bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance-based equity incentives, vesting restrictions, and corporate innovation
Authors: Liu Baohua , Huang Wan , Wang Lei
Published: January 2019

Purpose

Based on the institutional background of mandatory requirement of performance-based executive equity incentives, this paper aims to investigate the impacts of executive equity incentives, vesting periods and vesting performance conditions on corporate innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis is based on the detailed data of equity incentives in China’s listed companies from 2006 to 2014, the Tobit method is implemented to estimate the regression coefficients, and the instrumental variable (IV) approach, Heckman two stage regression, propensity score matching and difference-in-difference models are adopted to solve the problem of endogeneity in several robust tests.

Findings

This paper documents that equity incentives and vesting periods are significantly and positively related to corporate innovation measured by R&D investment and patent applications, yet requirements on vesting performance impede corporate innovative activities. Specifically, compared with non-equity incentive companies, the R&D investment and the number of patent applications of equity incentive companies are 40 and 46.2 per cent higher, respectively. A one year increase in equity incentive duration can correspondingly increase the R&D investment by 15 per cent and the patent applications by 18.3 per cent. However, a one standard deviation increase in industry-adjusted ROE target reduces corporate R&D investment by 5 per cent and the patent applications by 8.39 per cent. The main empirical findings still hold after several robust tests.

Research limitations/implications

This paper confirms that the impact of performance-based compensation system on corporate innovation depends on its structure. Specifically, the empirical findings suggest that equity incentive plans being correctly designed can enhance corporate innovative activities, but myopic managers will damage the corporate innovation.

Originality/value

This paper investigates the influence of equity incentive structure on equity incentive effect based on the institutional background of mandatory requirement of performance-based executive equity incentives. It provides an opportunity to understand the mystery of equity incentives, which helps to enrich the structure of equity incentive theoretically. The empirical evidence confirms the importance of tolerating short-term failure and extending the horizon of managerial decision-making on promoting innovation. Overall, the research indicates that only well-designed equity incentive plans can promote innovation, which contributes to regulators and practitioners to form a rational understanding of the premise of equity incentives in promoting innovation and provides a reference for their decision-making.
Impact of leader–member exchange and perceived organisational support on turnover intention
Authors: AlHashmi Maryam , Jabeen Fauzia , Papastathopoulos Avraam
Published: January 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between leader–member exchange (LMX), perceived organisational support (POS) and turnover intention (TI) through the mediating effect of psychological stress in the police personnel of United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire-based survey was used to collect data from police personnel (n=800) deployed in different positions in UAE police departments. The structural equation modelling analyses were consistent with the full and partial mediation models in which LMX, POS and PS predict TI. Specifically, several alternative models were compared to confirm the mediation effects.

Findings

The results revealed that while LMX had a direct negative effect on police force TI, POS had no indirect impact on police force TI. Furthermore, LMX did positively influence police personnel’s POS. PS acted as a full mediator between police personnel’s POS and TIs. Additionally, the direct positive effects of PS on police personnel’s TIs were confirmed.

Research limitations/implications

The findings will help policymakers and practitioners to better understand the influences of the LMX, POS and PS factors on police force TI and will help in formulating strategies to minimise TI and retain talented police personnel for effective safety and law enforcement in the country.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature by being one of the first to study the LMX, POS, PS and TIs of police personnel within the context of an emerging Arab country.
Corporate social responsibility against workers?
Authors: Séhier Clément
Published: January 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate to what extent and for which reasons the codes of conduct and social audits of multinational corporations (MNCs) have failed to change practices within Chinese factories. A special attention is given to the social compliance initiatives (SCIs) and multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) which did not overcome the main obstacles of the compliance approach.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is based on a fieldwork in China, including 36 semi-constructed interviews with practitioners involved in corporate social responsibility (CSR), participant observation in the CSR programme of the International Labour Organisation office in Beijing and several visits of factories involved in CSR programmes. Secondary sources are used to estimate the distribution of value added along global value chains (GVCs).

