Firms facing significant business risks have incentives to mitigate the costs of these risks by adjusting their capital structures. This paper investigates this link by analyzing the exposures of ...multinational firms to political risk. The evidence indicates that returns on investment in politically risky countries are more volatile than returns elsewhere. Multinational firms reduce their leverage in response to these political risks: a one standard deviation increase in foreign political risk is associated with 3.5% reduced leverage. The effect of foreign political risks on leverage is most pronounced for firms in industries whose returns are most susceptible to political influence.
Genomic tools are now available for most livestock species and are used routinely for genomic selection (GS) in cattle. One of the most important developments resulting from the introduction of ...genomic testing for dairy cattle is the application of reasonably priced low-density single nucleotide polymorphism technology in the selection of females. In this context, combining genome testing and reproductive biotechnologies in young heifers enables new strategies to generate replacement and elite females in a given period of time. Moreover, multiple markers have been detected in biopsies of preimplantation stage embryos, thus paving the way to develop new strategies based on preimplantation diagnosis and the genetic screening of embryos. Based on recent advances in GS, the present review focuses on new possibilities inherent in reproductive technologies used for commercial purposes and in genetic schemes, possible side effects and beneficial impacts on reproductive efficiency. A particular focus is on the different steps allowing embryo genotyping, including embryo micromanipulation, DNA production and quality assessment.
Metabolic syndrome may contribute to the rising incidence of multiple gastrointestinal (GI) cancers in recent birth cohorts. However, other than hepatocellular carcinoma, the association between ...nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and risk of non‐liver GI cancers is unexplored. We prospectively examined the associations of NAFLD risk with GI cancers among 319,290 participants in the UK Biobank (2006–2019). Baseline risk for NAFLD was estimated using the Dallas Steatosis Index, a validated prediction tool. Multivariable Cox models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) according to NAFLD risk categories: low (<20%), intermediate (20%–49%), and high (≥50%). We also examined the associations by age of cancer diagnosis (earlier onset <60 vs. ≥60). A total of 273 incident liver cancer and 4789 non‐liver GI cancer cases were diagnosed. Compared with individuals at low risk for NAFLD, those at high risk had 2.41‐fold risk of liver cancer (RR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.73–3.35) and 23% increased risk of non‐liver GI cancers (RR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.14–1.32) (all ptrend < 0.001). Stronger associations were observed for men and individuals who were obese (all pinteraction < 0.05). NAFLD‐associated elevated risk was stronger for earlier‐onset cancers. For each 25% increase in NAFLD risk, the RRs for earlier‐onset cancers were 1.32 (95% CI: 1.05–1.66) for esophageal cancer, 1.35 (95% CI: 1.06–1.72) for gastric cancer, 1.34 (95% CI: 1.09–1.65) for pancreatic cancer, and 1.10 (95% CI: 1.01–1.20) for colorectal cancer. Conclusion: NAFLD risk was associated with an increased risk of liver and most GI cancers, especially those of earlier onset.
Risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and associations with gastrointestinal cancers.
What is diatomite? Zahajská, Petra; Opfergelt, Sophie; Fritz, Sherilyn C. ...
Quaternary research,
07/2020, Letnik:
96
Journal Article
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Odprti dostop
Different types of biogenic remains, ranging from siliceous algae to carbonate precipitates, accumulate in the sediments of lakes and other aquatic ecosystems. Unicellular algae called diatoms, which ...form a siliceous test or frustule, are an ecologically and biogeochemically important group of organisms in aquatic environments and are often preserved in lake or marine sediments. When diatoms accumulate in large numbers in sediments, the fossilized remains can form diatomite. In sedimentological literature, “diatomite” is defined as a friable, light-coloured, sedimentary rock with a diatom content of at least 50%, however, in the Quaternary science literature diatomite is commonly used as a description of a sediment type that contains a “large” quantity of diatom frustules without a precise description of diatom abundance. Here we pose the question: What is diatomite? What quantity of diatoms define a sediment as diatomite? Is it an uncompacted sediment or a compacted sediment? We provide a short overview of prior practices and suggest that sediment with more than 50% of sediment weight comprised of diatom SiO2 and having high (>70%) porosity is diatomaceous ooze if unconsolidated and diatomite if consolidated. Greater burial depth and higher temperatures result in porosity loss and recrystallization into porcelanite, chert, and pure quartz.
Cells respond to stress by coordinating proliferative and metabolic pathways. Starvation restricts cell proliferative (glycolytic) and activates energy productive (oxidative) pathways. Conversely, ...cell growth and proliferation require increased glycolytic and decreased oxidative metabolism levels. E2F transcription factors regulate both proliferative and metabolic genes. E2Fs have been implicated in the G1/S cell-cycle transition, DNA repair, apoptosis, development and differentiation. In pancreatic
β-cells, E2F1 gene regulation facilitated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Moreover, mice lacking E2F1 (E2f1−/−) were resistant to diet-induced obesity. Here, we show that E2F1 coordinates cellular responses by acting as a regulatory switch between cell proliferation and metabolism. In basal conditions, E2F1 repressed key genes that regulate energy homeostasis and mitochondrial functions in muscle and brown adipose tissue. Consequently, E2f1−/− mice had a marked oxidative phenotype. An association between E2F1 and pRB was required for repression of genes implicated in oxidative metabolism. This repression was alleviated in a constitutively active CDK4 (CDK4R24C) mouse model or when adaptation to energy demand was required. Thus, E2F1 represents a metabolic switch from oxidative to glycolytic metabolism that responds to stressful conditions.
