Does religion influence entrepreneurial behaviour?

Religion cannot be ignored in assessing the range of cultural and institutional influences that impact on entrepreneurial activity. This article integrates key themes from sociology of religion in the context of emerging ideas about religion and entrepreneurship in order to highlight key research questions. New institutional theory is discussed as a potentially useful lens for viewing the range of means through which religious expression and institutions might support entrepreneurship. A macro-level empirical investigation of societal indicators of religious affiliation and regulation of religion alongside Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data highlights particular data correlations and mediating influences. A significant association between entrepreneurial activity and evangelical or Pentecostal Christian religious affiliation is found, along with evidence that the impact of religion on entrepreneurship is mediated through pluralism and regulation. In discussing these findings further, the article proposes a more integrated conceptual framework for understanding the link between religious drivers and entrepreneurship, alongside institutional mediation. This forms the basis for further research, focusing on individual experience rather than aggregate associations and exploring in further depth of the mediating impact of institutional arrangements

Effects of bone marrow-derived cells on monocrotaline- and hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in mice

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow -derived cells (BMDCs) can either limit or contribute to the process of pulmonary vascular remodeling. Whether the difference in their effects depends on the mechanism of pulmonary hypertension (PH) remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effect of BMDCs on PH induced in mice by either monocrotaline or exposure to chronic hypoxia. METHODS: Intravenous administration of the active monocrotaline metabolite (monocrotaline pyrrole, MCTp) to C57BL/6 mice induced PH within 15 days, due to remodeling of small distal vessels. Three days after the MCTp injection, the mice were injected with BMDCs harvested from femurs and tibias of donor mice treated with 5-fluorouracil (3.5 mg IP/animal) to deplete mature cells and to allow proliferation of progenitor cells. RESULTS: BMDCs significantly attenuated PH as assessed by reductions in right ventricular systolic pressure (20 ± 1 mmHg vs. 27 ± 1 mmHg, P ≤ 0.01), right ventricle weight/left ventricle+septum weight ratio (0.29 ± 0.02 vs. 0.36 ± 0.01, P ≤ 0.03), and percentage of muscularized vessels (26.4% vs. 33.5%, P ≤ 0.05), compared to control animals treated with irradiated BMDCs. Tracking cells from constitutive GFP-expressing male donor mice with anti-GFP antibodies or chromosome Y level measurement by quantitative real-time PCR showed BMDCs in the lung. In contrast, chronically hypoxic mice subjected to the same procedure failed to show improvement in PH. CONCLUSION: These results show that BMDCs limit pulmonary vascular remodeling induced by vascular injury but not by hypoxia

Multipliers of Dirichlet series and monomial series expansions of holomorphic functions in infinitely many variables