Findings

The codes of conduct and social audits tend to reproduce the domination of MNCs within GVCs. This paper highlights some obstacles – and opportunities – for CSR appropriate to the Chinese context.

Research limitations/implications

Only a few MNCs agreed to meet the author and speak openly. No one allowed the author to visit their suppliers’ factories.

Practical implications

The findings of this study suggest that the most widespread approach to CSR by MNCs is flawed. More attention should be given to specific institutional contexts and to workers’ participation.

Originality/value

CSR discourse and practices in China are put in the context of GVCs and in the transformation of Chinese industry and labour relations. This method allows going beyond a case study approach. Instrumentations of several SCIs and MSIs are also analysed in detail.
Comprehensive DNA barcodes for species identification and discovery of cryptic diversity in mayfly larvae from South Korea: Implications for freshwater ecosystem biomonitoring
Authors: Suh Kyong In , Hwang Jeong Mi , Bae Yeon Jae , Kang Ji Hyoun
Published: January 2019

DNA barcoding of aquatic macroinvertebrates holds much promise as a tool for taxonomic research and for providing baseline reference for phylogenetic analysis and aquatic ecosystem biomonitoring. We obtained 112 novel sequences of the barcode region of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene representing 11 families, 25 genera, and 43 species of mayfly (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) from South Korea. No species shared barcode sequences and all can be identified with barcodes with a possible exception of some species. Minimum levels of interspecific genetic distances ranged from 6.7 to 32.9% (mean: 23.7%), whereas average levels of intraspecific divergence was 3.7%. The latter value was inflated by the presence of very high divergences within some taxa. In fact, approximately 33.3% (15/45) of the species included two or more haplotype clusters showing greater than 5.0% sequence divergence and some values were as high as 32.9%. Many of the species with high intraspecific divergences are para‐ or polyphyletic and represent the possibility of species complexes. Our study suggests that type or topotype specimens should be sequenced to identify accurate barcoding clusters with morphological species concepts and also to determine the status of currently synonymized species.
Diverse human leukocyte antigen association of type 1 diabetes in north India
Authors: Kumar Neeraj , Mehra Narinder K. , Kanga Uma , Kaur Gurvinder , Tandon Nikhil , Chuzho Neihenuo , Mishra Gunja , Neolia Shekhar C.
Published: January 2019

Background

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a complex disease, with involvement of various susceptibility genes. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) on chromosome 6p21 is major susceptibility region. This study examined genetic association of HLA genes with T1D.

Methods

The study recruited 259 T1D patients and 706 controls from north India. PCR‐SSP and LiPA were used to type HLA Class I and II alleles.

Results

At HLA Class I locus, HLA‐A*02, A*26, B*08 and B*50 were significantly increased in patients vs controls (39.8% vs 28.9% [Bonferroni‐corrected P {Pc} = 0.032], 24.7% vs 9.6% [Pc = 4.83 × 10−8], 37.2% vs 15.7% [Pc = 1.92 × 10−9], and 19.4% vs 5.5% [Pc = 4.62 × 10−9], respectively). Similarly, in Class II region, DRB1*03 showed a strong positive association with T1D (78.7% vs 17.5% in controls; P = 1.02 × 10−9). Association of DRB1*04 with T1D (28.3% vs 15.5% in controls; Pc = 3.86 × 10−4) was not independent of DRB1*03. Negative associations were found between T1D and DRB1*07, *11, *13, and *15 (13.8% vs 26.1% in controls [Pc = 0.00175], 3.9% vs 16.9% in controls [Pc = 6.55× 10−6], 5.5% vs 21.6% in controls [Pc = 2.51 × 10−7], and 16.9% vs 43.9% in controls [Pc = 9.94× 10−10], respectively). Compared with controls, patients had significantly higher haplotype frequencies of A*26‐B*08‐DRB1*03‐DQA1*05‐DQB1*02 (10.43% vs 1.96%; P = 7.62 × 10−11), A*02‐B*50‐DRB1*03‐DQA1*05‐DQB1*02 (6.1% vs 0.71%; P = 2.19 × 10−10), A*24‐B*08‐DRB1*03‐DQA1*05‐DQB1*02 (4.72% vs 0.8%; P = 5.4 × 10−7), A*02‐B*08‐DRB1*03‐DQA1*05‐DQB1*02 (2.36% vs 0.18%; P = 3.6 × 10−5), and A*33‐B*58‐DRB1*03‐DQA1*05‐DQB1*02 (4.33% vs 1.25%; P = 0.00019).

