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In this paper, we study overconfidence and goal-setting in academic performance, with and without monetary incentives. Students enrolled in a microeconomics course were offered the possibility of setting their own target grade before taking part in the final exam. They were also asked to guess their grade immediately after they had taken the exam (“post-diction”). In general, students overestimated their performance, both at the goal-setting and at the post-diction stages. Controlling for several sources of this bias (cognitive abilities, academic record and self-reported academic confidence), we find that the use of monetary rewards mitigates the overestimation of potential achievements and eliminates overestimation of actual achievements through the improvement of actual performance. Our results suggest that monetary incentives do not cause subjects to put more effort into correct guesses but make them put more effort into academic performance. Using students’ academic records to measure overall skill, we find a strong Dunning–Kruger bias which is intensified in the presence of monetary rewards. Funding for open access charge: CRUE-Universitat Jaume I

Amaç – Bu çalışma uluslararasılaşma teorilerinden biri olan Eklektik Paradigma ve bu paradigmanın unsurlarından biri olan sahiplik avantajının OECD’de bulunan oteller ve benzeri konaklama yerlerinde (NACE=5510) faaliyet gösteren şirketlerin performansına etkisini ölçmektir. Yöntem – Çalışmada; OECD ülkelerinde bulunan otel ve benzeri 105 konaklama işletmelerinin verileri ilekurulan model, panel veri yöntemi ile incelenmiştir. Model ilk olarak OECD ülkesinde faaliyet gösteren 73 şirketin 10 yıllık verisi (2010-2019) ile incelenmiş ardından modele Türkiye eklenerek 4 yıllık (2015-2018) veri ile tekrar incelenmiş ve sonuçlar ayrı ayrı açıklanmıştır. Bulgular – Çalışmanın sonucunda ilk olarak OECD ülkelerinde faaliyet gösteren otel ve benzeri konaklama yerlerinin sahiplik avantajının firma performansı üzerindeki etkisi incelenmiştir. Analiz sonuçları buşirketler için her iki modelde de firma büyüklüğünün performansa etkisi olmadığını ortaya koyarken,maddi olmayan duran varlıkların performansa etkisini ortaya koymuştur. Birinci modelde çalışan başınaciro performans ilişkisi anlamsız çıkarken bu değişken ikinci modelde anlamlı çıkmıştır. Yine bu şirketleriçin birinci modelde uluslararası ortaklık payının %10 - %50 arasında firma performansına etki ettiği görülmüştür. Kurulan ikinci modelde bu değişken anlamsız çıkmıştır ve modelden dışlanmıştır. Tartışma – Araştırmanın sonuçları kurulan modelin daha da genişletilebileceğine dair kanıtlar sunmaktadır. Veri kısıtlılığı buradaki temel sorun olmaktadır. Kurulan model sahiplik avantajını ölçmek ile beraber eklektik paradigmanın diğer unsurları hakkında bilgi vermemektedir. İlerleyen çalışmalarda model bu yönde yeniden oluşturularak literatüre katkı vermesi beklenebilir.

Background Iatrogenic aorto-coronary dissections following percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) represent a rare but potentially life threatening complication. This restrospective and observational study aims to describe our in-house experience for timely diagnostics and therapy including cardiovascular imaging to follow-up securely high-risk patients with Dunning dissections. Methods Dunning dissections (DD) occurred during clinical routine PCIs, which were indicated according to current ESC guidelines. Diagnostic assessment, treatment and follow-up were based on coronary angiography with PCI or conservative treatment and cardiac computed tomography (cCTA) imaging. Results A total of eight patients with iatrogenic DD were included. Median age was 69 years (IQR 65.8–74.5). Patients revealed a coronary multi-vessel-disease in 75% with a median SYNTAX-II-score of 35.3 (IQR 30.2–41.2). The most common type of DD was type III (50%), followed by type I (38%) and type II (13%). In most patients (88%) the DD involved the right coronary arterial ostium. 63% were treated by PCI, the remaining patients were treated conservatively. 88% of patients received at least one cCTA within 2 days, 50% were additionally followed-up by cCTA within a median of 6 months (range: 4–8 months) without any residual. Conclusion Independently of the type of DD (I-III) it was demonstrated that cCTA represents a valuable imaging modality for detection and follow-up of patients with DDs.

