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The integration of visual letters and speech sounds is a crucial part of learning to read. Previous studies investigating this integration have revealed a modulation by audiovisual (AV) congruency, commonly known as the congruency effect. To investigate the cortical oscillations of the congruency effects across different oscillatory frequency bands, we conducted a Japanese priming task in which a visual letter was followed by a speech sound. We analyzed the power and phase properties of oscillatory activities in the theta and beta bands between congruent and incongruent letter‐speech sound (L‐SS) pairs. Our results revealed stronger theta‐band (5–7 Hz) power in the congruent condition and cross‐modal phase resetting within the auditory cortex, accompanied by enhanced inter‐trial phase coherence (ITPC) in the auditory‐related areas in response to the congruent condition. The observed congruency effect of theta‐band power may reflect increased neural activities in the left auditory region during L‐SS integration. Additionally, theta ITPC findings suggest that visual letters amplify neuronal responses to the following corresponding auditory stimulus, which may reflect the differential cross‐modal influences in the primary auditory cortex. In contrast, decreased beta‐band (20–35 Hz) oscillatory power was observed in the right centroparietal regions for the congruent condition. The reduced beta power seems to be unrelated to the processing of AV integration, but may be interpreted as the brain response to predicting auditory sounds during language processing. Our data provide valuable insights by indicating that oscillations in different frequency bands contribute to the disparate aspects of L‐SS integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are concerns over the effects of increasingly large and high‐severity fires that burn outside the local natural range of variation on ecosystem services and biodiversity.Pollinators provide important ecosystem services in the dry forests of the western United States where they depend on open habitat created or maintained by frequent, low‐ to moderate‐severity fire.We investigated the impact of burn severity on pollinator diversity in upland forest and meadow habitat at local (i.e., at the plot scale) and regional (burn severity class) spatial scales in the Sierra Nevada of California.In meadows, pollinator richness declined with increasing burn severity, but in uplands, there was no significant effect of burn severity on pollinator richness. Absence of pollinators was more likely to occur in unburned or high‐severity uplands.At the regional scale, we found that α was similar among burn classes in both habitats, although communities in burned uplands tended to be less even than unburned uplands. β was significantly higher in moderately burned than unburned upland habitat, but there were no significant differences in β for meadow habitats.Because meadows tend to be both more diverse and more sensitive to the negative impacts of high‐severity fire than uplands, conservation measures for pollinators could prioritise the removal of encroaching conifer species that may increase fire severity in these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key points Exercise is a potent stimulus for combatting skeletal muscle ageing. To study the effects of exercise on muscle in a preclinical setting, we developed a combined endurance–resistance training stimulus for mice called progressive weighted wheel running (PoWeR). PoWeR improves molecular, biochemical, cellular and functional characteristics of skeletal muscle and promotes aspects of partial epigenetic reprogramming when performed late in life (22–24 months of age). In this investigation, we leveraged pan‐mammalian DNA methylome arrays and tandem mass‐spectrometry proteomics in skeletal muscle to provide detailed information on late‐life PoWeR adaptations in female mice relative to age‐matched sedentary controls (n = 7–10 per group). Differential CpG methylation at conserved promoter sites was related to transcriptional regulation genes as well as Nr4a3, Hes1 and Hox genes after PoWeR. Using a holistic method of ‐omics integration called binding and expression target analysis (BETA), methylome changes were associated with upregulated proteins related to global and mitochondrial translation after PoWeR (P = 0.03). Specifically, BETA implicated methylation control of ribosomal, mitoribosomal, and mitochondrial complex I protein abundance after training. DNA methylation may also influence LACTB, MIB1 and UBR4 protein induction with exercise – all are mechanistically linked to muscle health. Computational cistrome analysis predicted several transcription factors including MYC as regulators of the exercise trained methylome–proteome landscape, corroborating prior late‐life PoWeR transcriptome data. Correlating the proteome to muscle mass and fatigue resistance revealed positive relationships with VPS13A and NPL levels, respectively. Our findings expose differential epigenetic and proteomic adaptations associated with translational regulation after PoWeR that could influence skeletal muscle mass and function in aged mice. Late‐life combined endurance–resistance exercise training from 22–24 months of age in mice is shown to improve molecular, biochemical, cellular and in vivo functional characteristics of skeletal muscle and promote aspects of partial epigenetic reprogramming and epigenetic age mitigation. Integration of DNA CpG 36k methylation arrays using conserved sites (which also contain methylation ageing clock sites) with exploratory proteomics in skeletal muscle extends our prior work and reveals coordinated and widespread regulation of ribosomal, translation initiation, mitochondrial ribosomal (mitoribosomal) and complex I proteins after combined voluntary exercise training in a sizeable cohort of female mice (n = 7–10 per group and analysis). Multi‐omics integration predicted epigenetic regulation of serine β‐lactamase‐like protein (LACTB – linked to tumour resistance in muscle), mind bomb 1 (MIB1 – linked to satellite cell and type 2 fibre maintenance) and ubiquitin protein ligase E3 component N‐recognin 4 (UBR4 – linked to muscle protein quality control) after training. Computational cistrome analysis identified MYC as a regulator of the late‐life training proteome, in agreement with prior transcriptional analyses. Vacuolar protein sorting 13 homolog A (VPS13A) was positively correlated to muscle mass, and the glycoprotein/glycolipid associated sialylation enzyme N‐acetylneuraminate pyruvate lyase (NPL) was associated to in vivo muscle fatigue resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Sugar beet and its wild relatives share a base chromosome number of nine and similar chromosome morphologies. Yet, interspecific breeding is impeded by chromosome and sequence divergence that is still not fully understood. Since repetitive DNAs are among the fastest evolving parts of the genome, we investigated, if repeatome innovations and losses are linked to chromosomal differentiation and speciation. We traced genome and chromosome‐wide evolution across 13 beet species comprising all sections of the genera Beta and Patellifolia. For this, we combined short and long read sequencing, flow cytometry, and cytogenetics to build a comprehensive framework that spans the complete scale from DNA to chromosome to genome. Genome sizes and repeat profiles reflect the separation into three gene pools with contrasting evolutionary patterns. Among all repeats, satellite DNAs harbor most genomic variability, leading to fundamentally different centromere architectures, ranging from chromosomal uniformity in Beta and Patellifolia to the formation of patchwork chromosomes in Corollinae/Nanae. We show that repetitive DNAs are causal for the genome expansions and contractions across the beet genera, providing insights into the genomic underpinnings of beet speciation. Satellite DNAs in particular vary considerably between beet genomes, leading to the evolution of distinct chromosomal setups in the three gene pools, likely contributing to the barriers in beet breeding. Thus, with their isokaryotypic chromosome sets, beet genomes present an ideal system for studying the link between repeats, genomic variability, and chromosomal differentiation and provide a theoretical fundament for understanding barriers in any crop breeding effort. Significance Statement: Sugar beet and its wild relatives, despite sharing the same base chromosome number and similar chromosome morphologies, exhibit genetic barriers impeding crossbreeding. We show that beet speciation and the separation into distinct beet gene pools is associated with unique chromosome setups, characterized by the specific presence and distribution of satellite DNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis is the most widely used recreational drug in the United States and regular use has been linked to deficits in attention and memory. However, the effects of regular use on motor control are less understood, with some studies showing deficits and others indicating normal performance. Eighteen users and 23 nonusers performed a motor sequencing task during high‐density magnetoencephalography (MEG). The MEG data was transformed into the time‐frequency domain and beta responses (16–24 Hz) during motor planning and execution phases were imaged separately using a beamformer approach. Whole‐brain maps were examined for group (cannabis user/nonuser) and time window (planning/execution) effects. As expected, there were no group differences in task performance (e.g., reaction time, accuracy, etc.). Regular cannabis users exhibited stronger beta