[EN] Let H-infinity be the set of all ordinary Dirichlet series D = Sigma(n) a(n)(n-1) ann-s representing bounded holomorphic functions on the right half plane. A completely multiplicative sequence (b(n)) of complex numbers is said to be an l(1)-multiplier for H-infinity whenever Sigma(n vertical bar)a(n)b(n vertical bar) < infinity for every D is an element of H-infinity. We study the problem of describing such sequences (b(n)) in terms of the asymptotic decay of the subsequence (b(pj)), where p(j) denotes the j th prime number. Given a completely multiplicative sequence b = (b(n)) we prove (among other results): b is an l(1)-multiplier for H-infinity provided vertical bar b(pj)vertical bar < 1 for all j and (lim(n)) over bar 1/log(n) Sigma(n)(j=1) b(p j)*(2) < 1, and conversely, if b is an l(1)-multiplier for H-infinity, then vertical bar b(pj)vertical bar < 1 for all j and (lim(n)) over bar 1/log(n) Sigma(n)(j=1) b(p j)*(2) <= 1 (here b* stands for the decreasing rearrangement of b). Following an ingenious idea of Harald Bohr it turns out that this problem is intimately related with the question of characterizing those sequences z in the infinite dimensional polydisk D-infinity (the open unit ball of l(infinity)) for which every bounded and holomorphic function f on D-infinity has an absolutely convergent monomial series expansion Sigma(alpha) partial derivative alpha f (0)/alpha! z alpha. Moreover, we study analogous problems in Hardy spaces of Dirichlet series and Hardy spaces of functions on the infinite dimensional polytorus T-infinity.The second, fourth and fifth authors were supported by MINECO and FEDER Project MTM2014-57838-C2-2-P. The fourth author was also supported by PrometeoII/2013/013. The fifth author was also supported by project SP-UPV20120700.Bayart, F.; Defant, A.; Frerick, L.; Maestre, M.; Sevilla Peris, P. (2017). Multipliers of Dirichlet series and monomial series expansions of holomorphic functions in infinitely many variables. Mathematische Annalen. 368(1-2):837-876. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00208-016-1511-1S8378763681-2Aleman, A., Olsen, J.-F., Saksman, E.: Fatou and brother Riesz theorems in the infinite-dimensional polydisc. arXiv:1512.01509Balasubramanian, R., Calado, B., Queffélec, H.: The Bohr inequality for ordinary Dirichlet series. Studia Math. 175(3), 285–304 (2006)Bayart, F.: Hardy spaces of Dirichlet series and their composition operators. Monatsh. Math. 136(3), 203–236 (2002)Bayart, F., Pellegrino, D., Seoane-Sepúlveda, J.B.: The Bohr radius of the $$n$$ n -dimensional polydisk is equivalent to $$\sqrt{(\log n)/n}$$ ( log n ) / n . Adv. Math. 264:726–746 (2014)Bohnenblust, H.F., Hille, E.: On the absolute convergence of Dirichlet series. Ann. Math. 32(3), 600–622 (1931)Bohr, H.: Über die Bedeutung der Potenzreihen unendlich vieler Variablen in der Theorie der Dirichlet–schen Reihen $$\sum \,\frac{a_n}{n^s}$$ ∑ a n n s . Nachr. Ges. Wiss. Göttingen, Math. Phys. Kl. 441–488 (1913)Bohr, H.: Über die gleichmäßige Konvergenz Dirichletscher Reihen. J. Reine Angew. Math. 143, 203–211 (1913)Cole, B.J., Gamelin., T.W.: Representing measures and Hardy spaces for the infinite polydisk algebra. Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. 53(1), 112–142 (1986)Davie, A.M., Gamelin, T.W.: A theorem on polynomial-star approximation. Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 106(2), 351–356 (1989)de la Bretèche, R.: Sur l’ordre de grandeur des polynômes de Dirichlet. Acta Arith. 134(2), 141–148 (2008)Defant, A., Frerick, L., Ortega-Cerdà, J., Ounaïes, M., Seip, K.: The Bohnenblust–Hille inequality for homogeneous polynomials is hypercontractive. Ann. Math. 174(1), 485–497 (2011)Defant, A., García, D., Maestre, M.: New strips of convergence for Dirichlet series. Publ. Mat. 54(2), 369–388 (2010)Defant, A., García, D., Maestre, M., Pérez-García, D.: Bohr’s strip for vector valued Dirichlet series. Math. Ann. 342(3), 533–555 (2008)Defant, A., Maestre, M., Prengel, C.: Domains of convergence for monomial expansions of holomorphic functions in infinitely many variables. J. Reine Angew. Math. 634, 13–49 (2009)Dineen, S.: Complex Analysis on Infinite-dimensional Spaces. Springer Monographs in Mathematics. Springer-Verlag London Ltd, London (1999)Floret, K.: Natural norms on symmetric tensor products of normed spaces. Note Mat. 17(153–188), 1997 (1999)Harris, L. A.: Bounds on the derivatives of holomorphic functions of vectors. In: Analyse fonctionnelle et applications (Comptes Rendus Colloq. Analyse, Inst. Mat., Univ. Federal Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 1972), pp. 145–163. Actualités Aci. Indust., No. 1367. Hermann, Paris (1975)Hedenmalm, H., Lindqvist, P., Seip, K.: A Hilbert space of Dirichlet series and systems of dilated functions in $$L^2(0,1)$$ L 2 ( 0 , 1 ) . Duke Math. J. 86(1), 1–37 (1997)Helson, H., Lowdenslager, D.: Prediction theory and Fourier series in several variables. Acta Math. 99, 165–202 (1958)Hibert, D.: Gesammelte Abhandlungen (Band 3). Verlag von Julius Springer, Berlin (1935)Hilbert, D.: Wesen und Ziele einer Analysis der unendlichvielen unabhängigen Variablen. Rend. del Circolo Mat. di Palermo 27, 59–74 (1909)Kahane, J.-P.: Some Random Series of Functions, Volume 5 of Cambridge Studies in Advanced Mathematics, second edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1985)Konyagin, S.V., Queffélec, H.: The translation $$\frac{1}{2}$$ 1 2 in the theory of Dirichlet series. Real Anal. Exchange 27(1):155–175 (2001/2002)Maurizi, B., Queffélec, H.: Some remarks on the algebra of bounded Dirichlet series. J. Fourier Anal. Appl. 16(5), 676–692 (2010)Queffélec, H.: H. Bohr’s vision of ordinary Dirichlet series; old and new results. J. Anal. 3, 43–60 (1995)Queffélec, H., Queffélec, M.: Diophantine Approximation and Dirichlet Series. HRI Lecture Notes Series, New Delhi (2013)Rudin, W.: Function Theory in Polydisks. W. A. Benjamin Inc, New York (1969)Toeplitz, O.: Über eine bei den Dirichletschen Reihen auftretende Aufgabe aus der Theorie der Potenzreihen von unendlichvielen Veränderlichen. Nachrichten von der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, pp. 417–432 (1913)Weissler, F.B.: Logarithmic Sobolev inequalities and hypercontractive estimates on the circle. J. Funct. Anal. 37(2), 218–234 (1980)Wojtaszczyk, P.: Banach Spaces for Analysts, Volume 25 of Cambridge Studies in Advanced Mathematics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1991

