Russian capital in the Visegrád countries

This working paper analyses investment by Russian firms in the four Visegrád countries, their motivations and ownership advantages, based mostly on the eclectic paradigm. Beside statistical data, we rely on case studies to present the profile of the most important Russian investors in each host country. The Visegrád countries have attracted less Russian investment than their economic importance would warrant, due to various factors, most notably the joint effects of reticence in host countries and firm strategies that do not necessarily see the subregion as a major priority. Most of the Russian investment examined is market, and to a lesser extent, resource seeking, concentrated in the hydrocarbons, steel and nuclear energy industries, often dominated by state-owned firms. Some innovative private Russian companies, with features similar to developed-country multinationals, can also be identified with market as well as efficiency-seeking investment. Extant investment theories with the exception of the eclectic paradigm fall short of explaining Russian investment. This paper suggests that further analysis is needed on the role of the home country in stimulating outward investment and directing it to specific locations

Insights into vertebrate head development: From cranial neural crest to the modelling of neurocristopathies

Although the vertebrate head has evolved to a wide collection of adaptive shapes, the fundamental signalling pathways and cellular events that outline the head skeleton have proven to be highly conserved. This conservation suggests that major morphological differences are due to changes in differentiation and morphogenetic programs downstream of a well-maintained developmental prepattern. Here we provide a brief examination of the mechanisms and pathways responsible for vertebrate head development, as well as an overview of the animal models suitable for studying face development. In addition, we describe the criteria for neurocristopathy classifica-tion, highlighting the contribution of zebrafish to the modelling of Treacher Collins/Franceschetti Syndrome, an emblematic neurocristopathy. The contributions from our laboratory reveal that proper zebrafish head development depends on the fine-tuning of developmental-gene expression mediated by nucleic acid binding proteins able to regulate DNA conformation and / or the neuroepithelium redox state.Fil: Weiner, Andrea Maria Julia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Coux, Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Armas, Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Calcaterra, Nora Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentin

What's new about CNBP? Divergent functions and activities for a conserved nucleic acid binding protein

Background: Cellular nucleic acid binding protein (CNBP) is a conserved single-stranded nucleic acid binding protein present in most eukaryotes, but not in plants. Expansions in the CNBP gene cause myotonic dystrophy type 2. Initially reported as a transcriptional regulator, CNBP was then also identified acting as a translational regulator. Scope of review: The focus of this review was to link the CNBP structural features and newly reported biochemical activities with the recently described biological functions, in the context of its pathological significance. Major conclusions: Several post-translational modifications affect CNBP subcellular localization and activity. CNBP participates in the transcriptional and translational regulation of a wide range of genes by remodeling single-stranded nucleic acid secondary structures and/or by modulating the activity of trans-acting factors. CNBP is required for proper neural crest and heart development, and plays a role in cell proliferation control. Besides, CNBP has been linked with neurodegenerative, inflammatory, and congenital diseases, as well as with tumor processes. General significance: This review provides an insight into the growing functions of CNBP in cell biology. A unique and robust mechanistic or biochemical connection among these roles has yet not been elucidated. However, the ability of CNBP to dynamically integrate signaling pathways and to act as nucleic acid chaperone may explain most of the roles and functions identified so far.Fil: Armas, Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Coux, Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Weiner, Andrea Maria Julia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Calcaterra, Nora Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Argentin