oscillations in the contralateral primary motor cortex compared to nonusers during the execution phase of the motor sequences, but not during the motor planning phase. Similar group‐by‐time window interactions were observed in the left superior parietal, right inferior frontal cortices, right posterior insular cortex, and the bilateral motor cortex. We observed differences in the neural dynamics serving motor control in regular cannabis users compared to nonusers, suggesting regular users may employ compensatory processing in both primary motor and higher‐order motor cortices to maintain adequate task performance. Future studies will need to examine more complex motor control tasks to ascertain whether this putative compensatory activity eventually becomes exhausted and behavioral differences emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the risk–return spectrum of investment for going green and sustainability practice in India. This article analyses three sustainability focused index from Indian equity market viz. S&P BSE GREENEX, S&P BSE CARBONEX and S&P BSE ESG 100. Statistical and financial rates, ratios and latest five‐factor model of asset pricing are used for the said purpose. ESG 100 index turned out to be outperformer whereas the other two gave slightly less return than the market benchmark. Volatility is found to be similar to that of the market for all the indexes. Significant increment of wealth of green investors during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic period is another notable finding of the study. Results of this article indicate that investors are getting more return compared to market if they invest in stocks that perform well in sustainability criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain function rapidly changes in the first 2 years of life. In the last decades, resting‐state EEG has been widely used to explore those changes. Previous studies have focused on the relative power of the signal in established frequency bands (i.e., theta, alpha, and beta). However, EEG power is a mixture of a 1/f‐like background power (aperiodic) in combination with narrow peaks that appear over that curve (periodic activity, e.g., alpha peak). Therefore, it is possible that relative power captures both, aperiodic and periodic brain activity, contributing to changes in electrophysiological activity observed in infancy. For this reason, we explored the early developmental trajectory of the relative power in theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands from infancy to toddlerhood and compared it with changes in periodic activity in a longitudinal study with three waves at age 6, 9, and 16 to 18 months. Finally, we tested the contribution of periodic activity and aperiodic components of the EEG to age changes in relative power. We found that relative power and periodic activity trajectories differed in this period in all the frequency bands but alpha. Furthermore, aperiodic EEG activity flattened between 6 and 18 months. More importantly, only alpha relative power was exclusively related to periodic activity, whereas aperiodic components of the signal significantly contributed to the relative power of activity in theta and beta bands. Thus, relative power in these frequencies is influenced by developmental changes of the aperiodic activity, which should be considered for future studies. Power of oscillatory brain activity recorded at rest (rs‐EEG) provides reliable indicators of neurocognitive development. However, it conflates both aperiodic and oscillatory brain activity. We investigated age‐related changes in rs‐EEG activity in infancy and examined the contribution of aperiodic and oscillatory components of the signal to classic power measurements. We show that only alpha relative power was exclusively related to oscillatory activity, whereas aperiodic components contributed to the relative power in theta and beta bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under rational asset pricing theory, and in efficient, frictionless market, risk should be priced contemporaneously and, thus, the market meltdown during the COVID‐19 pandemic must have been a contingent valuation of newly created risk. In contrast, we find that the reduction in equity value during the pandemic was stronger for stocks with higher pre‐pandemic accrued risk. This lends support to the discrete pricing proposition, which is a form of behavioural bias where investors price accrued risk during significant corporate or macroeconomic events. Furthermore, we compare the pricing of accrued risk during the pandemic with the pricing of accrued risk during non‐pandemic events and during past financial crises. We report evidence that pricing of accrued risk results in a premium in normal times and a discount during financial turmoil. Finally, we report evidence that investors price accrued stocks discriminately, that is, they are more likely to price accrued risk of stocks of larger firms, smaller B/M, and weaker momentum. Several theoretical and practical implications are discussed inside the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the conventional capital asset pricing model (CAPM), standard deviation as a measure of risk penalizes both upward and downward movements. However, while downward movements in investments are risky, upward movements are favourable. Therefore, standard semideviation that treats only those negative differences in returns over the benchmark as risky was proposed as a measure of downside risk. Attempts have been made to obtain the formulation of beta in this context, called downside beta. In this work, CAPM in the mean‐semivariance framework (D‐CAPM), with semivariance measured in terms of negative deviation around expected return, is derived and established that the model proposed earlier with a version of downside beta with respect to this definition of semivaraince is invalid. The appropriate version of downside beta is obtained, and under the rectified formulation, the validity of the true D‐CAPM is empirically tested during July 2013–July 2018. The solution to the tangent point is also obtained. The proportion of investment in the stocks in the tangent portfolio and the downside beta for the stocks in the tangent portfolio are determined. We find that there is no evidence to disprove that D‐CAPM holds true considering either Nifty 50 or S&P BSE Sensex as market portfolio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Omicron variant was first detected in October 2021, which evolved from the original SARS‐CoV‐2 strain and was found to possess many mutations. Immune evasion was one of the notable consequences of these mutations. Despite Omicron exhibiting increased transmissibility, the rates of hospitalizations and deaths among patients infected with this variant were substantially lower when compared to other strains. However, concluding that the Omicron variant is less severe than other variants of SARS‐CoV‐2 requires consideration of multiple factors, including the vaccination status of infected patients as well as any previous infections with other variants. This review compiled data about any reported indicators of severity in Omicron‐infected patients, including studies comparing Omicron with other variants while adjusting for confounders. A comprehensive search was conducted using different databases to target any studies about Omicron. In total, 62 studies met our inclusion criteria and were included in this study. Many studies reported a significantly reduced risk of hospitalization, ICU admission, need for oxygenation/ventilation, and death in Omicron‐infected patients compared to patients infected with other variants, such as Delta. Some studies, however, reported comparable severity in Omicron infected patients as to other variants emphasizing a substantial risk for severe illness. Furthermore, the COVID‐19 vaccines were less effective against Omicron relative to previous lineages, except after receiving the booster dose. One study recommended vaccination during pregnancy, which may help prevent future cases of severe SARS‐CoV‐2 pneumonia in neonates and young infants due to the transfer of humoral response from the mother. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity linked to traditionally managed semi‐natural grasslands is declining, despite conservation efforts. At the same time, the area of novel grassland habitats along linear infrastructure, such as road verges and power line corridors, is increasing and in some regions surpass the area of semi‐natural grasslands. An open question is to what extent these novel grasslands can complement or even replace traditionally managed grasslands as habitat for grassland species.We compared the alpha (species richness) and beta (abundance‐based dissimilarities) diversity of plants, bumblebees and butterflies among semi‐natural pastures, verges of small and big roads, power line corridors and uncultivated field borders nested within 32 landscapes (2 × 2 km squares). Landscapes had either high or low road density and were with or without power line corridors. Across landscapes there was also a gradient in the area of semi‐natural pastures.Alpha diversity of all three species groups was as high in power line corridors and verges of small roads as in semi‐natural pastures, regardless of landscape composition. Although all habitat types shared a large proportion of species, community composition differed among habitats for all three species groups. The beta diversity of plants and butterflies was driven primarily by the replacement of species (turnover), while the beta diversity of bumblebees was driven by a rarer occurrence of certain species in road verges (nestedness). This means that linear