The Discretionary Effect of CEOs and Board Chairs on Corporate Governance Structures

In this study we analyze the effect of latent managerial characteristics on corporate governance. We find that CEO and board chair fixed effects explain a significant portion of the variation in board size, board independence, and CEO-chair duality even after controlling for several firm characteristics and firm fixed effects. The effect of CEOs on corporate governance practices is attributable mainly to executives who simultaneously hold the position of CEO and board chair in the same firm. Our results do not show a decline in CEO discretionary influence on corporate governance after the enactment of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act and stock exchange governance regulations

HLA-DR in Cytotoxic T lymphocytes predicts breast cancer patients' response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Prediction of breast cancer response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy (NACT) is an urgent need to promptly direct non-responder patients to alternative therapies. Infiltrating T lymphocytes, namely cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) have been appointed as predictors of response. However, cancer cells have the ability to dampen CTLs' activity and thus, the prognostic value of the CTLs, per se, is debatable. Here, we disclose that more than the occurrence of CTLs, it is their activation state, revealed by HLA-DR expression, that can accurately predict response to NACT. Flow cytometry analysis of breast cancer biopsies showed that the frequency of CTLs and other lymphocytes were similar regardless disease stage and between NACT responders and non-responders. However, only breast cancer patients without axillary lymph node metastasis and NACT responders have HLA-DRhi CTLs. Interestingly, HLA-DR levels in tumor CTLs is correlated with HLA-DR levels in systemic CTLs. These HLA-DR+ CTLs produce IFN-γ and Granzyme B, enlightening their effector and probable anti-tumor activity profile. Moreover, the level of HLA-DR in CTLs is negatively correlated with the level of HLA-DR in T regulatory lymphocytes and with immunosuppressive and pro-tumor molecules in the tumor microenvironment. Hence, HLA-DR levels in CTLs is a highly sensitive and specific potential predictive factor of NACT-response, which can be assessed in blood to guide therapeutic decisions.Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia: PD/BD/114023/2015; PTDC/BBB-BMD/4497/2014. Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancroinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Characterization of the CBC2 readout ASIC for the CMS strip-tracker high-luminosity upgrade

The CMS Binary Chip 2 (CBC2) is a full-scale prototype ASIC developed for the front-end readout of the high-luminosity upgrade of the CMS silicon strip tracker. The 254-channel, 130 nm CMOS ASIC is designed for the binary readout of double-layer modules, and features cluster-width discrimination and coincidence logic for detecting high-PT track candidates. The chip was delivered in January 2013 and has since been bump-bonded to a dual-chip hybrid and extensively tested. The CBC2 is fully functional and working to specification: we present the result of electrical characterization of the chip, including gain, noise, threshold scan and power consumption, together with the performance of the stub finding logic. Finally we will outline the plan for future developments towards the production version

Biogeography and Phylogeny of Aigarchaeota, A Novel Phylum of Archaea

‘Aigarchaeota’ is a candidate phylum of Archaea known only by 16S rRNA gene fragments from cultiva­tion-independent microbial surveys and a single composite genome from Candidatus ‘Caldiarchaeum sub­terraneum’, an inhabitant of a subterranean gold mine in Japan. Gene sequences associated with ‘Aigarchaeo­ta’ have been found in a variety of geothermal habits, however a comprehensive analysis of the phylogeny and distribution of ‘Aigarchaeota’ has not yet been done. Public databases were mined for 16S rRNA gene sequences related to known ‘Aigarchaeota’ and a combination of approaches were used to rigorously define the phylogenetic boundaries of the phylum, investigate its distribution, and design potential ‘Aigarchaeota’- specific primers. Approximately 300 16S rRNA genes and gene fragments affiliated with ‘Aigarchaeota’ were identified, phylogenic analyses suggested that ‘Aigarchaeota’ belonged to at least three family- to order-level groups and at least 13 genus-level groups, and supported the proposed relationship between ‘Aigarchaeota’, Thaumarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, and Korarchaeota in the so-called ‘TACK’ superphylum. A global distri­bution was suggested with genus-level group habitat differentiation. Some groups were predominantly ter­restrial (1A, 2B, 3, 4 & 5) while other groups were mostly found in Marine habitats (6-8). Fifteen strong ‘Ai­garchaeota’-specific primer candidates for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of 16S rRNA genes were designed for further analyses

Configurational temperature control for atomic and molecular systems

A new configurational temperature thermostat suitable for molecules with holonomic constraints is derived. This thermostat has a simple set of motion equations, can generate the canonical ensemble in both position and momentum space, acts homogeneously through the spatial coordinates, and does not intrinsically violate the constraints. Our new configurational thermostat is closely related to the kinetic temperature Nosé-Hoover thermostat with feedback coupled to the position variables via a term proportional to the net molecular force. We validate the thermostat by comparing equilibrium static and dynamic quantities for a fluid of n-decane molecules under configurational and kinetic temperature control. Practical aspects concerning the implementation of the new thermostat in a molecular dynamics code and the potential applications are discussed