International audience; Les travaux pionniers de Dunning, réalisés entre les années 70 et 2010 s’avèrent incontournables en management international. Le paradigme éclectique a permis de grandes avancées dans le domaine grâce à la synthèse des variables transversales essentielles pour appréhender l’internationalisation des firmes. Parallèlement, la globalisation croissante des économies et les nouvelles dynamiques engendrées par le poids grandissant des économies émergentes viennent défier les théories existantes. Notre papier entend analyser les apports du paradigme éclectique, s’intéressant plus particulièrement aux prolongements nécessaires pour appréhender l’internationalisation actuelle des firmes face aux mutations amorcées dans l’environnement économique mondial.

The most fatal outcomes of prostate carcinoma (PCa) result from hormone-refractory variants of the tumor, especially from metastatic spread rather than from primary tumor burden. The goal of the study was to establish and apply rat MAT-Lu prostate cancer tumor models for improved non-invasive live follow up of tumor growth and metastasis by in vivo bioluminescence. We established luciferase transduced MAT-Lu rat PCa cells and studied tumor growth and metastatic processes in an ectopic as well as orthotopic setting. An intravenous bolus treatment with doxorubicin was used to demonstrate the basic applicability of in vivo imaging to follow up therapeutic intervention in these models. In vitro analysis of tissue homogenates confirmed major metastatic spread of subcutaneous tumors into the lung. Our sensitive method, however, for the first time detects metastasis also in lymph node (11/24), spleen (3/24), kidney (4/24), liver (5/24), and bone tissue (femur or spinal cord - 5/20 and 12/20, respectively). Preliminary data of orthotopic implantation (three animals) showed metastatic invasion to investigated organs in all animals but with varying preference (e.g., to lymph nodes). Intravenous bolus treatment of MAT-Lu PCa with doxorubicin reduced subcutaneous tumor growth by about 50% and the number of animals affected by metastatic lesions in lymph nodes (0/4), lung (3/6) or lumbar spine (0/2), as determined by in vivo imaging and in vitro analysis. Additionally, the possible applicability of the luciferase transduced MAT-Lu model(s) to study basic principles of metronomic therapies via jugular vein catheter, using newly established active microport pumping systems, is presented.

RESUMOEste artigo analisa a aplicabilidade das principais teorias de internacionalização de empresas multinacionais no Brasil, por meio de cinco fases da economia brasileira que vão de 1850 até a atualidade, buscando determinar o poder de explicação de cada teoria diante dos fluxos de investimento direto estrangeiro (IED) no país. Conclui-se que existe uma relação de contingência entre as teorias e as fases da economia, e estabelece esta relação através de uma tabela; conclui ainda que a teoria com maior capacidade explicativa no período considerado é o paradigma eclético de Dunning, em particular devido à consideração da Localização. Proposições teóricas são erguidas e têm como corolários contribuições para a pesquisa futura.ABSTRACTThis paper analyses the applicability of the main enterprise internationalization theories to the entry of the multinational corporations into Brazil, throughout five phases of Brazilian economy, from 1850 to nowadays. It seeks to verify the explanation power of each theory over the FDI flows in Brazil. It concludes that there is a contingency relation between the theories and the phases of the economy, and it shows such relationship in a table. In addition, it concludes that the most powerful theory along the researched period was Dunning’s eclectic paradigm, mainly due to the Localization considerations. Theoretical propositions are put forward as a contribution to future research.RESUMENEste artículo analiza la aplicabilidad de las principales teorías de internacionalización de empresas multinacionales en Brasil, a través de cinco ciclos de la economía brasileña, desde 1850 hasta la actualidad y, busca determinar el poder de explicación de cada teoría ante los flujos de inversión directa extranjera (IED) en el país. Se concluye que existe una relación de contingencia entre las teorías y los ciclos de la economía, y esta relación se establece mediante una tabla; se concluye también que la teoría con mayor capacidad explicativa en el período considerado es el paradigma ecléctico de Dunning, en particular debido a la consideración de la Localización. Postulados teóricos se erigen y tienen como corolarios contribuciones para la investigación futura.

During the 1990s, Spain changed from a net recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) to one of the most important investors in Latin America. Fieldwork in this article identifies trends and directions of Spanish acquisitions, with an emphasis on the 1990 to 2001 period. An overview of the emergence of the Spanish MNC is followed by statistical analysis of their competitive (i.e. ownership) advantage as measured by the relative strength of market size, wage differentials and cultural affinity. This analysis helped in explaining the link between strategic decisions of the Spanish MNCs and their choice of geography and industrial sector. Empirical analysis finds Spanish MNCs responded to privatisation opportunities and to gain access to specific foreign markets rather than to an attempt to create global export platforms.