Conclusions

In north India, T1D is independently associated only with HLA‐DRB1*03 haplotypes, and is negatively associated with DRB1*07, *11, *13, and *15.
Fusarium equiseti is associated with the wilt and dieback of Aquilaria malaccensis in Northeast India
Authors: Pandey Shailesh , Rishi R Raja , Jayaraj RSC , Giri Krishna , Kumar Rajesh , Pandey Amit , Juwantha Ranjana , Madaan Sheeba , Bhandari Maneesh S.
Published: January 2019

Aquilaria malaccensis, categorized by IUCN as globally vulnerable, is in high demand in the Middle East and Asian markets for its unique resinous agarwood. In August 2015, symptoms of dieback were observed on A. malaccensis trees planted in the Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Garden, Panbari, Golaghat of the Assam Forest Department. The entire crowns of 70 trees showed complete leaf loss and severe dieback. Rotting at the collar region and of roots was also observed. Isolation from the infected roots consistently yielded Fusarium equiseti identified following standard laboratory procedures and analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence of the ribosomal DNA. Symptoms of wilt, dieback and root rot were observed on 5‐month‐old Aquilaria seedlings 25 days after inoculation with the isolated fungus. This paper is the first report of F. equiseti causing wilt and dieback of A. malaccensis.
A Measure of Competitive Access to Destinations for Comparing Across Multiple Study Regions
Authors: Allen Jeff , Farber Steven
Published: January 2019

Accessibility is now a common way to measure the benefits provided by transportation–land use systems. Despite its widespread use, few measurement options allow for the comparison of accessibility across multiple urban systems, and most do not adequately control for market competition between demand‐side actors and supply‐side facilities in localized markets. In this article, we develop a measure of competitive access to destinations that can be used to accurately compare accessibility between regions. This measure stems from spatial interaction modeling and accounts for competition at both the supply and demand sides of analysis, regional differences in transportation networks and travel behavior, and any imbalance between the size of the population and the number of opportunities. We use this method to compute access to employment for Canada's eight largest cities to comparatively examine inequalities in accessibility, both within and between cities, and by travel mode.
Individual differences in attentional capability are linked to creative decision making
Authors: Hüttermann Stefanie , Memmert Daniel , Nerb Josef
Published: January 2019

There is a link between visual attention and creativity concerning the generation of rare and flexible decisions/solutions. However, the relationship between individual differences in attentional capability and creative decision making has not yet been investigated in detail. The current study scrutinized this link in a sport‐specific divergent thinking task including videos of real game situations and compared performances between football players being divided into two different expertise levels (expert and amateur football players). We conducted a multiple linear regression analysis to assess whether attentional capability along the attentional focus’ meridians (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) and participants’ expertise level predict creative decision making. The attentional capability along the horizontal meridian of participants’ attentional focus and participants’ expertise level emerged as positive predictors. The findings provide evidence of a relationship between football players’ spatial distribution of attention that match the demands of their sport and an expertise advantage in sport‐specific creative decision making. Implications are not only important for sports, but also for all areas in which spatial attention is required in order to generate unusual solutions.
HMGA1 in cancer: Cancer classification by location
Authors: Wang Yuhong , Hu Lin , Zheng Yushuang , Guo Lingchuan
Published: January 2019

