Housing and stock market nexus in the US

Purpose: The research aims to study the causality between the US stock and housing markets in the period from 1890 to 2014. Design/Methodology/Approach: The Granger-Causality bootstrap rolling-window test is used for studying the causality between the stock as well as real estate markets in the US. Findings: The results provide robust evidence that the causality running from the housing in the stock markets has positive effects between 1918 and 1922, 1926 and 1931, 1953 and 1955 but negative effects between 1932 and 1934 and from 1971 to 1972, displaying the occurrence of a credit-price effect. In contrast, the S&P 500 stomped the housing market between 1965 and 1970, when the wealth effect dominated in the US economy. Specifically, when the negative causality of both markets happens, investors gain by allocating housing and stocks assets as various portfolios. Practical Implications: This finding specifies that housing markets may be employed to predict stock markets and vice versa in the US. Studying both markets’ causality offers policymakers and practitioners more situation on where the market may be going and how it works over time. Originality/Value: Original research.peer-reviewe

All-Trans Retinoic Acid Induces DU145 Cell Cycle Arrest through Cdk5 Activation

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), the active form of vitamin A, plays an important role in the growth arrest of numerous types of cancer cells. It has been indicated that cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) activity can be affected by ATRA treatment. Our previous results demonstrate the involvement of Cdk5 in the fate of prostate cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to examine whether Cdk5 is involved in ATRA-induced growth arrest of the castration-resistant cancer cell line DU145 through up-regulating Cdk inhibitor protein, p27

La lengua española en Taiwán: de ayer a hoy

Bilingualism or multilingualism is a requirement for studies, coexistence and work. This paper aims to study the teaching-learning process of Spanish in Taiwan through history, from the first language contacts of the Spanish on the island, due to the shipwreck of the Portuguese galleon in 1582, through Japanese colonisation and the government of the Nationalist Party, Kuomintang, to its recent evolution and current situation in formal education. The data was obtained through documentary analysis. This study has found that the use of Spanish in the educational field has been increasing, as well as its interest and popularity in terms of students, teachers, schools, although there are still some problems to be solved. Finally, the main conclusions and proposals for action are presented.El bilingüismo o multilingüismo constituye un requisito para los estudios, la convivencia y el trabajo. Esta investigación pretende estudiar el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del español en Taiwán a través de la historia, desde los primeros contactos lingüísticos de la lengua castellana en la isla, debido al naufragio del galeón portugués en 1582, pasando por la colonización japonesa y el gobierno del partido nacionalista, Kuomintang, hasta alcanzar su evolución reciente y situación actual en la enseñanza formal. Los datos se obtuvieron mediante el análisis documental. Este estudio ha encontrado que el uso del español en el ámbito educativo ha ido aumentando, así como su interés y popularidad en cuanto al alumnado, profesorado, centros educativos, si bien aún persisten algunos problemas por resolver. Finalmente, se presentan las principales conclusiones del artículo y propuestas de actuación.El bilingüismo o multilingüismo constituye un requisito para los estudios, la convivencia y el trabajo. Esta investigación pretende estudiar el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del español en Taiwán a través de la historia, desde los primeros contactos lingüísticos de la lengua castellana en la isla, debido al naufragio del galeón portugués en 1582, pasando por la colonización japonesa y el gobierno del partido nacionalista, Kuomintang, hasta alcanzar su evolución reciente y situación actual en la enseñanza formal. Los datos se obtuvieron mediante el análisis documental. Este estudio ha encontrado que el uso del español en el ámbito educativo ha ido aumentando, así como su interés y popularidad en cuanto al alumnado, profesorado, centros educativos, si bien aún persisten algunos problemas por resolver. Finalmente, se presentan las principales conclusiones del artículo y propuestas de actuación