Optogenetic Manipulation of Cerebellar Purkinje Cell Activity In Vivo

Purkinje cells (PCs) are the sole output neurons of the cerebellar cortex. Although their anatomical connections and physiological response properties have been extensively studied, the causal role of their activity in behavioral, cognitive and autonomic functions is still unclear because PC activity cannot be selectively controlled. Here we developed a novel technique using optogenetics for selective and rapidly reversible manipulation of PC activity in vivo. We injected into rat cerebellar cortex lentiviruses expressing either the light-activated cationic channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) or light-driven chloride pump halorhodopsin (eNpHR) under the control of the PC-specific L7 promoter. Transgene expression was observed in most PCs (ChR2, 92.6%; eNpHR, 95.3%), as determined by immunohistochemical analysis. In vivo electrophysiological recordings showed that all light-responsive PCs in ChR2-transduced rats increased frequency of simple spike in response to blue laser illumination. Similarly, most light-responsive PCs (93.8%) in eNpHR-transduced rats decreased frequency of simple spike in response to orange laser illumination. We then applied these techniques to characterize the roles of rat cerebellar uvula, one of the cardiovascular regulatory regions in the cerebellum, in resting blood pressure (BP) regulation in anesthetized rats. ChR2-mediated photostimulation and eNpHR-mediated photoinhibition of the uvula had opposite effects on resting BP, inducing depressor and pressor responses, respectively. In contrast, manipulation of PC activity within the neighboring lobule VIII had no effect on BP. Blue and orange laser illumination onto PBS-injected lobule IX didn't affect BP, indicating the observed effects on BP were actually due to PC activation and inhibition. These results clearly demonstrate that the optogenetic method we developed here will provide a powerful way to elucidate a causal relationship between local PC activity and functions of the cerebellum

Complexity in the genetic architecture of leukoaraiosis in hypertensive sibships from the GENOA Study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Subcortical white matter hyperintensity on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, referred to as leukoaraiosis, is associated with increased risk of stroke and dementia. Hypertension may contribute to leukoaraiosis by accelerating the process of arteriosclerosis involving penetrating small arteries and arterioles in the brain. Leukoaraiosis volume is highly heritable but shows significant inter-individual variability that is not predicted well by any clinical covariates (except for age) or by single SNPs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>As part of the Genetics of Microangiopathic Brain Injury (GMBI) Study, 777 individuals (74% hypertensive) underwent brain MRI and were genotyped for 1649 SNPs from genes known or hypothesized to be involved in arteriosclerosis and related pathways. We examined SNP main effects, epistatic (gene-gene) interactions, and context-dependent (gene-environment) interactions between these SNPs and covariates (including conventional and novel risk factors for arteriosclerosis) for association with leukoaraiosis volume. Three methods were used to reduce the chance of false positive associations: 1) false discovery rate (FDR) adjustment for multiple testing, 2) an internal replication design, and 3) a ten-iteration four-fold cross-validation scheme.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Four SNP main effects (in <it>F3</it>, <it>KITLG</it>, <it>CAPN10</it>, and <it>MMP2</it>), 12 SNP-covariate interactions (including interactions between <it>KITLG </it>and homocysteine, and between <it>TGFB3 </it>and both physical activity and C-reactive protein), and 173 SNP-SNP interactions were significant, replicated, and cross-validated. While a model containing the top single SNPs with main effects predicted only 3.72% of variation in leukoaraiosis in independent test samples, a multiple variable model that included the four most highly predictive SNP-SNP and SNP-covariate interactions predicted 11.83%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results indicate that the genetic architecture of leukoaraiosis is complex, yet predictive, when the contributions of SNP main effects are considered in combination with effects of SNP interactions with other genes and covariates.</p