The high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) gene plays an important role in numerous malignant cancers. HMGA1 is an oncofoetal gene, and we have a certain understanding of the biological function of HMGA1 based on its activities in various neoplasms. As an architectural transcription factor, HMGA1 remodels the chromatin structure and promotes the interaction between transcriptional regulatory proteins and DNA in different cancers. Through analysis of the molecular mechanism of HMGA1 and clinical studies, emerging evidence indicates that HMGA1 promotes the occurrence and metastasis of cancer. Within a similar location or the same genetic background, the function and role of HMGA1 may have certain similarities. In this paper, to characterize HMGA1 comprehensively, research on various types of tumours is discussed to further understanding of the function and mechanism of HMGA1. The findings provide a more reliable basis for classifying HMGA1 function according to the tumour location. In this review, we summarize recent studies related to HMGA1, including its structure and oncogenic properties, its major functions in each cancer, its upstream and downstream regulation associated with the tumourigenesis and metastasis of cancer, and its potential as a biomarker for clinical diagnosis of cancer.
Platform competition: Betfair and the UK market for sports betting
Authors: Casadesus‐Masanell Ramon , Campbell Neil
Published: January 2019

We examine two episodes of strategic interaction in the UK betting industry: (a) Betfair (an entrant multisided platform, or MSP) versus Flutter (also an MSP), and (b) Betfair versus traditional bookmakers. We find that although Betfair was an underfunded second mover in the betting exchange space, it was able to attract punters at a much faster rate than the better‐funded first mover, Flutter. Moreover, while Betfair and traditional bookmakers competed aggressively for market share, they also developed a highly complementary relationship that favored all parties. We discuss implications for research in the economics and management of MSPs. Specifically, we argue that the literature would benefit from work that endogenizes platform design and that considers the possible competitive and cooperative interactions between the business models of traditional incumbents and those of potential innovative MSP entrants.
Maltoporin (LamB protein) contributes to the virulence and adhesion of Aeromonas veronii TH0426
Authors: Yang Bintong , Zhang Dongxing , Wu Tonglei , Zhang Zhiqiang , Raza Sayed Haidar Abbas , Schreurs Nicola , Zhang Lei , Yang Guilian , Wang Chunfeng , Qian Aidong , Kang Yuanhuan , Shan Xiaofeng
Published: January 2019

Aeromonas veronii is one of the main pathogens causing freshwater fish sepsis and ulcer syndrome. More and more cases have shown that it has become an important zoonotic and aquatic agent. In this study, a A. veronii TH0426 mutant strain (ΔlamB) with an in‐frame deletion removed nucleotides 10–1,296 of the lamB gene was firstly constructed to investigate its functions. The results showed that the LD50 value of the mutant ΔlamB to zebrafish and mice was 13.7‐fold and 5.6‐fold higher than those of the wild‐type strain, respectively. The toxicity of wild‐type strain to EPC cells was 2.1‐fold and threefold higher than those of ∆lamB when infected for 1 and 2 hr. Furthermore, the ability of biofilm formation and the adhesion and invasion to EPC cells of ∆lamB significantly decreased for 5.6‐fold and 1.8‐fold separately. In addition, motility detection result indicated that ∆lamB lost the swimming ability. The results of flagellar staining and TEM demonstrated that the flagella of ∆lamB were shed. In general, the deletion of lamB gene caused a significant decrease in the virulence and adhesion of A. veronii TH0426, and it can be known that the lamB gene of A. veronii plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis.
Assessing the safety of beta‐blocker therapy in cirrhosis patients with ascites: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Wong Robert J. , Robinson Ann , Ginzberg Dina , Gomes Chantal , Liu Benny , Bhuket Taft
Published: January 2019

Background & Aims

Beta‐blocker therapy is effective at reducing risks of variceal bleeding. However, beta‐blockers may detrimentally exacerbate the underlying haemodynamic changes in cirrhosis. A systematic review and meta‐analysis was performed to evaluate impact of beta‐blockers on all‐cause mortality among cirrhosis patients with ascites.