This paper develops and extended eclectic paradigm to fit the firm internationalization process with the real international business world. The approach is based on Dunning´s, introducing new concepts like mode of entry, international joint venture o international mergers and acquisitions. At the same time is presented a model to describe the Spanish international mergers and acquisitions in order to determinate the most important factor that influence in this type of foreign direct investment., {"references":["Caves, R.E. \"International Corporations: The industrial Economics of\nForeign Investment\", New Series, Vol. 38, 149, pp. 1-27. 1971.","Dunning, J.H. \"Economic Analysis and multinational enterprise\",\nRoutledge Taylor & Francis Group, London & New York. 1974.","Dunning, J.H. \"Toward an eclectic theory of international production:\nsome empirical tests\". 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The main goal of the research conducted in this paper is to examine dynamic relationship of economic development and net outflow of foreign direct investments (FDI) using the example of the Republic of Croatia, the latest EU member country. The basic hypothesis of the paper states that there is a statistically significant relationship between net outflow of foreign direct investment and economic development, and that the Republic of Croatia is in the second phase of the investment development cycle. As a basis for the empirical analysis Dunning’s investment development cycle model was used. After conducting an empirical analysis the main hypothesis of the paper was confirmed.

Dissertação de mestrado em Negócios Internacionais, O presente trabalho analisa os processos de internacionalização de empresas portuguesas no Brasil, na forma de IDE, através do estudo de três casos distintos: a ALERT, que já opera no Brasil com sucesso; a Águas de Portugal, cujo projeto de internacionalização no Brasil já foi descontinuado, tendo sido marcado por perdas importantes para esta empresa pública; e a SORUS, que pretende iniciar a sua produção no Brasil, e, portanto, encontra-se ainda em estágio inicial de internacionalização, em projeto. Identificam-se os fatores determinantes da decisão de internacionalização explicitados pelas empresas, as motivações que estiveram na origem do processo de internacionalização, bem como se analisam os resultados obtidos, distinguindo os fatores que contribuíram para o sucesso ou insucesso dos projetos destas empresas no Brasil. Tendo como base as vantagens ownership, localização e internalização, do Paradigma Eclético da Internacionalização da Produção de John Dunning, e utilizando entrevistas aos responsáveis máximos e aos membros diretamente envolvidos no processo de internacionalização como método de recolha de dados, realizou-se uma análise crítica sobre os processos de internacionalização de cada empresa. Caso a caso, foram identificadas as vantagens ownership, localização e internalização, bem como foram analisadas as decisões que contribuíram para o sucesso ou insucesso do processo de internacionalização das empresas. O caso da empresa Águas de Portugal, em que os efeitos foram mais negativos, parece ser resultado de uma má avaliação das vantagens de ownership, cujos factores chave foram mal definidos e mal compreendidos pela direção da empresa, e eventualmente também da realização de limitados ganhos no processo de internalização. Este investimento parece ter sido motivado apenas pela promessa de um mercado de grande dimensão (localização), e por factores políticos. No caso da ALERT, as vantagens de ownership estavam bem definidas e a escolha do Brasil parece ter sido uma aposta interessante, uma vez que a procura por serviços de informática estava em grande expansão e a oferta local, apesar de haver empresas fortemente competitivas, não era ainda suficiente para responder à expansão da procura existente. A empresa demonstra ter sabido explorar bem as vantagens de internalização e as sinergias com as operações em Portugal. O caso da SORUS, ainda não pode ser avaliado por resultados, uma vez que está em projeto, mas, como apresenta fortes razões de ownership (tecnologia) e motivações de Localização bem fundamentadas (acesso às matérias primas), acredita-se que será um caso bem-sucedido. Trata-se de um caso em que o IDE se justifica, pois existem também vantagens de internacionalização evidentes, nomeadamente no que diz respeito à proteção da tecnologia e do conhecimento, que são a base da competitividade desta nova empresa. O estudo destes três casos, em diferentes fases do processo de internacionalização, permite-nos concluir que o modelo OLI é um bom instrumento para analisar os factores de sucesso e de insucesso de experiências de internacionalização de empresas portuguesas no Brasil., This work studies the internationalization processes of Portuguese companies to Brazil, in the form of FDI, through three distinct cases: ALERT, which already operates in Brazil successfully; Águas de Portugal, whose internationalization project in Brazil has finished due to important losses for this public company; and SORUS, which is in the early stages of its internationalization, still a design stage. We aim to identify the internationalization decision determinants expressed by the companies, the motivations that led to the internationalization process, and to analyze the results, distinguishing the factors that contributed to the success or failure of these companies in Brazil. Based on the ownership, location and internalization advantages, from the John Dunning’s Eclectic Paradigm of International Production, and using interviews with owners and managers in charge of internationalization as a method of data collection, we conducted a critical analysis of the internationalization processes of each company. For each case we identify the ownership, location and internalization advantages of each company, as well as evaluate the decisions that contributed to the internationalization process success or failure of these companies. The case of Águas de Portugal, where the effects were more negative, seems to be a result of a misjudgment about the benefits of the ownership advantages, whose key factors were poorly defined and poorly understood by the direction of the company, and eventually also a result of limited gains coming from the internalization process. This investment seems to have been motivated only by the promise of a large market (location), and by political factors. In the case of ALERT, the ownership advantages were well defined and the choice of Brazil seems to have been an interesting bet, since the demand for IT services was booming and, although there were companies strongly competitive, the local supply was still not enough to meet the expanding demand. The company shows it has known how to explore the internalization advantages and the operational synergies between Portugal and Brazil. The SORUS case cannot be evaluated by results yet, since it is in design, but as it has strong Ownership reasons (technology) and well-founded Location motivations (access to raw materials), it is believed that it will be a successful case. This is a case in which FDI is justified because there are also obvious internationalization advantages, particularly regarding to technology and knowledge protection, which is the competitiveness basis for this new company. The study of these three cases, at different stages of the internationalization process, allows us to conclude that the OLI model is a good tool to analyze success and failure factors of internationalization experiences of Portuguese companies in Brazil.