ESCOLLOS EN LA ALTERNANCIA DE LOS TIEMPOS DEL PASADO EN ESPAÑOL POR ESTUDIANTES BENINESES

Este trabajo se centra en las dificultades que encuentran los estudiantes francófonos de ELE a la hora de elegir entre el pretérito perfecto, el pretérito indefinido y el pretérito imperfecto. Para ello, hemos recogido un corpus escrito de 25 estudiantes para profesor de ELE, durante el curso académico 2014-2015, a fin de identificar, clasificar y analizar sus errores en estas formas verbales. El corpus consiste en dos pruebas, una para completar huecos, poniendo los verbos en el tiempo adecuado, mientras que en la segunda, los participantes deben elegir entre los tres tiempos del pasado. Los resultados han demostrado que los participantes siguen presentando dificultades en la alternancia de estos tres tiempos y sus escollos radican más en los usos del pretérito perfecto y del pretérito imperfecto. Las fuentes de sus errores son diversas y su interrelación compleja. A partir de los resultados expuestos se formulan algunas conclusiones e implicaciones

Paisaje lingüístico en Benín: un recurso didáctico y motivador para el aula de lenguas extranjeras

Multilingualism and multiculturalism have been and are constitutive aspects of African soci-eties. This pioneer study analyzes the linguistic landscapes of Cotonou and Abomey-Calavi (Benin), two contiguous cities; in order to verify the status and the vitality of the languages used and spoken in the country as well as seeing if it is possible to exploit didactically this written modality. For this purpose, a quantitative analysis of written language productions in public space was carried out. The results reveal the languages used in the urban scene of both cities as well as the linguistic contact in their diverse aspects. They also indicate that the linguistic landscape doesn’t take into account the local multilingual practices in all their complexity. It appears as a context of learning which can be used as a didactic resource in the teaching of foreign languages

Substituting or Complementing?---The Influence of Chinese Overseas Direct Investment on Domestic Exports

The aim of this paper is to verify whether overseas direct investment activities of China can substitute or complement domestic exports. Using panel data of 85 host countries from 2003 to 2011 we conduct detailed empirical examinations within the framework of the gravity model. After correcting for bias caused by synchronism between trade flow and investment flow and also for econometrical misspecifications we discover that, contrary to all existing studies, Chinese overseas direct investment has a very weak substituting relationship with domestic exports. Sub-sample regressions show that Chinese overseas direct investment substitutes exports to developed countries but complements exports to developing countries. Panel threshold model further confirms the role of host country’s economic developmental stage (measured by per capita GDP) in determining the influence of overseas direct investment on exports and detects two thresholds. Thus the sample is divided into three regimes: (1) in the first regime where per capita GDP is lower than 1150.39 dollars, overseas direct investment complements exports to the host country; (2) in the second regime where per capita GDP falls between 1150.39 and 11601.63 dollars, the “gray zone”, overseas direct investment has very weak influence on domestic exports; (3) in the third regime where per capita GDP exceeds 11601.63 dollars, overseas direct investment substitutes exports to the host country. This paper concludes with possible explanations to the empirical results and the threshold phenomenon

Substituting or Complementing?---The Influence of Chinese Overseas Direct Investment on Domestic Exports

The aim of this paper is to verify whether overseas direct investment activities of China can substitute or complement domestic exports. Using panel data of 85 host countries from 2003 to 2011 we conduct detailed empirical examinations within the framework of the gravity model. After correcting for bias caused by synchronism between trade flow and investment flow and also for econometrical misspecifications we discover that, contrary to all existing studies, Chinese overseas direct investment has a very weak substituting relationship with domestic exports. Sub-sample regressions show that Chinese overseas direct investment substitutes exports to developed countries but complements exports to developing countries. Panel threshold model further confirms the role of host country’s economic developmental stage (measured by per capita GDP) in determining the influence of overseas direct investment on exports and detects two thresholds. Thus the sample is divided into three regimes: (1) in the first regime where per capita GDP is lower than 1150.39 dollars, overseas direct investment complements exports to the host country; (2) in the second regime where per capita GDP falls between 1150.39 and 11601.63 dollars, the “gray zone”, overseas direct investment has very weak influence on domestic exports; (3) in the third regime where per capita GDP exceeds 11601.63 dollars, overseas direct investment substitutes exports to the host country. This paper concludes with possible explanations to the empirical results and the threshold phenomenon