Methods

A literature search identified studies that evaluated beta‐blocker vs no beta‐blocker therapy in cirrhosis patients with ascites. The primary outcome was all‐cause mortality with subcohort analysis of patients with refractory or severe ascites. Quality of observational studies was assessed with Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale and overall certainty of the evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system.

Results

Eight observational studies, representing 3627 cirrhosis patients with ascites (1630 treated with beta‐blockers and 1997 not treated), were included. Pooled all‐cause mortality was 38.6% in beta‐blocker group vs 42.2% in no beta‐blocker group (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.77‐1.13, χ2 = 54.03, I2 = 87%). Subcohort analysis of cirrhosis patients with refractory or severe ascites demonstrated 33.3% mortality in beta‐blocker group vs 32.1% in no beta‐blocker group (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.70‐1.40, χ2 = 32.99, and I2 = 82%). Three studies were good quality and five studies were fair quality. GRADE rating was ‘very low’ certainty of evidence, given concern for bias and inconsistency stemming from significant heterogeneity.

Conclusion

No significant increase in all‐cause mortality was observed in cirrhosis patients with ascites treated with beta‐blockers. However, given the low certainty of the evidence, high quality prospective studies are needed.
Mechanical stress induced S100A7 expression in human dental pulp cells to augment osteoclast differentiation
Authors: Charoenpong Hataichanok , Osathanon Thanaphum , Pavasant Prasit , Limjeerajarus Nuttapol , Keawprachum Boonrit , Limjeerajarus Chalida N. , Cheewinthamrongrod Vipaporn , Palaga Tanapat , Lertchirakarn Veera , Ritprajak Patcharee
Published: January 2019

Objectives

Mechanical injury of dental pulp leads to root resorption by osteoclasts/odontoclasts. S100 proteins have been demonstrated to be involved in inflammatory processes and bone remodeling. This study aimed to investigate the effect of mechanical stress on S100A7 expression by human dental pulp cells (HDPCs) and the effect of S100A7 proteins on osteoclast differentiation.

Materials and Methods

Isolated HDPCs were stimulated with compressive loading (2 and 6 hr), or shear loading (2, 6, and 16 hr). S100 mRNA expression and S100A7 protein levels were determined by real‐time PCR and ELISA, respectively. Osteoclast differentiation was analyzed using primary human monocytes. The differentiation and activity of osteoclasts were examined by TRAcP staining and dentine resorption. In addition, the expression of S100A7 was analyzed in pulp tissues obtained from orthodontically treated teeth.

Results

Compressive and shear mechanical stress significantly upregulated both mRNA and protein level of S100A7. Dental pulp tissues from orthodontically treated teeth exhibited higher S100A7mRNA levels compared to non‐treated control teeth. S100A7 promoted osteoclast differentiation by primary human monocytes. Moreover, S100A7 significantly enhanced dentine resorption by these cells.

Conclusions

Mechanical stress induced expression of S100A7 by human dental pulp cells and this may promote root resorption by inducing osteoclast differentiation and activity.
Evaluation of aprepitant and fosaprepitant in pediatric patients
Authors: Saito Yoshimasa , Kumamoto Tadashi , Arima Takamichi , Shirakawa Nami , Ishimaru Sae , Sonoda Tomoko , Nakajima Miho , Sugiyama Masanaka , Arakawa Ayumu , Hashimoto Hironobu , Makino Yoshinori , Ogawa Chitose , Yamaguchi Masakazu
Published: January 2019

Background

Single‐dose i.v. fosaprepitant has been approved as an alternative to 3 day oral aprepitant, a neurokinin‐1 receptor antagonist, and improves prevention of chemotherapy‐induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). Because fosaprepitant has shown similar efficacy to aprepitant in adult patients only, this study compared the efficacy and safety of aprepitant and fosaprepitant in pediatric patients.

Methods

Children younger than 18 years who received aprepitant or fosaprepitant to manage CINV between January 2015 and March 2018 at the National Cancer Center Hospital (Tokyo) were recruited to this study. The primary endpoint was complete response (CR; no vomiting/rescue medication) between 0 and 120 h after the start of chemotherapy. Secondary endpoints were safety based on the frequency of severe adverse events, and evaluation of patient characteristics as risk factors (effect of age and sex).