Osnovni cilj istraživanja doktorske disertacije je analiza razvojnog ciklusa inozemnih izravnih ulaganja Republike Hrvatske. U radu je ispitana veza između neto odljeva inozemnih izravnih ulaganja (FDI) i stupnja ekonomskog razvoja zemlje s aspekta Dunningovog modela razvojnog ciklusa inozemnih neto ulaganja na uzorku Republike Hrvatske i zemalja Europske unije (EU). U analizu je uključeno pet varijabli kojima se aproksimirao stupanj ekonomskog razvoja: „BDP per capita“, „priljevi FDI per capita“, „robni izvoz“, „broj internet korisnika“ i „broj upisnih u tercijarni stupanj obrazovanja“. Nakon provedene detaljne analize tijekova i obilježja FDI te ispitivanja veze između neto odljeva FDI i ekonomskog razvoja na uzorku kojeg čine Hrvatska i zemlje EU došlo se do rezultata kojima se mogu potvrditi pretpostavke Dunningovog modela razvojnog ciklusa ulaganja o postojanju veze između neto odljeva FDI i ekonomskog razvoja. Rezultati empirijskog istraživanja pokazali su da se Republika Hrvatska nalazi u drugoj fazi razvojnog ciklusa ulaganja. Nadalje, regresijska analiza provedena na uzorku zemalja EU i Hrvatske koje su klaster analizom, i dodatno, prema fazi razvojnog ciklusa podijeljene u homogene skupine pokazala je da se Hrvatska i skupina zemalja EU12 te Portugal nalaze u prvoj, odnosno drugoj fazi razvojnog ciklusa ulaganja u kojima postoji statistički značajna negativna povezanost neto odljeva i nezavisnih varijabli. Skupina zemalja EU15 (izuzev Portugala) nalazi se u višim fazama razvojnog ciklusa ulaganja u kojima postoji statistički značajna pozitivna povezanost neto odljeva i nezavisnih varijabli, jedino u četvrtoj fazi ne postoji statistički značajna povezanost između neto odljeva i nezavisnih varijabli. Razlog tome je što su u četvrtoj razvojnoj fazi izjednačeni priljevi i odljevi pa se neto odljevi kreću oko nule bez obzira na vrijednosti ostalih nezavisnih varijabli.