The Stress Response Factors Yap6, Cin5, Phd1, and Skn7 Direct Targeting of the Conserved Co-Repressor Tup1-Ssn6 in S. cerevisiae

Maintaining the proper expression of the transcriptome during development or in response to a changing environment requires a delicate balance between transcriptional regulators with activating and repressing functions. The budding yeast transcriptional co-repressor Tup1-Ssn6 is a model for studying similar repressor complexes in multicellular eukaryotes. Tup1-Ssn6 does not bind DNA directly, but is directed to individual promoters by one or more DNA-binding proteins, referred to as Tup1 recruiters. This functional architecture allows the Tup1-Ssn6 to modulate the expression of genes required for the response to a variety of cellular stresses. To understand the targeting or the Tup1-Ssn6 complex, we determined the genomic distribution of Tup1 and Ssn6 by ChIP-chip. We found that most loci bound by Tup1-Ssn6 could not be explained by co-occupancy with a known recruiting cofactor and that deletion of individual known Tup1 recruiters did not significantly alter the Tup1 binding profile. These observations suggest that new Tup1 recruiting proteins remain to be discovered and that Tup1 recruitment typically depends on multiple recruiting cofactors. To identify new recruiting proteins, we computationally screened for factors with binding patterns similar to the observed Tup1-Ssn6 genomic distribution. Four top candidates, Cin5, Skn7, Phd1, and Yap6, all known to be associated with stress response gene regulation, were experimentally confirmed to physically interact with Tup1 and/or Ssn6. Incorporating these new recruitment cofactors with previously characterized cofactors now explains the majority of Tup1 targeting across the genome, and expands our understanding of the mechanism by which Tup1-Ssn6 is directed to its targets

The Extended Cleavage Specificity of Human Thrombin

Thrombin is one of the most extensively studied of all proteases. Its central role in the coagulation cascade as well as several other areas has been thoroughly documented. Despite this, its consensus cleavage site has never been determined in detail. Here we have determined its extended substrate recognition profile using phage-display technology. The consensus recognition sequence was identified as, P2-Pro, P1-Arg, P1′-Ser/Ala/Gly/Thr, P2′-not acidic and P3′-Arg. Our analysis also identifies an important role for a P3′-arginine in thrombin substrates lacking a P2-proline. In order to study kinetics of this cooperative or additive effect we developed a system for insertion of various pre-selected cleavable sequences in a linker region between two thioredoxin molecules. Using this system we show that mutations of P2-Pro and P3′-Arg lead to an approximate 20-fold and 14-fold reduction, respectively in the rate of cleavage. Mutating both Pro and Arg results in a drop in cleavage of 200–400 times, which highlights the importance of these two positions for maximal substrate cleavage. Interestingly, no natural substrates display the obtained consensus sequence but represent sequences that show only 1–30% of the optimal cleavage rate for thrombin. This clearly indicates that maximal cleavage, excluding the help of exosite interactions, is not always desired, which may instead cause problems with dysregulated coagulation. It is likely exosite cooperativity has a central role in determining the specificity and rate of cleavage of many of these in vivo substrates. Major effects on cleavage efficiency were also observed for residues as far away as 4 amino acids from the cleavage site. Insertion of an aspartic acid in position P4 resulted in a drop in cleavage by a factor of almost 20 times

Isolation, Cloning and Structural Characterisation of Boophilin, a Multifunctional Kunitz-Type Proteinase Inhibitor from the Cattle Tick