Results

A total of 125 chemotherapy cycles were evaluated. In the aprepitant group, CR was observed in 36 of 80 treatment cycles (45.0%), whereas in the fosaprepitant group, it was observed in 19 of 45 cycles (42.2%; P = 0.852). No treatment‐related severe adverse events were observed in either group. The number of non‐CR was greater than that of CR in patients aged 6–14 years. The difference in CR rate between male and female patients was not statistically significant (47.1% vs 40.0%, respectively; P = 0.471).

Conclusions

Aprepitant and fosaprepitant were safely used and may be equally useful for pediatric patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy. CR rate may be associated with patient age.
The Effect of Montessori Programme on The Motion and Visual Perception Skills of Trainable Mentally Retarded Individuals
Authors: Kaya Mustafa , Yildiz Kadir
Published: January 2019

In this research, it is aimed to examine the effects of Montessori education on the mentally retarded individuals in the special education who have had Montessori education and who have not had it.24 trainable mentally disabled male students who had and did not have Montessori education in a private school in Kayseri participated in the study. The students were between the ages of 20-22. 12 voluntary participants constituted the experimental group who had Montessori education. The control group included 12 voluntary mentally disabled individuals. While the control group had a routine training for 8 weeks, the experimental group had Montessori education program for 8 weeks. In addition, mothers of the students in the experimental group were included in the training program. The mentally disabled individuals had movement and visual perception skills tests.When the results of the movement perception skills in the experimental and control groups were reviewed, no significant differences were found in the movement skill variables according to the values (p>0.05). While the pretest posttest values in the mentally retarded individuals in the experimental group revealed significant difference (p<0,05), no difference occurred only in the left foot balance test (p>0,05). All pretest posttest values depending on the movement revealed significant difference in the control group (p<0,05).As a result, when the effect of the Montessori program on the movement skills of trainable mentally retarded people was examined, no significant difference was found between the values of the control group, and Montessori education gave similar values as the classical education. Thus, it was concluded that it was advisable Montessori education program to be used widely. When its effect on the visual perception skills was examined, it could be stated that the posttest averages of the each visual perception sub-scale average revealed an increase except the shape-ground connection. Consequently, when the movement skills of the trainable mentally retarded individuals were reviewed, no difference was found in the control group values, and Montessori education values were similar to classical education. Therefore, it is concluded that Montessori education program should be used widely.
Entanglement relaxation of poly(1-butene) and its copolymer with ethylene detected in conventional shear rheometer and quartz resonator
Authors: Liu Chang , Liu Peiru , Chen Quan , Du Binyang , Wang Zuowei
Published: January 2019

This study examined linear viscoelasticity (LVE) of stereo-regular poly(1-butene) (PB) and its random copolymer with polyethylene, with number fraction of ethylene comonomer ≤10%, using a conventional shear rheometer combined with a quartz resonator. This combination resulted in the detection of LVE in a broad frequency range from Rouse region to terminal relaxation. LVE, thus, determined was fit to the double reptation model through utilizing inputting molecular weights determined by gel permeation chromatography equipped with refractive index and two-angle laser light scattering monitors, and the segmental time and entanglement molecular weight as the two fitting parameters. A quantitative prediction was finally achieved when the two fitting parameters changed systematically by the increase of ethylene content, a decrease of segmental time quantified a plasticizing effect, and a decrease of entanglement molecular weight reflected enhanced the chain flexibility. The entanglement molecular weight of the PB samples was found to be lower than those reported for stereo-irregular PB, suggesting the important effect of stereo-regularity on the chain flexibility.
Highly Specific Sewage-Derived
Bacteroides
Quantitative PCR Assays Target Sewage-Polluted Waters
Authors: Feng Shuchen , McLellan Sandra L.
Published: January 2019