Die Rolle von ausländischen Direktinvestitionen (ADI) im Wachstumsprozess ist lange ein Diskussionsthema in mehreren Ländern gewesen. Diese Diskussionen haben weitreichende Einblicke in die Beziehung zwischen ADI und dem Wachstum gewährt. Eine florierende Anzahl an empirischen Arbeiten wurde in diesem Zusammenhang, bezogen auf die Verhältnisse sowohl in Industrieländern als auch Entwicklungs- und Schwellenländern, veröffentlicht. Die ökonomische Liberalisierungswelle in der Türkei in den frühen 80er Jahren mit ihren relativ verbesserten Handels- und Investitionsregimen erhöhten den Zugang von ausländischen Investoren und die kooperative Bereitschaft zwischen MNU und der lokalen privaten Unternehmen in der Türkei. Die Türkei machte einen tiefgreifenden politischen und wirtschaftlichen Übergang in das 21. Jahrhundert durch, bei dem brüchige und instabile Koalitionen regierten. Für die deutsche Industrie ist die Türkei ein Wachstumsmarkt mit großem strategischem Potential. Mit starker Kaufkraft ist die Bundesrepublik sowohl im Import als auch im Export traditionell der wichtigste Handelspartner der Türkei. Die Zielsetzung der vorliegenden Arbeit war, einen Fragebogen zu erstellen und die Ziele der bereits in der Türkei vorhandenen deutschen Direktinvestitionen und deren Vorteile, die sie durch ihre Investitionsentscheidungen in der Türkei zu erreichen gehofft haben, zu identifizieren. Ausgangspunkt war hierbei das OLI-Paradigma von Dunning. Ziel dieser Befragung ist es somit, Informationen über Markteintrittsstrategien, Human- und Technologietransfer der in die Türkei ansässigen deutschen Unternehmen durch Einschätzungs-, Bewertungs- und Einstellungsfragen einzuholen. Der wichtigste Beitrag dieser Arbeit ist die Suche nach dem Zusammenhang zwischen ausländischen Direktinvestitionen und Wachstum in der Türkei. Um das Verhältnis zwischen Wachstum und ausländischen Direktinvestitionen zu analysieren, wurde in dieser empirischen Analyse dem multivariaten VAR-System der Vorrang gegeben. Schlussfolgerung dieser empirischen Analysemethode ist, dass von einer zunehmenden deutschen Direktinvestitionen ein signifikanter positiver Einfluss auf das Wirtschaftswachstum ausgeht

Finančne institucije ponujajo različne oblike in vrste financiranja osebnih vozil, med katerimi so osnovne kredit, finančni in operativni leasing. Vsaka izmed oblik ima svoje značilnosti, prednosti in slabosti, ki se odražajo v pravnem, davčnem ali računovodskem vidiku. Pred sklenitvijo pogodbe o financiranju morajo vsi udeleženci preučiti klavzule pomembne za sklenitev pogodbe. Kredito- in leasingojemalci morajo biti seznanjeni z značilnostmi posamezne oblike financiranja. Kredito- in leasingodajalci pa morajo na drugi strani pravilno oceniti bonitetno sposobnost stranke, s katero sklenejo pogodbo o financiranju. Na ta način se lahko izognemo morebitnim nevšečnostim, ki bi se lahko pojavile v času financiranja. Financial institutions offer various options for financing personal vehicles. The most elementary financing options are credit, financial leasing and operating leasing. Each one of them has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, which result from the juridical, taxable and accounting frame. All the contract partners have to study the contract clauses, before signing it. The partners taking a credit or leasing have to be aware of the characteristics, typical for a financing contract. Creditors and lessors on the other hand, have to correctly estimate the credibility of the contract partner. With this in mind, a lot of inconveniences, which could come up in time, could be avoided.