We present new constraints on the relationship between galaxies and their host dark matter haloes, measured from the location of the peak of the stellar-to-halo mass ratio (SHMR), up to the most ...massive galaxy clusters at redshift z ∼ 0.8 and over a volume of nearly 0.1 Gpc3. We use a unique combination of deep observations in the CFHTLenS/VIPERS field from the near-UV to the near-IR, supplemented by ∼60 000 secure spectroscopic redshifts, analysing galaxy clustering, galaxy–galaxy lensing and the stellar mass function. We interpret our measurements within the halo occupation distribution (HOD) framework, separating the contributions from central and satellite galaxies. We find that the SHMR for the central galaxies peaks at
$M_{\rm h, peak} = 1.9^{+0.2}_{-0.1}\times 10^{12}{\,{\rm M}_{{\odot }}}$
with an amplitude of 0.025, which decreases to ∼0.001 for massive haloes (
${{{M}_{\rm h}}}> 10^{14} {\,{\rm M}_{{\odot }}}$
). Compared to central galaxies only, the total SHMR (including satellites) is boosted by a factor of 10 in the high-mass regime (cluster-size haloes), a result consistent with cluster analyses from the literature based on fully independent methods. After properly accounting for differences in modelling, we have compared our results with a large number of results from the literature up to z = 1: we find good general agreement, independently of the method used, within the typical stellar-mass systematic errors at low to intermediate mass (
${{{M}_{\rm \star }}}<10^{11} {\,{\rm M}_{{\odot }}}$
) and the statistical errors above. We have also compared our SHMR results to semi-analytic simulations and found that the SHMR is tilted compared to our measurements in such a way that they over- (under-) predict star formation efficiency in central (satellite) galaxies.
MYSM1 is a chromatin-binding histone deubiquitinase.
mutations in humans result in lymphopenia whereas loss of
in mice causes severe hematopoietic abnormalities, including an early arrest in B cell ...development. However, it remains unknown whether MYSM1 is required at later checkpoints in B cell development or for B cell-mediated immune responses. We analyzed conditional mouse models
Tg.mb1-cre,
Tg.CD19-cre, and
Tg.CD21-cre with inactivation of
at prepro-B, pre-B, and follicular B cell stages of development. We show that loss of
at the prepro-B cell stage in
Tg.mb1-cre mice results in impaired B cell differentiation, with an ∼2-fold reduction in B cell numbers in the lymphoid organs.
Tg.mb1-cre B cells also showed increased expression of activation markers and impaired survival and proliferation. In contrast,
was largely dispensable from the pre-B cell stage onward, with
Tg.CD19-cre and
Tg.CD21-cre mice showing no alterations in B cell numbers and largely normal responses to stimulation. MYSM1, therefore, has an essential role in B cell lineage specification but is dispensable at later stages of development. Importantly, MYSM1 activity at the prepro-B cell stage of development is important for the normal programming of B cell responses to stimulation once they complete their maturation process.
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•Periprocedural decision on contrast media use in MRI for endometriosis is feasible.•Administration of contrast media is not necessary in most cases.•Common indications for contrast ...media are adnexal lesions and congestion syndrome.•Repeat examinations in work-up of deep infiltrating endometriosis can be avoided.
To assess the feasibility of a periprocedural decision on the administration of intravenous contrast media in MRI for endometriosis and to evaluate the frequency and reasons of contrast administrations, the corresponding MRI diagnoses, and outcome.
In this retrospective, descriptive cross-sectional single-center study all patients were included, who received a pelvic MRI for evaluation of endometriosis between April 2021 and February 2023. Frequency and reasons of optional intravenous administration of contrast media, corresponding MRI diagnoses and clinical outcome data were noted after re-review of all images, review of radiology reports and review of patients’ medical records. The decision on the administration of intravenous contrast media had been made by experienced radiologists, depending on the findings of the non-contrast sequences and the presence of ancillary questions.
303 consecutive patients (mean age, 33.4 years +/− 8.3 standard deviation) were evaluated. Periprocedural decision on the administration of intravenous contrast media had been made in all cases. For 219/303 (72.3%) patients, it was decided after review of the non-contrast sequences and exclusion of ancillary questions that contrast administration was not required. 84/303 (27.7%) patients received contrast media, and the most frequent reasons were indeterminate ovarian lesion (41/84 cases, 48.8%) or suspicion of pelvic venous congestion syndrome (26/84 cases, 31.0%). No relevant differences in patient outcomes could be noted (non-contrast/contrast MRI).
A periprocedural decision on the administration of contrast media in MRI for endometriosis is feasible with little effort. It allows the administration of contrast media to be avoided in most cases. If the administration of contrast media is deemed necessary, repeat examinations can be avoided.
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