The legal framework for financial advertising:curbing behavioural exploitation

Policy makers and behavioural finance scholars express growing concern that marketing practices by financial institutions exploit retail investors’ behavioural biases. Investor protection regulation should thus address these marketing practices and include mechanisms curbing behavioural exploitation. That raises the question whether the marketing communications regime of the new Markets in Financial Instruments Directive can live up to this demand. This article develops a regulatory model that integrates behavioural finance insights into the new marketing communications regime. It then determines how regulatory authorities can apply this model when they interpret and apply specific regulatory requirements. It demonstrates how a regulatory authority or a court can translate empirical behavioural finance research findings into legal arguments when assessing whether marketing practices can significantly distort a model investor’s decision-making process. The article further establishes that the detailed requirements imposed on investment firms by the new Markets in Financial Instruments Directive are necessary in order to protect investors from behavioural exploitation. Finally, the article submits policy proposals that aim to protect investors more effectively from behavioural exploitation

The Meta VCI Map consortium for meta‐analyses on strategic lesion locations for vascular cognitive impairment using lesion‐symptom mapping: design and multicenter pilot study

Introduction: The Meta VCI Map consortium performs meta-analyses on strategic lesion locations for vascular cognitive impairment using lesion-symptom mapping. Integration of data from different cohorts will increase sample sizes, to improve brain lesion coverage and support comprehensive lesion-symptom mapping studies. Methods: Cohorts with available imaging on white matter hyperintensities or infarcts and cognitive testing were invited. We performed a pilot study to test the feasibility of multicenter data processing and analysis and determine the benefits to lesion coverage. Results: Forty-seven groups have joined Meta VCI Map (stroke n = 7800 patients; memory clinic n = 4900; population-based n = 14,400). The pilot study (six ischemic stroke cohorts, n = 878) demonstrated feasibility of multicenter data integration (computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging) and achieved marked improvement of lesion coverage. Discussion: Meta VCI Map will provide new insights into the relevance of vascular lesion location for cognitive dysfunction. After the successful pilot study, further projects are being prepared. Other investigators are welcome to join

Synthesis, structure, and bonding of d(0)/f(n) metallacarboranes incorporating the eta(7)-carboranyl ligand

Treatment of 1,2-(C6H5CH2)(2)-1,2-C2B10H10 with excess Na or Li metal in THF followed by reaction with MCl3 in the presence of excess alkali metal gave novel 13-vertex closo-metallacarboranes {[(C6H5CH2)(2)C2B10H10]M(THF)}(2){(Na(THF)(3)}(2). 2THF (M = Dy (1), Y (2), Er (3)) or [{(C6H5CH2)(2)C2B10H10}M(THF)](2)-[Li(THF)(4)](2) (M = Y (5), Er (6)) in moderate to good yield, respectively. Recrystallization of 3 from a DME solution afforded DME-coordinated metallacarborane {[(C6H5CH2)(2)C2B10H10]Er(DME)}(2){Na(DME)(2)}(2) (4). 2 and 5 are the first examples of d(0) metallacarboranes incorporating a eta(7)-carboranyl ligand. All of these complexes have been fully characterized by various spectroscopic date, elemental analyses, and X-ray diffraction studies. Molecular orbital calculations indicate that the metal-carborane bonding is well delocalized and can be described as the orbital interactions between the metal's five d orbitals and the cage's five symmetry-adapted frontier orbitals. It is anticipated that only the d(0)/f(n) transition metal ion with the proper size is capable of being eta(7)-bound to an arachno-carboranyl ligand

Fiber-Optic Monitoring of a Twin Circular Shaft Excavation: Development of Circumferential Forces and Bending Moments in Diaphragm Walls

202406 bcchAccepted ManuscriptRGCOthersResearch Institute for Land and Space of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality of The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityPublishedGreen (AAM

Reconstruction of the human blood–brain barrier in vitro reveals a pathogenic mechanism of APOE4 in pericytes

In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), amyloid deposits along the brain vasculature leading to a condition known as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), which impairs blood-brain barrier (BBB) function and accelerates cognitive degeneration. APOE4 is the strongest risk factor for CAA, yet the mechanisms underlying this genetic susceptibility are unknown. Here, we developed an iPSC-based 3D model that recapitulates anatomical and physiological properties of the human BBB in vitro. Similar to CAA, our in vitro BBB displayed significantly more amyloid accumulation in APOE4 compared to APOE3. Combinatorial experiments revealed that dysregulation of Calcineurin/NFAT-signaling and APOE in pericyte-like mural cells induces APOE4-associated CAA pathology. In the human brain, we identify APOE and NFAT are selectively dysregulated in pericytes of APOE4-carriers, and that inhibiting calcineurin/NFAT-signaling reduces APOE4-associated CAA pathology in vitro and in vivo. Our study reveals the role of pericytes in APOE4-mediated CAA and highlights calcineurin/NFAT-signaling as a therapeutic target in CAA and AD