The Sabó case study discusses the difficult decision presented to its CEO Newton Chiaparini, regarding the acquisition of Kaco, a German manufacturer of gaskets and oil seals. This decision took place in a critical moment of the internationalization process of Sabó, as it represented a significant leap in the level of direct investments made by the firm so far. The case describes Sabó’s trajectory since its foundation, focusing the very moment that preceded the appearance of the opportunity to purchase Kaco, until its present situation. It also shows the sectorial competitive environment faced by Brazilian manufacturers of auto parts at the decision moment, due to the process of accelerated commercial opening of the Brazilian economy at that time, and also the structural changes of the car industry and its supply chain, which deeply influenced the decision taken. As a teaching instrument, the Sabó case offers an opportunity to discuss the various theories of the internationalization process, according to the behavioral perspective (Uppsala School) and the economic perspective (the Eclectic Paradigm of international production, by John Dunning). O caso de ensino Sabó apresenta a decisão que se colocou para Newton Chiaparini, presidente da Sabó, de adquirir ou não a fabricante de retentores alemã Kaco. Essa decisão ocorreu em um momento crítico do processo de internacionalização da empresa, dado que representou um salto com relação ao nível de investimentos diretos realizados até então pela empresa. O caso descreve a trajetória da Sabó desde a sua fundação, focalizando o momento que precedeu o surgimento da oportunidade de aquisição da Kaco, culminando com uma descrição da situação atual da empresa. Também retrata o ambiente competitivo setorial enfrentado pelos fabricantes brasileiros de autopeças no momento da decisão, possibilitando a contextualização do caso em relação ao processo de abertura comercial, acelerada pelo qual a economia brasileira estava passando, e das mudanças estruturais que ocorriam com a indústria automobilística e sua cadeia de suprimentos à época. Enquanto instrumento didático, o caso Sabó possibilita uma discussão longitudinal sobre o processo de internacionalização da firma a partir da perspectiva comportamental, mediante a utilização das teorias nórdicas de internacionalização, e, da perspectiva econômica, notadamente a partir do paradigma eclético da produção internacional, de John Dunning.

Liabilities of Regional Foreignness and the Use of Firm-level versus Country-level Data: A Response to Dunning et al.

Turkey’s strategic geographical location, the country’s unique Customs Union with the EU and its growing market potential are all factors that create market opportunities for foreign investors. However, despite the presence of necessary economic prerequisites and a diminishing number of barriers to entry, FDI in Turkey has remained quite low. Further, this area has not been covered extensively in the past and has therefore been of interest to study. The purpose of this study has been to identify the determinant factors behind Swedish firms’ investment decisions in Turkey and thus find the advantages that Turkey provides for Swedish firms. The motives and advantages form a proposal for how to best promote Turkey as an interesting market for Swedish firms interested in FDI. A list of Swedish subsidiaries in Turkey was provided by the Swedish Trade Council in Istanbul and came to represent the selected population. The firms were contacted, using both e-mail and telephone, and were requested to respond to an e-mail survey. The final response rate was 22%. The firms’ responses were then analysed together with secondary data such as general facts about Turkey as well as a business climate report about Turkey made by the Swedish Trade Council in November 2005. Regarding the firms’ ownership-specific advantages, the results showed that firm size is irrelevant to the investment decision, while research and development expenditure as well as a long international experience is a condition. Concerning Turkey’s location-specific advantages, market potential, the country’s geographic position, its labour costs and its educational level, are important determinant factors as well as the business climate and the economic climate in Turkey. Agglomeration benefits, in business areas where they exist, and the possibility to receive assistance from external actors when entering a foreign market are also important determinant factors. Furthermore, infrastructure is an important determinant factor, but not of a conclusive significance to the investment decision. In addition to the specified variables, the political situation in Turkey was cited as an important determinant factor. The cultural distance between Turkey and Sweden was the only location-specific factor that proved not to be a determinant factor at all. Conclusively, the Turkish market offers several advantages to Swedish firms wanting to engage in foreign direct investments. First, Turkey has a strategic geographic position that offers proximity to many other markets. Second, the Turkish market potential is alluring and offers opportunities of long term growth. Third, there are possibilities to receive assistance from external actors which facilitates overcoming probable obstacles that might occur when entering the Turkish market. Fourth, the process of establishing a labour force is freed from complications since labour costs are lower in Turkey than in Sweden and the access to highly educated personnel is good. Last, ongoing development in Turkey’s business and economic climate decreases the investment risk involved when entering the Turkish market.

Using alternative splicing reporters we have previously observed mesenchymal epithelial transitions in Dunning AT3 rat prostate tumors. We demonstrate here that the Dunning DT and AT3 cells, which express epithelial and mesenchymal markers, respectively, represent an excellent model to study epithelial transitions since these cells recapitulate gene expression profiles observed during human prostate cancer progression. In this manuscript we also present the development of two new tools to study the epithelial transitions by imaging alternative splicing decisions: a bichromatic fluorescence reporter to evaluate epithelial transitions in culture and in vivo, and a luciferase reporter to visualize the distribution of mesenchymal epithelial transitions in vivo. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10585-008-9186-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.