How the Proxy Rules Discourage Constructive Engagement: Regulatory Barriers to Electing a Minority of Directors

During the 1980s, both sides of the hostile takeover controversy viewed proxy contests in terms that bordered on the mythical. Those made uneasy by the takeover phenomenon, especially management, held out proxy contests as an alternative, almost utopian mechanism through which a civilized debate about corporate strategy and structure could be held. As the Delaware Supreme Court put it, [if the stockholders are displeased with the actions of their elected representatives [in blocking a hostile takeover], the powers of corporate democracy are at their disposal to turn the board out.” In contrast, those who believed that takeovers were necessary to displace inefficient management or otherwise change corporate policy dismissed the proxy contest as entirely ineffective. They argued that the costs of collective action arising from dispersed share ownership reduced to allegory the prospect that the proxy process could provide a viable means to correct management failure. With the benefit of a little hindsight, both views have turned out to be wrong. Takeover proponents\u27 dismissal of the proxy process ignored the dramatic growth in the holdings of institutional investors, and the resulting reduction in the costs associated with collective voting action. Moreover, takeover proponents\u27 dismissal of the proxy process seemed to stem from a preference (in the case of financial economists, often a purely intellectual preference) for market-based, price-driven mechanisms over ones that created a meaningful, substantive debate over corporate policy. Indeed, financial scholars often appeared to view the institutional complexity and substantive, process-driven dynamics associated with proxy contests with unease. The inefficiency of proxy contests was often assumed rather than treated as a hypothesis subject to empirical test

Prediction of gene essentiality using machine learning and genome-scale metabolic models

The identification of essential genes, i.e. those that impair cell survival when deleted, requires large growth assays of knock-out strains. The complexity and cost of such experiments has triggered a growing interest in computational methods for prediction of gene essentiality. In the case of metabolic genes, Flux Balance Analysis (FBA) is widely employed to predict essentiality under the assumption that cells maximize their growth rate. However, this approach assumes that knock-out strains optimize the same objectives as the wild-type, which excludes cases in which deletions cause large physiological changes to meet other objectives for survival. Here, we resolve this limitation with a novel machine learning approach that predicts essentiality directly from wild-type flux distributions. We first project the wild-type FBA solution onto a mass flow graph, a digraph with reactions as nodes and edge weights proportional to the mass transfer between reactions, and then train binary classifiers on the connectivity of graph nodes. We demonstrate the efficacy of this approach using the most complete metabolic model of Escherichia coli, achieving near state-of-the art prediction accuracy for essential genes. Our approach suggests that wild-type FBA solutions contain enough information to predict essentiality, without the need to assume optimality of deletion strains

Hybrid cellulose–Basalt polypropylene composites with enhanced compatibility. The role of coupling agent

This study deals with the development and optimization of hybrid composites integrating microcrystalline cellulose and short basalt fibers in a polypropylene (PP) matrix to maximize the mechanical properties of resulting composites. To this aim, the effects of two different coupling agents, endowed with maleic anhydride (MA-g(grafted)-PP) and acrylic acid (AA-g-PP) functionalities, on the composite properties were investigated as a function of their amount. Tensile, flexural, impact and heat deflection temperature tests highlighted the lower reactivity and effectiveness of AA-g-PP, regardless of reinforcement type. Hybrid formulations with basalt/cellulose (15/15) and with 5 wt. % of MA-g-PP displayed remarkable increases in tensile strength and modulus, flexural strength and modulus, and notched Charpy impact strength, of 45% and 284%, 97% and 263%, and 13%, in comparison with neat PP, respectively. At the same time, the thermo-mechanical stability was enhanced by 65% compared to neat PP. The results of this study, if compared with the ones available in the literature, reveal the ability of such a combination of reinforcements to provide materials suitable for automotive applications with environmental benefits

Acquisition of L2 morphology by adult language learners

Learning a new language requires the acquisition of morphological units that enable the fluent use of words in different grammatical contexts. While accumulating research has elucidated the neural processing of native morphology, much less is known about how second-language (L2) learners acquire and process morphology in their L2. To address this question, we presented native speakers as well as beginning and advanced learners of Finnish with spoken (1) derived words, (2) inflected words, (3) novel derivations (novel combinations of existing stem + suffix), and (4) pseudo-suffixed words (existing stem + pseudo-suffix) in a passive listening EEG experiment. An early (60 msec after suffix deviation point) positive ERP response showed no difference between inflections and derivations, suggesting similar early parsing of these complex words. At 130 msec, derivations elicited a lexical ERP pattern of full-form memory-trace activation, present in the L2 beginners and advanced speakers to different degrees, implying a shift from lexical processing to more dual parsing and lexical activation of the complex forms with increasing proficiency. Pseudo-suffixed words produced a syntactic pattern in a later, 170 240 msec time-window, exhibiting enhanced ERPs compared to well-formed inflections, indicating second-pass syntactic parsing. Overall, the L2 learners demonstrated a gradual effect of proficiency towards L1-like responses. Advanced L2 learners seem to have developed memory traces for derivations and their neurolinguistic system is capable of early automatic parsing. This suggests that advanced learners have already developed sensitivity to morphological information, while such knowledge is weak in beginners. Discrepancies in ERP dynamics and topographies indicate partially differing recruitment of the language network in L1 and L2. In beginners, response differences between existing and novel morphology were scarce, implying that representations for complex forms are not yet well-established. The results suggest successful development of brain mechanisms for automatic processing of L2 morphology, capable of gradually attaining L1-like functionality with increasing proficiency. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Chemical regeneration of thermally conditioned basalt fibres