infrastructure habitats cannot fully replace the role of semi‐natural grasslands for plant and pollinator diversity.The area of road verges, power line corridors and semi‐natural pastures in the landscape influenced community composition of plants and butterflies, but not the similarity in community composition among habitats within landscapes.Policy implications. Although novel grasslands along linear infrastructures have high numbers of grassland species, they only support a part of the biodiversity found in traditionally managed semi‐natural grasslands. Therefore, protecting and restoring semi‐natural grasslands should continue to be a priority for the conservation of grassland biodiversity. However, especially in landscapes where the area of semi‐natural grasslands is low, road verges and power line corridors can be important habitats for a number of grassland plants and insects and should be managed to promote biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implicit sequence learning describes the acquisition of serially ordered movements and sequentially structured cognitive information, that occurs without awareness. Theta, alpha and beta cortical oscillations are present during implicit motor sequence learning, but their role in this process is unclear. The current study addressed this gap in the literature. A total of 50 healthy adults aged between 19 and 37 years participated in the study. Implicit motor sequence learning was examined using the Serial Reaction Time task where participants unknowingly repeat a sequence of finger movements in response to a visual stimulus. Sequence learning was examined by comparing reaction times and oscillatory power between sequence trials and a set of control trials comprising random stimulus presentations. Electroencephalography was recorded as participants completed the task. Analyses of the behavioral data revealed participants learnt the sequence. Analyses of oscillatory activity, using permutation testing, revealed sequence learning was associated with a decrease in theta band (4–7 Hz) power recorded over frontal and central electrode sites. Sequence learning effects were not observed in the alpha (7–12 Hz) or beta bands (12–20 Hz). Even though alpha and beta power modulations have long been associated with executing a motor response, it seems theta power is a correlate of sequence learning in the manual domain. Theta power modulations on the serial reaction time task may reflect disengagement of attentional resources, either promoting or occurring as a consequence of implicit motor sequence learning Cortical oscillations are present during implicit motor sequence learning, but their role in this process is unclear. In this study we found that implicit motor sequence learning modulated theta power, but not alpha or beta. These results suggest disengaging theta regulated attentional processes could be a correlate of implicit learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ratio of fronto‐central theta (4–7 Hz) to beta oscillations (13–30 Hz), known as the theta‐beta ratio, is negatively correlated with attentional control, reinforcement learning, executive function, and age. Although theta‐beta ratios have been found to decrease with age in adolescents and young adults, theta has been found to increase with age in older adults. Moreover, age‐related decrease in individual alpha peak frequency and flattening of the 1/f aperiodic component may artifactually inflate the association between theta‐beta ratio and age. These factors lead to an incomplete understanding of how theta‐beta ratio varies across the lifespan and the extent to which variation is due to a conflation of aperiodic and periodic activity. We conducted a partially preregistered analysis examining the cross‐sectional associations between age and resting canonical fronto‐central theta‐beta ratio, individual alpha peak frequency, and aperiodic component (n = 268; age 36–84, M = 55.8, SD = 11.0). Age was negatively associated with theta‐beta ratios, individual peak alpha frequencies, and the aperiodic exponent. The correlation between theta‐beta ratios and age remained after controlling for individual peak alpha frequencies, but was nonsignificant when controlling for the aperiodic exponent. Aperiodic exponent fully mediated the relationship between theta‐beta ratio and age, although beta remained significantly associated with age after controlling for theta, individual peak alpha, and aperiodic exponent. Results replicate previous observations and show age‐related decreases in theta‐beta ratios are not due to age‐related decrease in individual peak alpha frequencies but primarily explained by flattening of the aperiodic component with age. The fronto‐central theta‐beta ratio is negatively correlated with age, but it is unclear if this is due to age‐related shifts in individual peak alpha frequencies, flattening of the aperiodic 1/f component, or a unique aging process. In a large adult sample (n = 268; age 36–84), the aperiodic exponent fully mediated the negative relationship between age and theta‐beta ratio, suggesting theta‐beta ratio and aperiodic exponent are highly confounded measures across the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive workload (CWL) is a fundamental concept in the assessment and monitoring of human performance during cognitive tasks. Numerous studies have attempted to objectively and continuously measure the CWL using neuroimaging techniques. Although the electroencephalogram (EEG) is a widely used technique, the impact of CWL on the spectral power of brain frequencies has shown inconsistent results. The present review aimed to synthesize the results of the literature and quantitatively assess which brain frequency is the most sensitive to CWL. A systematic literature search following PRISMA recommendations highlighted three main frequency bands used to measure CWL: theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (8–12 Hz), and beta (12–30 Hz). Three meta‐analyses were conducted to quantitatively examine the effect of CWL on these frequencies. A total of 45 effect sizes from 24 studies involving 723 participants were computed. CWL was associated with significant effects on theta (g = 0.68, CI [0.41, 0.95]), alpha (g = −0.25, CI [−0.45, 0.04]), and beta (g = 0.50, CI [0.21, 0.79]) power. Our results suggests that theta, especially the frontal theta, is the best index of CWL. Alpha and beta power were also significantly impacted by CWL; however, their association seemed less straightforward. These results are critically analyzed considering the literature on cerebral oscillations. We conclude by emphasizing the need to investigate the interaction between CWL and other factors that may influence spectral power (e.g., emotional load), and to combine this measure with other methods of analysis of the central and peripheral nervous system (e.g., functional connectivity, heart rate). Our study provides the first quantitative synthesis of the impact of cognitive workload (CWL) on EEG spectral power. Our meta‐analysis and moderator analysis reveal that the theta frequency of the frontal cortex is the most sensitive index of CWL, while alpha and beta frequencies are also sensitive to increasing load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes duration-adjusted betas for the three-factor model betas that include risk associated with the firm's dividend policy. It extends Varela (Journal of Portfolio Management, 41, 2015, 122) who shows dividend policy as relevant to the stock's risk even in perfect markets, because the stock's duration is lower when cash dividends are higher. The three-factor model's betas measure the effects of the market portfolio, size, and value premiums on the stock's required return. The stock's duration measures its required return's effects on its price. In combination, adjusting the stock's three-factor betas for duration accounts not only for the effects of each factor on its required return, but also for the effect of the required return on its price. Overall, investors seeking lower risks, that is lower duration-adjusted betas, should consider firms with policies that promote higher cash dividends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) in France in early December 2020, we used duck mortality data from the index farm to investigate within‐flock transmission dynamics. A stochastic epidemic model was fitted to the daily mortality data and model parameters were estimated using an approximate Bayesian computation sequential Monte Carlo (ABC‐SMC) algorithm. The model predicted that the first bird in the flock was infected 5 days (95% credible interval, CI: 3–6) prior to the day of suspicion and that the transmission rate was 4.1 new infections per day (95% CI: 2.8–5.8). On average, ducks became infectious 4.1 h (95% CI: 0.7–9.1) after infection and remained infectious for 4.3 days (95% CI: 2.8–5.7). The model also predicted that 34% (50% prediction interval: 8%–76%) of birds would already be infectious by the day of suspicion, emphasizing the substantial latent threat this virus could pose to other poultry farms and to neighbouring wild birds. This study illustrates how mechanistic models can help provide rapid relevant insights that contribute to the management of infectious disease outbreaks of farmed animals. These methods can be applied to future outbreaks and the resulting parameter estimates made available to veterinary services within a few hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) and distant cortical regions subserve potential effects on cognition of patients with focal epilepsy. We hypothesize that "healthy" brain areas at a distance from the epileptic focus may respond to the interference of