Functional analysis of hepatitis B virus pre-s deletion variants associated with hepatocellular carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Naturally occurring pre-S deletion mutants have been identified in hepatitis B carriers and shown to be associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. The phenotypes of these pre-S deletion genomes remain unclear, and they were investigated in this study.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The pre-S deletion genomes: (1) pre-S1 deletion, (2) deletion spanning pre-S1 and pre-S2, (3) pre-S2 N-terminal deletion, and (4) pre-S2 internal deletion were constructed and analyzed by transfection into Huh-7 cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Functional analyses reveal that these mutants were divided into two groups: S promoter deletion and non-S promoter deletion variants. Compared with the wild-type genome, S promoter deletion variants led to an inverse ratio of pre-S1 mRNA and pre-S2/S mRNA, and intracellular accumulation of surface proteins. An interesting finding is that a small amount of L proteins was detected in the medium from S promoter deletion variant-transfected cells. Non-S promoter deletion variants conversely displayed a wild-type like mRNA and protein pattern. The secretion of surface proteins from non-S promoter deletion variants was inhibited less than from S promoter deletion variant. Immunofluorescence analysis showed mutant surface proteins colocalized with ER and exhibited an atypical distribution: granular staining pattern in the S-promoter deletion variants and perinuclear staining pattern in the non-S promoter deletion variants.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study shows that these pre-S deletion genomes exhibit two different phenotypes in mRNA transcription, surface protein expression and secretion. This diversity seems to result from the deletion of S promoter rather than result from the deletion of pre-S1 or pre-S2.</p

Association analysis of monoamine oxidase A gene and bipolar affective disorder in Han Chinese

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) is a mitochondrial enzyme involved in degrading several different biological amines, including serotonin. Although several pieces of evidence suggested that MAOA is important in the etiology of bipolar affective disorder (BPD), associations for markers of the MAOA gene with BPD were not conclusive and the association has not been investigated in Taiwanese population. This study was designed to illustrate the role of MAOA in the etiology of BPD in Han Chinese.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two markers, a dinucleotide polymorphism in exon 2 and a functional uVNTR on the promoter of the <it>MAOA </it>gene, were used to study the genetic association in 108 unrelated patients with BPD and 103 healthy controls. Allelic distributions of two polymorphisms were analyzed and, caused the MAOA located at X chromosome, haplotype association was performed using haplotype unambiguously assigned in male participants.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>While no difference in allelic distributions of two MAOA polymorphisms was found, the risk haplotype 114S was associated with BPD in male patients (<it>P </it>= 0.03). The significance, however, was not found in female patients with 114S haplotype.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Results from this study suggest that MAOA may have a gender-specific and small effect on the etiology of BPD in Taiwan. Due to the limited sample size, results from this study need to be confirmed in replicates.</p

MUC4 gene polymorphisms associate with endometriosis development and endometriosis-related infertility

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mucin 4 (<it>MUC4</it>) plays an important role in protecting and lubricating the epithelial surface of reproductive tracts, but its role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis is largely unknown.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To correlate <it>MUC4 </it>polymorphism with the risk of endometriosis and endometriosis-related infertility, we performed a case-control study of 140 patients and 150 healthy women. Six unique single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs882605, rs1104760, rs2688513, rs2246901, rs2258447 and rs2291652) were selected for this study. DNA fragments containing the target SNP sites were amplified by polymerase chain reaction using the TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay System to evaluate allele frequency and distribution of genotype in <it>MUC4 </it>polymorphisms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both the T/G genotype of rs882605 and the frequency of haplotype T-T (rs882605 and rs1104760) were higher in patients than in controls and were statistically significant. The frequency of the C allele at rs1104760, the C allele at rs2688513, the G allele at rs2246901 and the A allele at rs2258447 were associated with advanced stage of endometriosis. Moreover, the G allele at rs882605 was verified as a key genetic factor for infertility in patients. Protein sequence analysis indicated that amino acid substitutions by genetic variations at rs882605, rs2688513 and rs2246901 occur in the putative functional loops and the type D von Willebrand factor (VWFD) domain in the MUC4 sequence.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>MUC4 </it>polymorphisms are associated with endometriosis development and endometriosis-related infertility in the Taiwanese population.</p