The disposal of fibre reinforced composite materials is a problem widely debated in the literature. This work explores the ability to restore the mechanical properties of thermally conditioned basalt fibres through chemical treatments. Inorganic acid (HF) and alkaline (NaOH) treatments proved to be effective in regenerating the mechanical strength of recycled basalt fibres, with up to 94% recovery of the strength on treatment with NaOH. In particular, HF treatment proved to be less effective compared to NaOH, therefore pointing towards a more environmentally sustainable approach considering the disposal issues linked to the use of HF. Moreover, the strength regeneration was found to be dependent on the level of temperature experienced during the thermal treatment process, with decreasing effectiveness as a function of increasing temperature. SEM analysis of the fibres' lateral surfaces suggests that surface defects removal induced by the etching reaction is the mechanism controlling recovery of fibre mechanical properties. In addition, studies on the fracture toughness of the regenerated single fibres were carried out, using focussed ion beam (FIB) milling technique, to investigate whether any structural change in the bulk fibre occurred after thermal exposure and chemical regeneration. A significant increase in the fracture toughness for the regenerated fibres, in comparison with the as-received and heat-treated basalt ones, was measured

A Challenging Nodular Lesion of the Ear

Skin nodular lesion are really frequent, but rapidly growing ones needs to be quickly removed since they can hide really aggressive skin tumor. Among malignant lesion Merkel cell carcinoma arise. It is a rare neuroendocrine skin tumor highly aggressive, not easy to diagnose at first stage, since at first diagnosis it is already widespreading all over the body. In order to renew interest in this letal skin tumori is mandatory to remind high risk population which include elderly people, white skin, chronically exposed to UV immunocompromised. Our unhappy case was described to increase awareness on this kind of skin tumor, since new drug appeared in the market can give an hope to these patients

Functionalization of commercial electrospun veils with zinc oxide nanostructures

The present research is focused on the synthesis of hexagonal ZnO wurtzite nanorods for the decoration of commercially available electrospun nylon nanofibers. The growth of ZnO was performed by a hydrothermal technique and for the first time on commercial electrospun veils. The growth step was optimized by adopting a procedure with the refresh of growing solution each hour of treatment (Method 1) and with the maintenance of a specific growth solution volume for the entire duration of the treatment (Method 2). The overall treatment time and volume of solution were also optimized by analyzing the morphology of ZnO nanostructures, the coverage degree, the thermal and mechanical stability of the obtained decorated electrospun nanofibers. In the optimal synthesis conditions (Method 2), hexagonal ZnO nanorods with a diameter and length of 53.5 nm ± 5.7 nm and 375.4 nm ± 37.8 nm, respectively, were obtained with a homogeneous and complete coverage of the veils. This easily scalable procedure did not damage the veils that could be potentially used as toughening elements in composites to prevent delamination onset and propagation. The presence of photoreactive species makes these materials ideal also as environmentally friendly photocatalysts for wastewater treatment. In this regard, photocatalytic tests were performed using methylene blue (MB) as model compound. Under UV light irradiation, the degradation of MB followed a first kinetic order data fitting and after 3 h of treatment a MB degradation of 91.0% ± 5.1% was achieved. The reusability of decorated veils was evaluated and a decrease in photocatalysis efficiency was detected after the third cycle of use

Multiple components of PKA and TGF-beta pathways are mutated in pseudomyxoma peritonei

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a subtype of mucinous adenocarcinoma mainly restricted to the peritoneal cavity and most commonly originating from the appendix. The genetic background of PMP is poorly understood and no targeted treatments are currently available for this fatal disease. While RAS signaling pathway is affected in most if not all PMP cases and over half of them also have a mutation in the GNAS gene, other genetic alterations and affected pathways are, to a large degree, poorly known. In this study, we sequenced whole coding genome of nine PMP tumors and paired normal tissues in order to identify additional, commonly mutated genes and signaling pathways affected in PMP. These exome sequencing results were validated with an ultra-deep amplicon sequencing method, leading to 14 validated variants. The validated results contain seven genes that contribute to the protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. PKA pathway, which also contains GNAS, is a major player of overproduction of mucin, which is the characteristic feature of PMP. In addition to PKA pathway, we identified mutations in six genes that belong to the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) pathway, which is a key regulator of cell proliferation. Since either GNAS mutation or an alternative mutation in the PKA pathway was identified in 8/9 patients, inhibition of the PKA pathway might reduce mucin production in most of the PMP patients and potentially suppress disease progression.Peer reviewe

Enrichment of cancer-predisposing germline variants in adult and pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Despite recent progress in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapies, a significant subset of adult and pediatric ALL patients has a dismal prognosis. Better understanding of leukemogenesis and recognition of germline genetic changes may provide new tools for treating patients. Given that hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, often from a family member, is a major form of treatment in ALL, acknowledging the possibility of hereditary predisposition is of special importance. Reports of comprehensive germline analyses performed in adult ALL patients are scarce. Aiming at fulfilling this gap of knowledge, we investigated variants in 93 genes predisposing to hematologic malignancies and 70 other cancer-predisposing genes from exome data obtained from 61 adult and 87 pediatric ALL patients. Our results show that pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) germline variants in genes associated with predisposition to ALL or other cancers are prevalent in ALL patients: 8% of adults and 11% of children. Comparison of P/LP germline variants in patients to population-matched controls (gnomAD Finns) revealed a 2.6-fold enrichment in ALL cases (CI 95% 1.5-4.2, p = 0.00071). Acknowledging inherited factors is crucial, especially when considering hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and planning post-therapy follow-up. Harmful germline variants may also predispose patients to excessive toxicity potentially compromising the outcome. We propose integrating germline genetics into precise ALL patient care and providing families genetic counseling.Peer reviewe