IEDs by generating inhibitory alpha and beta oscillations. We predict that more prominent alpha‐beta oscillations can be found in patients with less impaired neurocognitive profile. We performed a source imaging magnetoencephalography study, including 41 focal epilepsy patients: 21 with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) and 20 with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. We investigated the effect of anterior (i.e., frontal and temporal) IEDs on the oscillatory pattern over posterior head regions. We compared cortical oscillations (5–80 Hz) temporally linked to 3,749 IEDs (1,945 frontal and 1,803 temporal) versus an equal number of IED‐free segments. We correlated results from IED triggered oscillations to global neurocognitive performance. Only frontal IEDs triggered alpha‐beta oscillations over posterior head regions. IEDs with higher amplitude triggered alpha‐beta oscillations of higher magnitude. The intensity of posterior head region alpha‐beta oscillations significantly correlated with a better neuropsychological profile. Our study demonstrated that cerebral cortex protects itself from IEDs with generation of inhibitory alpha‐beta oscillations at distant cortical regions. The association of more prominent oscillations with a better cognitive status suggests that this mechanism might play a role in determining the cognitive resilience in patients with FLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically investigates the differences between the systematic risk estimated by OLS and it simultaneous estimation with a GARCH errors. The systematic risk of an asset is estimated by the beta coefficient of the market line. According to the OLS hypothesis, the estimators are robust and residuals are white noise process. However various papers show the existence of statistical anomalies (stylized facts) in residuals (heteroskedasticity, autocorrelation and non‐normality) rejecting the BLUE properties of estimators. In order to considerate these anomalies to modelize the hazard in residuals regression, we use ARCH processes class that has proved it efficiency in finance. We estimate simultaneously the parameters of the market line and those of the GARCH process for the 30 perennial equities listed in CAC40 for the daily period 2005 to 2015 and we compare them each other. We select the E‐GARCH model providing the best residuals characteristics and we note significant differences with the OLS Betas particularly for equities with betas greater than 1. On this base, we estimate a linear relationship between the OLS Betas and the E‐GARCH Betas considering this break to modelize the differences between these two kinds of Betas. By this way, Investors can quickly adjust the Beta with this tool without completely reestimating them with GARCH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discrepancies between actigraphic and self‐reported sleep measures are common. Studies of people with insomnia, in whom both sleep disturbances and discrepancy are common, suggest disturbances and discrepancy reflect differences in the sleeping brain's activity measurable using spectral electroencephalogram (EEG). Disentangling effects of discrepancy and disturbance on sleep EEG could help target research on the consequences and treatments of different sleep phenotypes. We therefore categorized participants in a cohort study including 2,850 men (average age = 76 years, standard deviation = 5.5) into four groups using median splits on actigraphic and self‐reported sleep efficiency (SE). We compared spectral power between these groups in 1‐Hz bins up to 24 Hz. Compared with the concordant‐high SE group: (a) the group with high actigraphic and low self‐reported SE had higher spectral power from 11–15 Hz across the night; (b) both groups with low actigraphic SE had higher power across the 15–24 Hz range, predominantly in early cycles, and greater slow frequency power in later cycles. These findings suggest that perceived wakefulness undetected by actigraphy may result from or drive activity corresponding to spindles. We also found, consistent with hyperarousal models, that low SE detectable via actigraphy was related to higher frequency power in the beta range; actigraph‐measured inefficiency was also associated with later slow oscillations, potentially representing attempts to dissipate homeostatic drive elevated from earlier hyperarousal. These distinct spectral EEG markers (of low SE measured with actigraphy vs. low perceived SE that is not captured by actigraphy) may have different causes or consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Task‐switching paradigms, which involve task repetitions and between‐task switches, have long been used as a benchmark of cognitive control processes. When mixed and single‐task blocks are presented, two types of costs usually occur: the switch cost, measured by contrasting performance on switch and repeat trials during the mixed‐task blocks, and the mixing cost, calculated as the performance difference between the all‐repeat trials from the single‐task blocks and the repeat trials from the mixed‐task blocks. Both costs can be mitigated by informational cues that signal the upcoming task switch beforehand. Recent electroencephalographic studies have started unveiling the brain oscillatory activity underlying the switch cost during the preparatory cue‐target interval, thus, targeting proactive control processes. Less attention has instead been paid to the mixing cost and, importantly, to the oscillatory dynamics involved in switch and mixing costs during reactive control. To fill this gap, here, we analyzed the time‐frequency data obtained during a task‐switching paradigm wherein the simultaneous presentation of task cues and targets increased the need for reactive control. Results showed that while alpha and beta bands were modulated by switch and mixing costs in a similar gradual fashion, with greater suppression going from switch to repeat and all‐repeat trials, theta power was sensitive to the switch cost with increased power for switch than repeat trials. Together, our findings join previous studies underlining the importance of theta, alpha and beta oscillations in task‐switching and extend them by depicting the oscillations involved in switch and mixing costs during reactive control processes. How does the brain behave when we are not afforded preparation to switch or repeat a task? To address it, we explored the oscillatory activity involved in switch and mixing costs during a reactive task‐switching paradigm. While alpha and beta bands were similarly modulated by switch and mixing costs, theta power was sensitive to the switch cost with increased power for switch than repeat trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: The floristic distinctiveness of ancient woodland relative to recent woodland is commonly measured by Ancient Woodland Indicator (AWI) species richness. However, focussing on a pre‐defined subset of species means that wider community‐level differences may be overlooked. Can ancient semi‐natural, ancient replanted, and recent woodland herb layer communities be distinguished by alpha, beta, and gamma diversity? How are any differences partitioned across AWI and non‐AWI species communities? Location: Cotswolds, southwest UK. Methods: To quantify AWI and non‐AWI responses to stand history in ancient semi‐natural, ancient replanted, and recent woodland, we conducted floristic surveys of 45 sites. Using a modelling approach, we tested the relative and additive contribution of alpha‐scale AWI and non‐AWI species richness to woodland distinctiveness. Ordination was applied to analyse beta species composition distinctiveness, and multilevel pattern analysis was used to examine which species were significant contributors to gamma‐scale richness differences. Results: AWI species richness models significantly distinguished ancient semi‐natural woodland from both ancient replanted and recent woodland at the alpha scale. For the classification of ancient semi‐natural woodland and recent woodland, the hierarchical inclusion of non‐AWI alpha richness resulted in a superior and more significant model. AWI gamma richness was numerically similar for all three woodland categories, whereas non‐AWI was more varied. AWI and non‐AWI species composition showed significant beta diversity differences among all woodland types, with six species being significant drivers of differences. Conclusions: Our results have revealed previously undetected complexity in the contributions of AWI and non‐AWI species to floristic distinctiveness of ancient woodland. In addition to traditional AWI species, the non‐AWI assemblage also exhibited a sensitivity to habitat continuity that: (a) adds weight to the argument that ancient woodland is floristically distinct from recent woodland; and (b) provides a useful measure of success for ancient replanted woodland restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The effects of GRK2 inhibition on myocardial metabolism in heart failure (HF) are unchartered. In this work, we evaluated the impact of pharmacological inhibition of GRK2 by a cyclic peptide, C7, on metabolic, biochemical, and functional phenotypes in experimental HF. Methods and results: C7 was initially tested on adult mice ventricular myocyte from wild type and GRK2 myocardial deficient mice (GRK2‐cKO), to assess the selectivity on GRK2 inhibition. Then, chronic infusion of 2 mg/kg/day of C7 was performed in HF mice with cryogenic myocardial infarction. Cardiac function in vivo was assessed by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. Histological, biochemical, and metabolic studies were performed on heart samples at time points. C7 induces a significant increase of contractility in wild type but not in adult ventricle myocytes from GRK2‐cKO mice, thus confirming C7 selectivity for GRK2. In HF mice, 4 weeks of treatment with C7 improved metabolic features, including mitochondrial organization and function, and restored the biochemical and contractile responses. Conclusions: GRK2 is a critical molecule in the physiological regulation of cardiac metabolism. Its alterations in the failing heart can be pharmacologically targeted, leading to the correction of metabolic and functional abnormalities observed in HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Subcutaneous panniculitis‐like alpha‐beta T‐cell lymphoma is a rare disease, which comprises less than 1% of all non‐Hodgkin lymphoma. The epidemiology of this disorder has not been established in New Zealand, particularly the ethnic variation. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from 2005 to 2017 in South Auckland, New Zealand. Patients with histopathologically confirmed subcutaneous panniculitis‐like alpha‐beta T‐cell lymphoma, according to the WHO‐EORTC classification, were included. Cases were identified from multiple data sources to ensure the study population was completely surveyed. Census data were used as the denominator. Results: Ten cases were identified. Five were men and five women. The median age at diagnosis was of 38.5 years (range 17–73 years). Nine were Māori/Pacific, and one was European. The ethnic relative risk of subcutaneous panniculitis‐like alpha‐beta T‐cell lymphoma in Māori/Pacific versus European was 11.1 (95% Cl 1.83–246.1, P = 0.005). Conclusion: Māori and Pacific have a higher relative risk of subcutaneous panniculitis‐like alpha‐beta T‐cell lymphoma compared to non‐Māori/Pacific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk is an integral component of strategic management decisions and often appears as an element of empirical studies reported in the strategic management literature. Recent methodological research in the financial economics and management science literatures has, however, raised serious questions about the strategic management literature's two most widely used measures of firm and business-level risk: beta (or its derivatives) from the Capital Asset Pricing Model and simple variance (or its variants). This research reviews risk studies published in leading management journals in the past 15 years and summarizes the recent methodological findings in the adjacent literatures. We discuss the implications of these findings for our understanding of risk in strategic management and assess alternative measures of risk and conclude with a discussion of directions for future strategy research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a neurological condition characterized by motor and vocal tics. Previous studies suggested that this syndrome is associated with abnormal sensorimotor cortex activity at rest, as well as during the execution of voluntary movements. It has been hypothesized that this abnormality might be interpreted as a form of increased tonic inhibition, probably to suppress tics; however, this hypothesis has not been tested so far. The present study was designed to formally test how voluntary tic suppression in GTS influences the activity of the sensorimotor cortex during the execution of a motor task. We used EEG to record neural activity over the contralateral sensorimotor cortex during a finger movement task in adult GTS patients, in both free ticcing and tic suppression conditions; these data were then compared with those collected during the same task in age‐matched healthy subjects. We focused on the levels of activity in the beta frequency band, which is typically associated with the activation of the motor system, during three different phases: a pre‐movement, a movement, and a post‐movement phase. GTS patients showed decreased levels of beta modulation with respect to the healthy controls, during the execution of the task; however, this abnormal pattern returned to be normal when they were explicitly asked to suppress their tics while moving. This is the first demonstration that voluntary tic suppression in GTS operates through the normalization of the EEG rhythm in the beta frequency range during the execution of a voluntary finger movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beet western yellows virus (BWYV; genus Polerovirus, family Luteoviridae) is one of the most important viruses causing yellowing disease of many field and vegetable crops. This study isolated different poleroviruses from sugar beet, spinach, radish and brassica in Japan, and identified them as BWYV‐JP, Beet leaf yellowing virus (BLYV), Brassica yellows virus (BrYV) and BrYV‐R (radish strain) based on host range and molecular analysis. Among over 100 plant species from 19 families inoculated with the vector Myzus persicae, about half of the species in 13 families were infected with some of these viruses. BLYV shared a similar host range to Beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV). These had a much more limited host range than BWYV‐JP, which resembled BWYV‐USA. The host range of BrYV was similar to that of Turnip yellows virus (TuYV). Phylogenetic analyses at the 5′ portion (replication‐related gene) of the genome showed that BLYV, BMYV, BWYV (‐JP and ‐USA) and Cucurbit aphid‐borne yellows virus (CABYV) formed one large group, whereas BrYV and TuYV were grouped together. BLYV and BWYV were most closely related to each other, and were more closely related to CABYV than to BMYV. However, at the 3′ end (coat protein gene), BLYV and BWYV‐JP formed a distinct group, separated from the BrYV group, which in turn was more closely related to BWYV‐USA, BMYV, TuYV and Beet chlorosis virus, a group originating from outside Asia. Thus, this study presents host range differences and phylogeographical relationships of BWYV‐like poleroviruses that are distributed worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insomnia has been associated in cross‐sectional studies with increased beta (15–35 Hz) electroencephalogram (EEG) power during nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, an index of cortical hyperarousal. However, it is unknown whether this cortical hyperarousal is present before individuals with insomnia develop the disorder. To fill this gap, we examined the association of childhood sleep high‐frequency EEG activity with incident insomnia symptoms (i.e., absence of insomnia symptoms in childhood but presence in adolescence). Methods: We studied a case–control subsample of 45 children (6–11 years) from the Penn State Child Cohort, a population‐based random sample of 421 children, who were followed up after 8 years as adolescents (13–20 years). We examined low‐beta (15–25 Hz) and high‐beta (25–35 Hz) relative power at central EEG derivations during NREM sleep and, in secondary analyses, during sleep onset latency, sleep onset, and REM sleep. Incident insomnia symptoms were defined as the absence of parent‐reported difficulty falling and/or staying asleep during childhood and a self‐report of these insomnia symptoms during adolescence. Results: Childhood high‐beta power during NREM sleep was significantly increased in children who developed insomnia symptoms in adolescence (n = 25) as compared to normal sleeping controls (n = 20; p = .03). Multivariable‐adjusted logistic regression models showed that increased childhood high‐beta EEG power during NREM sleep was associated with a threefold increased odds (95% CI = 1.12–7.98) of incident insomnia symptoms in adolescence. No other significant relationships were observed for other sleep/wake states or EEG frequency bands. Conclusions: Increased childhood high‐frequency EEG power during NREM sleep is associated with incident insomnia symptoms in adolescence. This study indicates that cortical hyperarousal during sleep may be a premorbid neurophysiological sign of insomnia, which may mediate the increased risk of psychiatric disorders associated with insomnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A convex windowless extrapolation chamber was developed as a primary measurement device to determine surface dose rate from curved 106Ru/106Rh episcleral plaques. Methods: A convex extrapolation chamber without an entrance window was constructed for this work, and surface dose rate measurements were performed with two curved CCB‐type 106Ru/106Rh plaques (S/N 2545 and 2596) manufactured by Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG. FARO® Gage measurements were performed to verify the radius of curvature for the convex electrode and the concave plaque surface. Furthermore, the collecting electrode area was verified through capacitance measurements. Chamber correction factors for divergence and backscatter were generated using the EGSnrc cavity user code. For each source, surface dose rate was measured with the convex extrapolation chamber and compared with on‐contact measurements made with curved un‐laminated EBT3 film strips. A Monte Carlo correction was generated for radiochromic film measurements to account for volume averaging within the active layer and effects of phantom scatter. Additionally, extrapolation chamber results for each plaque were compared with scintillation detector measurements performed by the manufacturer. For the second source (S/N 2596), a comparison was also made with the Monte Carlo‐corrected surface dose rate measured at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) using cylindrical alanine pellets. Finally, source measurements were performed using conventional ionization chambers (Exradin A26, A1SL, and A20) within a custom fixture to investigate the transfer of extrapolation chamber surface dose rate to clinics. Results: For the first 106Ru/106Rh plaque (S/N 2545), average surface dose rate from the convex windowless extrapolation chamber was found to be 1.5% higher than the corresponding value from curved un‐laminated EBT3 film measurements and 5.6% lower than the manufacturer value. For the second source (S/N 2596), the extrapolation chamber surface dose rate was 2.5% higher than the un‐laminated EBT3 film result, 4.5% lower than the manufacturer value, and 3.9% higher compared to corrected alanine measurements made at NPL. Total uncertainty in the extrapolation chamber measurement was estimated to be approximately  ± 7.0% (k = 2). For the plaque measurements made using conventional ionization chambers with a custom fixture, surface dose rate from the transfer technique was found to agree within 3.8% with the expected convex extrapolation chamber result for S/N 2596. Conclusions: A convex windowless extrapolation chamber was developed as a primary measurement device for 106Ru/106Rh plaques. Through comparison with the extrapolation chamber, the accuracy of surface dose rate measurements from current dosimetry techniques was assessed and agreement was seen within 5.6%. Finally, it was found that conventional ionization chambers could be calibrated with a reference 106Ru/106Rh plaque in order to transfer the extrapolation chamber result for surface dose rate to clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was a systemic evaluation of the anodizing treatment in a β‐type Ti‐15Mo alloy to grow a TiO2 nanostructured layer for osseointegration improvement. The technical viability of the surface modification was assessed based on the resistance to mechanical fatigue, electrochemical corrosion, and biological response. By using an organic solution of NH4F in ethylene glycol, a well‐organized array of 90 nm diameter nanotubes was obtained with a potential of 40 V for 6 h, while undefined nanotubes of 25 nm diameter were formed with a potential of 20 V for 1 h. Nevertheless, the production of the 90 nm diameter nanotubes was followed by micrometer pits that significantly reduced the fatigue performance. The undefined nanotubes of 25 nm diameter, besides the greater cell viability and improved osteoblastic cell differentiation in comparison to the as‐polished surface, were not deleterious to the fatigue and corrosion properties. This result strengthens the necessity of an overall evaluation of the anodizing treatment, particularly the fatigue resistance, before suggesting it for the design of implants. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 107B: 86–96, 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Thermoreception is an important cutaneous sense, which plays a role in the maintenance of our body temperature and in the detection of potential noxious heat stimulation. In this study, we investigated event‐related fields (ERFs) and neural oscillatory activities, which were modulated by warmth stimulation. We developed a warmth stimulator that could elicit a warmth sensation, without pain or tactile sensation, by using a deep‐penetrating 980‐nm diode laser. The index finger of each participant (n = 24) was irradiated with the laser warmth stimulus, and the cortical responses were measured using magnetoencephalography (MEG). The ERFs and oscillatory responses had late latencies (∼1.3 s and 1.0–1.5 s for ERFs and oscillatory responses, respectively), which could be explained by a slow conduction velocity of warmth‐specific C‐fibers. Cortical sources of warmth‐related ERFs were seen in the bilateral primary and secondary somatosensory cortices (SI and SII), posterior part of the anterior cingulate cortex (pACC), ipsilateral primary motor, and premotor cortex. Thus, we suggested that SI, SII, and pACC play a role in processing the warmth sensation. Time–frequency analysis demonstrated the suppression of the alpha (8–13 Hz) and beta (18–23 Hz) band power in the bilateral sensorimotor cortex. We proposed that the suppressions in alpha and beta band power are involved in the automatic response to the input of warmth stimulation and sensorimotor interactions. The delta band power (1–4 Hz) increased in the frontal, temporal, and cingulate cortices. The power changes in delta band might be related with the attentional processes during the warmth stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, I propose a view of the architecture of the human information processing system, and of how it can be adapted to changing task demands (which is the hallmark of cognitive control). This view is informed by an interpretation of brain activity as reflecting the excitability level of neural representations, encoding not only stimuli and temporal contexts, but also action plans and task goals. The proposed cognitive architecture includes three types of circuits: open circuits, involved in feed-forward processing such as that connecting stimuli with responses and characterized by brief, transient brain activity; and two types of closed circuits, positive feedback circuits (characterized by sustained, high-frequency oscillatory activity), which help select and maintain representations, and negative feedback circuits (characterized by brief, low-frequency oscillatory bursts), which are instead associated with changes in representations. Feedforward activity is primarily responsible for the spread of activation along the information processing system. Oscillatory activity, instead, controls this spread. Sustained oscillatory activity due to both local cortical circuits (gamma) and longer corticothalamic circuits (alpha and beta) allows for the selection of individuated representations. Through the interaction of these circuits, it also allows for the preservation of representations across different temporal spans (sensory and working memory) and their spread across the brain. In contrast, brief bursts of oscillatory activity, generated by novel and/ or conflicting information, lead to the interruption of sustained oscillatory activity and promote the generation of new representations. I discuss how this framework can account for a number of psychological and behavioral phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three ammonium-cationic zeolites (ferrierite, ZSM5, and zeolite BETA) are individually analyzed to produce branched-chain fatty acid (i.e., isostearic acid) from unsaturated linear-chain fatty acid (ulc-FA) with up to 98% conversion and 80% selectivity. The SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratio of zeolite, amount of water and choice of additive are found to be the key factors for the efficiency of zeolites in this particular reaction. Detailed characterization of zeolites supports the optimization parameters to produce the best results. Large scale production of isostearic acid achieving a 76% selectivity and 96% conversion demonstrates the potential of this system's capability at the pilot scale. Variation in isomeric composition of branched-chain fatty acid (bc-FA) product is observed for the three different catalytic methods. Dimer production due to interaction with the external acidic surface of these zeolites has been observed, but it can be suppressed. Practical Application: Lubricant, cosmetic and surfactant fields are examples where these biodegradable isostearic acid and other bc-FA materials are applied. Three ammonium cationic zeolites (i.e., ferrierite, BETA, ZSM-5) are used to produce the iso-oleic acid (precursor of isostearic acid) with high selectivity. The iso-oleic acid products are found to have different isomeric compositions which could potentially expand the application of the isostearic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim While physical fatigue is known to arise in part from supraspinal mechanisms within the brain, exactly how brain activity is modulated during fatigue is not well understood. Therefore, this study examined how typical neural oscillatory responses to voluntary muscle contractions were affected by fatigue. Methods Eleven healthy adults (age 27 ± 4 years) completed two experimental sessions in a randomized crossover design. Both sessions first assessed baseline maximal voluntary isometric wrist-flexion force ( MVFb). Participants then performed an identical series of fourteen test contractions (2 × 100% MVFb, 10 × 40% MVFb, 2 × 100% MVFb) both before and after one of two interventions: forty 12-s contractions at 55% MVFb (fatigue intervention) or 5% MVFb (control intervention). Magnetoencephalography ( MEG) was used to characterize both the movement-related mu and beta decrease ( MRMD and MRBD) and the post-movement beta rebound ( PMBR) within the contralateral sensorimotor cortex during the 40% MVFb test contractions, while the 100% MVFb test contractions were used to monitor physical fatigue. Results The fatigue intervention induced a substantial physical fatigue that endured throughout the post-intervention measurements (28.9-29.5% decrease in MVF, P < 0.001). Fatigue had a significant effect on both PMBR ( anova, session × time-point interaction: P = 0.018) and MRBD ( P = 0.021): the magnitude of PMBR increased following the fatigue but not the control interventions, whereas MRBD was decreased post-control but not post-fatigue. Mu oscillations were unchanged throughout both sessions. Conclusion Physical fatigue resulted in an increased PMBR, and offset attenuations in MRBD associated with task habituation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key points Neuronal oscillations in the basal ganglia have been observed to correlate with behaviours, although the causal mechanisms and functional significance of these oscillations remain unknown., We present a novel computational model of the healthy basal ganglia, constrained by