 3.06 0.47 fold). The culmination of in-vitro evidence lead to the postulation of a two pathway molecular mechanism associated with oxLDL stimulation of CD36, via PPARγ in monocytic cells. A „short-term‟ pathway (<24 hours), upregulates PPARγ (2 fold) via a transient ERK1/2 and COX-2 dependent mechanism. Whereas a „long-term‟ pathway (>24 hours), involves the direct upregulation of PPARγ via ligands within oxLDL, which is ERK1/2 independent but still COX-2 dependent. Activation of PPARγ enables direct DNA-binding with CD36, facilitating the oxLDL to enter the cell, via CD36, exacerbating the effect and promoting the cellular clearance of oxLDL. However, between 24 and 72 hours the „short-term‟ pathway is required to upregulate PPARγ via COX-2 and hence induces upregulation of CD36. It is possible that over several weeks of low intensity exercise the more rapid molecular pathway can be supplemented by PPARγ ligands present within oxLDL, and hence directly stimulate PPARγ gene transcription. In conclusion this study proposes a novel molecular mechanism for low intensity exercise induced modulation of plasma lipids via cellular clearance of cholesterol that involves activation of the nuclear transcription factors PPARγ and LXRα.
VEGF and Angiogenesis in Renal Cell Carcinoma： A Minireview

ed / Indexed in: Database of EBSCO, Massachusetts, USA Chinese Database of CEPS, Airiti Inc. & OCLC Chinese Scientific Journals Database, VIP Corporation, Chongqing, P. R. China Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory Subscription Information: Price: $360 David Publishing Company 1840 Industrial Drive, Suite 160, Libertyville, Illinois 60048 Tel: 1-847-281-9826. Fax: 1-847-281-9855 E-mail: order@davidpublishing.com Journal of US-China Medical Science Volume 7, Number 4, April 2010 (Serial Number 65)
Putting menopause on ice: the cryomedicalization of reproductive aging

This article examines how cryopreserved ovarian tissue is potentiated as a menopausal prevention and/or treatment cure. Based on a multi-sited ethnographic study, the article empirically foregrounds scientific accounts and interviews with Danish female cancer patients who had ovarian tissue preserved. Using situational analysis as a methodological approach along with analytical perspectives on potentiality, we identify three framings revealing how cryotechnology intervenes with women’s reproductive aging: Cryopreservation as a risk management technology, as an optimizing technology, and as a synchronization technology. The article shows how the ability to cryopreserve ovarian tissue in order to reverse menopause draws upon an understanding of menopause as not only controllable but of cryopreservation as a resource-wise technology that manages women’s aging bodies. Suggesting “cryomedicalization” as a term, the article highlights how cryopreserved ovarian tissue (re)constitutes normative temporalities, produces new understandings of cryo-restoration and raises questions related to the cryopolitics of women’s aging.
Learning guides for the medical microbiology laboratory

Introduction: How To Use This Manual ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MICROORGANISMS: Safety in the Microbiology Laboratory The Microscope Basic Techniques Media Sterilization and Disinfection Biochemical Reactions Related to Carbohydrate Metabolism Biochemical Reactions Related to the Metabolism of Amino Acids and Proteins Gram-Negative Bacilli: Differences Between Enterobacteriaceae and Non- Enterobacteriaceae Identification of Gram-Negative Enteric Bacilli Miniaturized Identification Systems Gram-Positive Cocci: Streptococci and Staphylococci Hemophilus and Neisseria Common Gram-Positive Aerobic Bacilli Mycobacteria Anaerobes Clinical Specimens Antibiotics Molds Yeasts Parasitology: Intestinal Parasites IMMUNOLOGICAL AND SEROLOGICAL TECHNIQUES: Introduction to Basic Serological Techniques Hemagglutination Immunoprecipitin Reactions Fluorescent Antibody Tests Enzyme- Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) The Action of Complement The Anti-Streptolysin O (ASO) Test Agglutination Tests Using Bonded and Adsorbed Antigens Gram-Negative Antigens Heterophile Antibody Tests for the Diagnosis of Infectious Mononucleosis Bibliography Index.
Caractérisation de la migration du virus Herpès simplex de type 1 (HSV-1) par protéomique