Inhibitors of coagulation factors from blood-feeding animals display a wide variety of structural motifs and inhibition mechanisms. We have isolated a novel inhibitor from the cattle tick Boophilus microplus, one of the most widespread parasites of farm animals. The inhibitor, which we have termed boophilin, has been cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Mature boophilin is composed of two canonical Kunitz-type domains, and inhibits not only the major procoagulant enzyme, thrombin, but in addition, and by contrast to all other previously characterised natural thrombin inhibitors, significantly interferes with the proteolytic activity of other serine proteinases such as trypsin and plasmin. The crystal structure of the bovine α-thrombin·boophilin complex, refined at 2.35 Å resolution reveals a non-canonical binding mode to the proteinase. The N-terminal region of the mature inhibitor, Q16-R17-N18, binds in a parallel manner across the active site of the proteinase, with the guanidinium group of R17 anchored in the S1 pocket, while the C-terminal Kunitz domain is negatively charged and docks into the basic exosite I of thrombin. This binding mode resembles the previously characterised thrombin inhibitor, ornithodorin which, unlike boophilin, is composed of two distorted Kunitz modules. Unexpectedly, both boophilin domains adopt markedly different orientations when compared to those of ornithodorin, in its complex with thrombin. The N-terminal boophilin domain rotates 9° and is displaced by 6 Å, while the C-terminal domain rotates almost 6° accompanied by a 3 Å displacement. The reactive-site loop of the N-terminal Kunitz domain of boophilin with its P1 residue, K31, is fully solvent exposed and could thus bind a second trypsin-like proteinase without sterical restraints. This finding explains the formation of a ternary thrombin·boophilin·trypsin complex, and suggests a mechanism for prothrombinase inhibition in vivo

Carnivore Translocations and Conservation: Insights from Population Models and Field Data for Fishers (Martes pennanti)

Translocations are frequently used to restore extirpated carnivore populations. Understanding the factors that influence translocation success is important because carnivore translocations can be time consuming, expensive, and controversial. Using population viability software, we modeled reintroductions of the fisher, a candidate for endangered or threatened status in the Pacific states of the US. Our model predicts that the most important factor influencing successful re-establishment of a fisher population is the number of adult females reintroduced (provided some males are also released). Data from 38 translocations of fishers in North America, including 30 reintroductions, 5 augmentations and 3 introductions, show that the number of females released was, indeed, a good predictor of success but that the number of males released, geographic region and proximity of the source population to the release site were also important predictors. The contradiction between model and data regarding males may relate to the assumption in the model that all males are equally good breeders. We hypothesize that many males may need to be released to insure a sufficient number of good breeders are included, probably large males. Seventy-seven percent of reintroductions with known outcomes (success or failure) succeeded; all 5 augmentations succeeded; but none of the 3 introductions succeeded. Reintroductions were instrumental in reestablishing fisher populations within their historical range and expanding the range from its most-contracted state (43% of the historical range) to its current state (68% of the historical range). To increase the likelihood of translocation success, we recommend that managers: 1) release as many fishers as possible, 2) release more females than males (55–60% females) when possible, 3) release as many adults as possible, especially large males, 4) release fishers from a nearby source population, 5) conduct a formal feasibility assessment, and 6) develop a comprehensive implementation plan that includes an active monitoring program

A Deep Insight into the Sialome of Rhodnius neglectus, a vector of chagas disease

Background Triatomines are hematophagous insects that act as vectors of Chagas disease. Rhodnius neglectus is one of these kissing bugs found, contributing to the transmission of this American trypanosomiasis. The saliva of hematophagous arthropods contains bioactive molecules responsible for counteracting host haemostatic, inflammatory, and immuneresponses. Methods/Principal Findings Next generation sequencing and mass spectrometry-based protein identification were performed to investigate the content of triatomine R. neglectus saliva.We deposited 4,230 coding DNA sequences (CDS) in GenBank. A set of 636 CDS of proteins of putative secretory nature was extracted from the assembled reads, 73 of them confirmed by proteomic analysis. The sialome of R. neglectus was characterized and serine protease transcripts detected. The presence of ubiquitous protein families was revealed, including lipocalins, serine protease inhibitors, and antigen-5. Metalloproteases, disintegrins, and odorant binding protein families were less abundant. Conclusions/Significance The data presented improve our understanding of hematophagous arthropod sialomes, and aid in understanding hematophagy and the complex interplay among vectors and their vertebrate hosts