single unit recordings from non-human primates., When the model is run using inputs that might be expected during performance of a motor task, the network shows emergent phenomena: it functions as a selection mechanism and shows spectral properties that match those seen in vivo., Beta frequency oscillations are shown to require pallido-striatal feedback, and occur with behaviourally relevant cortical input. Gamma oscillations arise in the subthalamic-globus pallidus feedback loop, and occur during movement., The model provides a coherent framework for the study of spectral, temporal and functional analyses of the basal ganglia and lays the foundation for an integrated approach to study basal ganglia pathologies such as Parkinson's disease in silico., Abstract Neural oscillations in the basal ganglia (BG) are well studied yet remain poorly understood. Behavioural correlates of spectral activity are well described, yet a quantitative hypothesis linking time domain dynamics and spectral properties to BG function has been lacking. We show, for the first time, that a unified description is possible by interpreting previously ignored structure in data describing globus pallidus interna responses to cortical stimulation. These data were used to expose a pair of distinctive neuronal responses to the stimulation. This observation formed the basis for a new mathematical model of the BG, quantitatively fitted to the data, which describes the dynamics in the data, and is validated against other stimulus protocol experiments. A key new result is that when the model is run using inputs hypothesised to occur during the performance of a motor task, beta and gamma frequency oscillations emerge naturally during static-force and movement, respectively, consistent with experimental local field potentials. This new model predicts that the pallido-striatum connection has a key role in the generation of beta band activity, and that the gamma band activity associated with motor task performance has its origins in the pallido-subthalamic feedback loop. The network's functionality as a selection mechanism also occurs as an emergent property, and closer fits to the data gave better selection properties. The model provides a coherent framework for the study of spectral, temporal and functional analyses of the BG and therefore lays the foundation for an integrated approach to study BG pathologies such as Parkinson's disease in silico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The negative correlation between equity and commodity futures returns is widely perceived by investors as an unexploited hedging opportunity. A Lucas (1982) asset-pricing model is adapted to analyse the fundamentals driving equity and commodity futures returns. Using the model we argue that such a negative correlation could arise as an equilibrium relationship which reflects traders' perceptions about the shocks driving the fundamentals such as energy and consumables, and does not necessarily indicate any hedging opportunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If two investments have the same pay-off covariance with the market but one has higher expected pay-off, which asset according to the CAPM has most risk? One answer is that as far as risk goes the two assets are the same, because they have the same covariance with the market. The correct answer, pointed out nearly four decades ago by Eugene Fama, but long overlooked, is that investments have the same risk, the same returns beta and the same CAPM discount rate if and only if they have the same ratio of ex ante pay-off covariance to pay-off mean. This insight clarifies much of the conventional wisdom that surrounds capital budgeting and 'risk-adjusted' discount rates, while also displaying the mechanics by which information arrival affects the CAPM cost of capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on erythropoiesis revealed that micro RNAs (mi RNAs) play a critical role in erythroid differentiation. Given the abundance of identified mi RNAs and the limited understanding of erythroid mi RNAs, additional examination is required. Here, two sets of erythroid differentiation mi RNome data were analysed to screen for novel erythroid-inhibiting mi RNAs. MIR200A was selected based on its pattern of downregulated expression in the mi RNome datasets during induction of erythroid differentiation. Overexpression of MIR200A in K562 and TF-1 cells confirmed its inhibitory role in erythroid differentiation. Further in vivo study indicated that overexpression of mir200a inhibited primitive erythropoiesis of zebrafish. Transcriptome analyses after MIR200A overexpression in TF-1 cells indicated a significant role in regulating erythroid function and revealed potential regulation networks. Additionally, bioinformatics and experimental analyses confirmed that PDCD4 (programmed cell death 4) and THRB (thyroid hormone receptor, beta) are both targets of MIR200A-3p. Gain- and loss-of-function studies of PDCD4 and THRB revealed that the two targets were capable of promoting erythroid gene expression. Overall, our results revealed that microRNA 200a inhibits erythroid differentiation by targeting PDCD4 and THRB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Option-implied betas are a promising alternative to historical beta estimators, because they are inherently forward-looking and can incorporate new information immediately and fully. Recently, different implied beta estimators have been developed, but very little is known about their properties and information content. This paper presents a first systematic comparison between six different implied beta estimators, providing guidance for applications and identifying directions for further improvement. The analysis identifies explanatory factors for the predictive performance of implied estimators both in the cross section of stocks and over time. Furthermore, the analysis reveals patterns in the term structure of implied betas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will identify why and how Bion's ideas about dream-work and alpha-function evolved, and the profound implications of this development for what he calls 'practical psychoanalysis'. Andre Green interestingly comments that for Bion the 'model of the dream' was unusually more important than the 'model of the baby'; and I will consider in particular the question of 'models', and their relation to the making of the accurate observations of unconscious functioning we need to underpin our analytic work. It is hoped the paper will contribute to the clinically relevant question of whether there is an important link between Bion's 'alpha-function' and mentalization theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important method of drug discovery is examination of diverse life forms, including medicinal plants and natural products or bioactive compounds isolated from these sources. In cancer research, lead structures of compounds from natural sources can be used to design novel chemotherapies with enhanced biological properties. Betulinic acid (3β-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid or BetA) is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpene with a wide variety of biological activities, including potent antitumor properties. Non-malignant cells and normal tissues are not affected by BetA. Because BetA exerts its effects directly on the mitochondrion and triggers death of cancerous cells, it is an important alternative when certain chemotherapy drugs fail. Mitochondrion-targeted agents such as BetA hold great promise to circumvent drug resistance in human cancers. BetA is being developed by a large network of clinical trial groups with the support of the U.S. National Cancer Institute. This article discusses recent advances in research into anticancer activity of BetA, relevant modes of delivery, and the agent's therapeutic efficacy, mechanism of action, and future perspective as a pipeline anticancer drug. BetA is a potentially important agent in cancer therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inhibitory oscillatory mechanisms subserving tic compensation have been put forward in Tourette syndrome. Modulation of the beta rhythm (15-25 Hz) as the well-established oscillatory movement execution-inhibition indicator was tested during a cognitive-motor task in patients with Tourette syndrome.Methods: Performing a Go/NoGo task, 12 patients with Tourette syndrome and 12 matched controls were recorded using whole-head magnetoencephalography.Results: Compared to healthy participants, patients showed less beta suppression in the sensorimotor area and enhanced beta power in parieto-occipital brain regions contralaterally to the response hand. Average beta power and power gain correlated negatively with tic severity.Conclusions: Increased motor inhibitory as well as visuomotor attentional processes are likely to subserve tic compensation. Correlational results suggest that stronger inhibitory compensation accompanies less tic severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cortical oscillatory dynamics are known to be critical for human movement, although their functional significance remains unclear. In particular, there is a strong beta (15-30 Hz) desynchronization that begins before movement onset and continues during movement, before rebounding after movement termination. Several studies have connected this response to motor planning and/or movement selection operations, but to date such studies have examined only the early aspects of the response (i.e., before movement) and a limited number of parameters. In this study, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) and a novel motor sequence paradigm to probe how motor plan complexity modulates peri-movement beta oscillations, and connectivity within activated circuits. We also examined the dynamics by imaging beta activity before and during movement execution and extracting virtual sensors from key regions. We found stronger beta desynchronization during complex relative to simple sequences in the right parietal and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during movement execution. There was also an increase in functional connectivity between the left DLPFC and right parietal shortly after movement onset during complex but not simple sequences, which produced a significant conditional effect (i.e., complex > simple) that was not attributable to differences in response amplitude. This study is the first to demonstrate that complexity modulates the dynamics of the peri-movement beta ERD, which provides crucial new data on the functional role of this well-known oscillatory motor response. These data further suggest that execution of complex motor behavior may recruit key regions of the fronto-parietal network, in addition to traditional sensorimotor regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: It has been hypothesized that β-3 adrenergic receptor and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) might have gene--environmental and gene-gene interactions in periodontal disease. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the interaction between β-3 adrenergic receptor and PPARγ gene polymorphism with periodontal disease. Methods: Three hundred thirty-two postmenopausal females were enrolled, and their serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were examined. β-3 adrenergic receptor and PPARγ genotypes were then determined. An oral examination was performed. The number of remaining teeth was counted, and the probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were measured. Prevalence-rate ratios (PRRs) were calculated by multiple Poisson regression analyses to evaluate the relationship among periodontal disease markers, such as the number of sites with CAL 4 to 5 or ≥6 mm or PD 4 to 5 or ≥6 mm, and β-3 adrenergic receptor polymorphisms, PPARγ polymorphisms, and the interaction term adjusted by age, hsCRP, and HbA1c, after converting the number of remaining teeth (n) to an offset variable. Results: In the participants with body mass index (BMI) ≥25, PRRs of β-3 adrenergic receptor genotype (Trp/Arg and Arg/Arg) for periodontal disease markers were 0.13 to 0.70 (P<0.0001 to 0.74), those of PPARγ genotype (Pro/Pro) were 0.66 to 3.14 (P= 0.01 to 0.68), and those of the interaction term for the two genotypes were 1.69 to 12.61 (P<0.0001 to 0.33). However, in the participants with BMI <25, a constant tendency was not observed. Conclusion: The results confirmed a positive relationship between the interaction term for β-3 adrenergic receptor genotype and PPARγ genotype and various periodontal markers in obese elderly females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior studies have shown that low beta and low volatility stocks earn higher average returns than high beta and high volatility stocks, contradicting the prediction of the capital asset pricing model and the fundamental relationship between risk and return. In this paper, we demonstrate that this phenomenon is driven by the seasonality of stock returns. We show that the risk-return tradeoff does hold in the nonsummer months, and that switching to a portfolio of low-risk stocks in summer outperforms-both in terms of absolute and in risk-adjusted returns-buy and hold strategies as well as the Sell in May strategy of switching to treasury bills in summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Both coinheritance of thalassemic δ-globin mutation and coexistence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) tend to decrease HbA2 (α2δ2) level and thereby poses a diagnostic conundrum in β-thalassemia trait. Methods: We retrospectively studied 78 Omani subjects, presenting with low HbA2 level by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and their DNA was sequenced for the presence of mutations in the δ-globin gene (HBD). In these subjects, their serum ferritin levels allowed evaluation of the degree of iron deficiency. Results: Overall, six different δ-globin gene mutations were observed in 40 study subjects (51.3%) and IDA in 33 subjects, with the remaining five subjects showing normal HBD sequence and serum ferritin level. Among the subjects with δ-globin gene mutations, seven had an associated IDA confirmed by significantly low serum ferritin levels. Heterozygosity for the delta (+) cd27G-->T mutation (HbA2-Yialousa; HBD: c.82G>T) was the most common abnormality observed (n = 26, 66.6%) followed by heterozygosity for HBD c.-118C->T (d -68 C->T) (n = 6, 15.4%), for cd16G-->C (n = 4, 10.3%), for cd98G-->A (n = 2, 5.1%), for cd142G-->C (n = 1, 2.6%), and for cd147G-->T (n = 1, 2.6%). Conclusions: These delta mutations exhibit low HbA2 either due to a shift in the HPLC position or due to their bona fide thalassemic feature. Two mutations, namely cd142 G-->C (GCC to CCC, Ala to Pro) and stop codon cd147 G-->T (stop to Leu with elongation of 15 amino acids), herein first reported are novel. Coexistence of IDA could lead to erroneous diagnostic interpretation unless it is specifically looked for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language production is a complex neural process that requires the interplay between multiple specialized cortical regions. We investigated modulations in large-scale cortical networks underlying preparation for speech production by contrasting cortico-cortical coherence for overt and silent picture naming in an all-to-all connectivity analysis. To capture transient, frequency-specific changes in functional connectivity we analyzed the magnetoencephalography data in two consecutive 300-ms time windows. Within the first 300 ms following picture onset beta frequency coherence was increased for overt naming in a network of regions comprising the bilateral parieto-temporal junction and medial cortices, suggesting that overt articulation modifies selection processes involved in speech planning. In the late time window (300-600 ms after picture onset) beta-range coherence was enhanced in a network that included the ventral sensorimotor and temporal cortices. Coherence in the gamma band was simultaneously reduced between the ventral motor cortex and supplementary motor area, bilaterally. The results suggest functionally distinct roles for beta (facilitatory) and gamma (suppressive) band interactions in speech production, with strong involvement of the motor cortex in both frequency bands. Overall, a striking difference in functional connectivity between the early and late time windows was observed, revealing the dynamic nature of large-scale cortical networks that support language and speech. Our results demonstrate that as the naming task evolves in time, the global connectivity patterns change, and that these changes occur (at least) on the time-scale of a few hundred milliseconds. More generally, these results bear implications for how we view large-scale neural networks underlying task performance. Hum Brain Mapp 36:1202-1216, 2015. © 2014 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results based on new data showing that the relationships involving investors' judgments of risk and variables such as beta, size, and book-to-market equity (B/M) have the same directional effects as those involving realised returns. Moreover, the relationships involving risk are mediated by Baker-Wurgler sentiment, with directional effects similar to those that have already been documented for realised returns. In this regard, Baker-Wurgler sentiment mediates the time series of investors' judgments of expected return and the cross-section of their judgments about risk. The results are consistent with the position that investors' judgments of risk and return, both mediated by sentiment, influence market prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows that variation in economy-wide uncertainty causes asymmetric stock price responses to firm earnings surprises. The uncertainty that attends bad earnings news that arrives during expansions with greater economy-wide uncertainty occasions larger price declines. This is because news inconsistent with investors' prior beliefs about the state of the economy increases uncertainty, which amplifies the negative cash flow effects contained in bad earnings news. Asymmetrically, the positive cash flow effect of good earnings news that arrives during recessions is offset by increased investor uncertainty, which results in relatively smaller price reactions to the good news. This is consistent with Veronesi's rational expectations equilibrium model, which shows that investors demand higher expected returns in the face of greater uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When selecting a portfolio, we need to consider, in general, the portfolio return and portfolio risk. Many risk measures have been used in portfolio selection problems as the Beta risk measure, introduced by the capital asset pricing model. Most of the existing research papers suppose that security's Beta has a deterministic value. Recently, many researchers argued that in selecting the optimal portfolio, securities' Beta should be considered as an uncertain parameter. In this paper, we set up fundamentals to model the portfolio's Beta as a random variable and propose a multiple objective stochastic portfolio selection model with random Beta. To solve the proposed model, we apply a stochastic goal programming approach. A numerical example from the US stock exchange market is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]