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), the etiological agent of cold sores, has a multilayered structure that includes an icosahedral capsid that protects the viral DNA genome, a highly structured proteinaceous layer called tegument and a host-derived lipid envelope studded with viral glycoproteins. All these constituents are sequentially acquired from the nucleus, the cytoplasm and the trans-Golgi network. This multilayered structure confers to HSV-1 a considerable potential to incorporate viral and cellular proteins; however, all the proteins that compose this virus have not yet been elucidated. Moreover, despite its critical role at different stages of infection, the tegument is still poorly defined both in its composition and its sequence of addition of proteins. All these uncertainties about the mechanisms involved in the morphogenesis of the virus lead us to the goal of this project, which is the characterization of the maturation process of HSV-1. The first article presented in this thesis and published in Journal of Virology focuses on the protein characterization of extracellular mature virus. After developing a protocol for the isolation and purification of these virions, a proteomics study was performed. It allowed us to map the global viral protein composition of mature virions (8 capsid proteins, 23 tegument proteins and 13 glycoproteins), which made the cover page of Journal of Virology. Moreover, the potential incorporation of 49 cellular proteins was revealed. During this proteomics study, we confirmed the incorporation of novel virion components including UL7, UL23, ICP0 and ICP4. The second article published in Journal of General Virology focuses on these viral proteins by using a biochemical analysis to better understand the interactions and dynamic of the tegument. Our results revealed that, unlike ICP0 and ICP4 proteins, UL7 and UL23 can be released from the capsid in the presence of salts
Structural studies on DNP binding antibodies

This thesis is concerned with structural aspects of the recognition and effector functions of antibody molecules. The recognition process is investigated in the dinitrophenyl (DNP) binding mouse IgA produced by the myeloma MOPC 315. The studies on effector functions utilize a DNP binding mouse hybridoma IgG2a to examine the role of N-glycosylation in IgG. The combining site of protein 315 . The involvement of tyrosyl residues in the combining site of protein 315 was examined by preparing specifically nitrated NO 2 -Tyr-33 H and NO 2 -Tyr-34 L derivatives of the Fv fragment of this protein. The ionizations of tnese derivatives were studied in the presence and absence of various DNP-ligands. Perturbations to the nitrotyrosine ionizations were found to be caused by the side chains of certain of these ligands, allowing an indication of the distance of these tyrosines from the bound hapten. On examination of the compatibility of these data with the model of the combining site of protein 315 proposed by Dower et al . (1977) (Biochem. J. 165 , 207-225) it was found that while the location of Tyr-33 H is consistent with this model, the position of Tyr-34 L is not. A remodelled combining site using the modified ring-current treatment of Perkins and Dwek (1980) (Biochemistry 19 , 245-258) is presented. This allows a better rationalization of the nitration data and of previous experimental observations on protein 315. The role of the conserved C 2 domain oligosaccharide of IgG . This was examined by a functional comparison of native IgG with an aglycosylated IgG preparation. Aglycosylation was acheived by cell culture of the hybridoma cells in the presence of the glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin. The conditions for preparation and purification of this aglycosyl IgG are described. Aglycosylated IgG is found to be correctly assembled as an H 2 L 2 unit. It retains the antigen binding and Staphylococcal protein A binding abilities of the native glycosylated molecule. Using an assay system designed specifically to overcome certain problems in comparing Clq binding to different preparations of IgG it was found that the aglycosylated preparation showed only slightly reduced affinity for Clq. In addition the aglycosylated IgG is able to activate bound Cl. The above results are consistent with the structure of the Fc region being only minimally altered in the absence of oligosaccharide. The structural integrity of the aglycosylated molecule may be compromised however, as its ability to bind to monocyte Fc receptor is significantly reduced. In addition the aglycosylated molecule becomes much more susceptible to proteolytic digestion. A computational model-building analysis of the quaternary structure of Fc allows an explanation of at least some of the effects of aglycosylation in terms of reduced conformational stability of the C H 2 domains.
A test of the efficacy of whole-genome amplification on DNA obtained from low-yield samples: TECHNICAL ARTICLE

Conservation and population genetic studies are sometimes hampered by insufficient quantities of high quality DNA. One potential way to overcome this problem is through the use of whole genome amplification (WGA) kits. We performed rolling circle WGA on DNA obtained from matched hair and tissue samples of North American red squirrels ( Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ). Following polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at four microsatellite loci, we compared genotyping success for DNA from different source tissues, both pre- and post-WGA. Genotypes obtained with tissue were robust, whether or not DNA had been subjected to WGA. DNA extracted from hair produced results that were largely concordant with matched tissue samples, although amplification success was reduced and some allelic dropout was observed. WGA of hair samples resulted in a low genotyping success rate and an unacceptably high rate of allelic dropout and genotyping error. The problem was not rectified by conducting PCR of WGA hair samples in triplicate. Therefore, we conclude that WGA is only an effective method of enhancing template DNA quantity when the initial sample is from high-yield material.
Cellular proteolytic systems

