Manuscript Type: EmpiricalResearch Question/Issue: We explore the effect of family control on investment-cash flow sensitivity and disentangle the effects of agency problems of free cash flow and asymmetric information. Excess control rights and board independence may moderate the relationship between family control and investment-cash flow sensitivity by changing agency costs. Research Findings/Insights: Family control lessens investment-cash flow sensitivity by mitigating the problem of asymmetric information. Investment-cash flow sensitivity will be higher in family-controlled firms with excess control rights because Type II agency problems predominate. Family control may affect investment-cash flow sensitivity when firms lack independent directors. Having another blockholder in addition to the controlling family reduces the agency problem and improves the independent monitoring function of the board for family-controlled firms. Theoretical/Academic Implications: This study provides a better understanding of the relationship between family control and investment-cash flow sensitivity. It delineates the separate effects of agency problems stemming from free cash flow and asymmetric information and demonstrates that excess control rights and board independence can moderate the effect of family control on investment-cash flow sensitivity. We show the significant role another blockholder plays in internal governance mechanisms. Practitioner/Policy Implications: Investors can better gauge firm value by examining the type of company control and linkages between investment distortion and firm value. Policy makers can better understand how excess control and board independence act as mechanisms to worsen or mitigate the effects of family control. Managers can understand the effects of control type and board independence on the firm's financial constraints.

Zika virus (ZIKV) of the flaviviridae family, is the cause of emerging infections characterized by fever, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in adults and microcephaly in newborns. There exists an urgent unmet clinical need for anti-ZIKV drugs for the treatment of infected individuals. In the current work, we aimed at the promising virus drug target, ZIKV NS3 protease and constructed a Pharmacophore Anchor (PA) model for the active site. The PA model reveals a total of 12 anchors (E, H, V) mapped across the active site subpockets. We further identified five of these anchors to be critical core anchors (CEH1, CH3, CH7, CV1, CV3) conserved across flaviviral proteases. The ZIKV protease PA model was then applied in anchor-enhanced virtual screening yielding 14 potential antiviral candidates, which were tested by in vitro assays. We discovered FDA drugs Asunaprevir and Simeprevir to have potent anti-ZIKV activities with EC 50 values 4.7 µM and 0.4 µM, inhibiting the viral protease with IC 50 values 6.0 µM and 2.6 µM respectively. Additionally, the PA model anchors aided in the exploration of inhibitor binding mechanisms. In conclusion, our PA model serves as a promising guide map for ZIKV protease targeted drug discovery and the identified 'previr' FDA drugs are promising for anti-ZIKV treatments.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not just change our lives but bring about revolutionary transformation. AI can augment efficiencies of good and bad things and thus has been considered both an opportunity and risk for the sustainable development of humans. This study designed a survey to collect 1018 samples of educated people with access to the internet in Taiwan regarding their perceptions of AI and its connections to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The respondents showed high confidence in their AI knowledge. They had a very positive attitude toward AI but at the same time thought AI was risky. In general, people in Taiwan could be “rational optimists” regarding AI. We also examined how people think of the linkages between AI and the SDGs and found that SDG 4, SDG 9, and SDG 3 had the highest “synergy” and lowest rates of “trade-off”. Significant differences for some key questions were also identified concerning the demographic variables such as gender, age, education, and college major. According to the data analysis, education played as the base to construct a sustainable AI-aided town with an embedded innovative circular economy and high-quality water and energy services, making the residents live healthier lives. The findings of this study can be referred to when the perceptions of AI and sustainability issues are of interest for an emerging high-tech economy such as Taiwan and other Asian countries.

This article examines the effect of family control on investment-cash flow sensitivity and distinguishes the effect between agency problems and asymmetric information. Using an unbalanced panel data of 1206 Taiwanese firms for the time period 1999 to 2008, we find that family control increases the investment-cash flow sensitivity. In family controlled firms, compared with in firms that are not family controlled, investment is more sensitive to cash flow, which is related to asymmetric information problems.

Drug resistance is the main cause of cancer recurrence and a major obstacle to the success of anticancer therapy. NRF2, a pivotal transcription factor regulates antioxidant response and detoxification, has been shown to participate in the development of cancer drug resistance. Functional suppression of NRF2 rendered cancer cell more susceptible to anticancer treatments. Beilschmiedia tsangii Merr. (Lauraceae) is a medium-sized evergreen tree. It has been reported that Beilschmiedia extract showed a strong antioxidant activity. In continuation of our bioactivity studies on this species, we tested the effects of 23 compounds isolated from the B. tsangii on NRF2 activity. We identified rel-(7R,8R,7′R,8′R)-3,4,3′,4′-dimethylene-dioxy-5,5′-dimethoxy-7,7′-epoxylignan (BT04) significantly inhibited NRF2 activity in liver cancer cell (Huh7) with an IC50 value of 17 μM, but not in keratinocyte (HacaT cell). By contrast, luteolin, a known NRF2 inhibitor, suppressed NRF2 activity in both Huh7 cell and HacaT cell. Moreover, the mRNA level of NRF2 target genes, NQO1 and HO1, were significantly decreased in Huh7 upon BT04 treatment, while those NRF2 target genes remained unchanged in BT04-treated HacaT cell. A moderate cytotoxic effect of BT04 on Huh7 cell was also observed. Accordingly, our result suggested that BT04 can specifically inhibit NRF2 activity in liver cancer, which in turn indicated that BT04 could be a potential adjuvant to improve chemoresistance. Citation Format: Yi Siao Chen, Chih Chung Lai, Yi Ping Kuo, Hsun Shuo Chang, Ih Sheng Chen, Chia-Hung Yen. Identification of compound isolated from Beilschmiedia tsangii as a liver cancer specific NRF2 inhibitor [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 190. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-190