UBIQUITIN SYSTEM. The Ubiquitin-Mediated Proteolytic Pathway: Mechanisms of Recognition of the Proteolytic Substrate and Involvement in the Degradation of Native Cellular Proteins (A. Ciechanover & A. Schwartz). Molecular Genetics of the Ubiquitin System (D. Gonda). LYSOSOMAL/VACUOLAR SYSTEMS. Selective Degradation of Cytosolic Proteins by Lysosomes (J. Dice & S. Terlecky). Autophagy: Its Mechanism and Regulation (G. Mortimore & M. Kadowaki). Hepatic Endosomes Are a Major Physiological Locus of Insulin and Glucagon Degradation In Vivo (F. Authier, et al.). Proteolysis in the Yeast Vacuole (E. Jones & D. Murdock). PROTEOLYSIS IN THE ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM. Degradation of Proteins Retained in the Endoplasmic Reticulum (J. Bonifacino & R. Klausner). PROTEOLYSIS RELATED TO ANTIGEN PRESENTATION. Protein Catabolism and Antigen Processing (C. Harding). VIRAL-RELATED/HIV PROTEASE. Viral Proteases: Structure and Function (T. Oprea, et al.). Index.
High-fidelity single- and two-qubit gates for two-electron spin qubits

A key ingredient for fault-tolerant quantum computers are sufficiently accurate logic gates on single and multiple qubits in the presence of decohering noise. In this thesis, we theoretically develop and experimentally demonstrate such high-fidelity quantum gates for semiconductor-based quantum computing. Specifically, we consider a qubit encoded in the singlet and one triplet state of two electron spins in GaAs1. While its potential for optical coupling makes GaAs an attractive material [4], highly auto-correlated magnetic field noise from fluctuating nuclear spins leads to considerably lower coherence times than for Si-based devices, where nuclear spins can be removed by isotopic purification [5]. In addition to noise, the control methods used in earlier experiments are based on unrealistic approximations. For these reasons, fidelities well above 99 %, as required by current quantum error correction (QEC) schemes [6], have not been obtained before this thesis. To tackle these issues, we extend the filter function formalism [7, 8] to describe quantum gates and processes in the presence of experimentally relevant non-Markovian noise. Since this formalism can consider all relevant noise sources in a computationally efficient manner, it can be used to find optimal control pulses by numerical optimization, leading to predicted single-qubit gate fidelities of 99.9 % [9]. Furthermore, we deal with the considerable control challenges associated with this qubit type by experimental calibration of the optimized control pulses. To this end, we extend our previous [9] experimental gate set calibration (GSC) routine to remove systematic gate errors on an arbitrary number of qubits. We apply the numerically optimized single-qubit control pulses to our GaAs sample and experimentally calibrate them with GSC. This procedure yields an average gate fidelity of F = 99.50(4) % and a low leakage rate of L = 0.13(3) % out of the computational subspace, characterized by randomized benchmarking [10, 11]. We also optimize realistic two-qubit control pulses, considering current control hardware as well as interqubit Coulomb and exchange coupling that cannot be fully turned off. Using measured noise spectra, we show that two-qubit gate fidelities of 99.90 % can be reached in GaAs, while 99.99 % can be achieved in Si. These results demonstrate that high-fidelity gates can be realized even in the presence of nuclear spins as in GaAs. 1Parts of this abstract are based on the abstracts of our publications [1–3], which correspond to Chapters 4 to 6 in this thesis.
The rod-shaped plant viruses

This volume of the series The Plant Viruses is devoted to viruses with rod-shaped particles belonging to the following four groups: the toba moviruses (named after tobacco mosaic virus), the tobraviruses (after to bacco rattle), the hordeiviruses (after the latin hordeum in honor of the type member barley stripe mosaic virus), and the not yet officially rec ognized furoviruses (fungus-transmitted rod-shaped viruses, Shirako and Brakke, 1984). At present these clusters of plant viruses are called groups instead of genera or families as is customary in other areas of virology. This pe culiarity of plant viral taxonomy (Matthews, 1982) is due to the fact that the current Plant Virus Subcommittee of the International Committee of Taxonomy of Viruses is deeply split on what to call the categories or ranks used in virus classification. Some plant virologists believe that the species concept cannot be applied to viruses because this concept, according to them, necessarily involves sexual reproduction and genetic isolation (Milne, 1984; Murant, 1985). This belief no doubt stems from the fact that these authors restrict the use of the term species to biological species. According to them, a collection of similar viral isolates and strains does constitute an individ ual virus, i. e. , it is a taxonomy entity separate from other individual viruses. "
Age polyethism in the leaf‐cutting ant Acromyrmex subterraneus brunneus Forel, 1911 (Hym., Formicidae)

Abstract This study describes and quantifies the behavioural acts of two laboratory colonies of Acromyrmex subterraneus brunneus by investigating worker age polyethism. Twenty‐nine behavioural acts were recorded during the 19‐week observation period. Young individuals performed tasks inside the nest related to brood care and care for the fungus garden, whereas older individuals performed activities outside the nest such as foraging and activities in the waste chamber. The average longevity (±SD) was 108.21 ± 3.30, 109.15 ± 1.92 and 122.71 ± 1.55 days for large, medium and small workers, respectively. The small‐sized workers presented a higher probability of reaching older age than large‐ and medium‐sized workers. This study describes task switching according to age polyethism and the relationship of physical and temporal subcastes.