Bacteroides
are major members of the gut microbiota, and host-specific organisms within this genus have been used extensively to gain information on pollution sources. This study provides a broad view of the population structure of
Bacteroides
within sewage to contextualize the well-studied HF183 marker for a human-associated
Bacteroides
. The study also delineates host-specific sequence patterns across multiple hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene to improve our ability to use sequence data to assess water quality. Here, we demonstrate that regions downstream of the HF183 marker are nonspecific but other potential human-associated markers are present. Furthermore, we show the most abundant
Bacteroides
in sewage is free living, rather than host associated, and specifically found in sewage. Quantitative PCR assays that target organisms specific to sewer pipes offer measures that are independent of the human microbiome for identifying sewage pollution in water.
A new method to estimate clumping index integrating gap fraction averaging with the analysis of gap size distribution
Authors: Chianucci Francesco , Zou Jie , Leng Peng , Zhuang Yinguo , Ferrara Carlotta
Published: January 2019

Estimates of clumping index (Ω) are required to improve the indirect estimation of leaf area index (L) from optical field-based instruments such as digital hemispherical photography (DHP). A widely used method allows estimation of Ω from DHP using simple gap fraction averaging formulas (LX). This method is simple and effective but has the disadvantage of being sensitive to the spatial scale (i.e., the azimuth segment size in DHP) used for averaging and canopy density. In this study, we propose a new method to estimate Ω (LXG) based on ordered weighted gap fraction averaging (OWA) formulas, which addresses the disadvantages of LX and also accounts for gap size distribution. The new method was tested in 11 broadleaved forest stands in Italy; Ω estimated from LXG was compared with other commonly used clumping correction methods (LX, CC, and CLX). Results showed that LXG yielded more accurate Ω estimates, which were also more correlated with the values obtained from the gap size distribution methods (CC and CLX) than Ω obtained from LX. Leaf area index estimates, adjusted by LXG, are only 5%–6% lower than direct measurements obtained from litter traps, while other commonly used clumping correction methods yielded more underestimation.
Stability analysis of coupled phantom and tachyon field models in nonlinear electrodynamics
Authors: Sharif M. , Ama-Tul-Mughani Qanitah
Published: January 2019

This paper is devoted to studying the phase space portrait of FRW universe by taking different linear forms of coupling between scalar field models and dark matter with nonlinear electromagnetic effects. We introduce normalized dimensionless quantities to construct an autonomous system of equations. We evaluate critical points and respective eigenvalues for different parameters to analyze the stability of the cosmos. These points show saddle/unstable behavior for tachyon coupled field with the nonaccelerating universe. In the case of phantom energy, the stability decreases for some critical points which also represent the nonaccelerating universe. We conclude that the dynamical stability of the isotropic and homogeneous universe model reduces in the presence of nonlinear electrodynamics for tachyon as well as the phantom field.
FOSTERING ACADEMIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF INVENTION COMMERCIALIZATION IN VIETNAM
Authors: NGUYEN THANG V. , NGUYEN LAN T. , NGUYEN HIEU H.
Published: January 2019

Previous studies have been silent on how institutional factors influence scientists’ entrepreneurial cognitions and behavior. Transition economies offer a unique opportunity for addressing this issue since different generations of scientists experienced vastly different ideology and management systems. Built on the entrepreneurial cognitions and contextualization views and interview data from scientists in Vietnam, this study found that scientists internalized institutional factors to form their motivations, partnership approaches, and behavioral competencies, which in turn influence their chosen modes of entrepreneurship. This suggests that new institutions which address younger generations and focus on developing entrepreneurial qualities are pertinent to promote commercialization in transition economies.
Combinatorial higher dimensional isoperimetry and divergence
Authors: Behrstock Jason , Druţu Cornelia
Published: January 2019

In this paper we provide a framework for the study of isoperimetric problems in finitely generated groups, through a combinatorial study of universal covers of compact simplicial complexes. We show that, when estimating filling functions, one can restrict to simplicial spheres of particular shapes, called “round” and “unfolded”, provided that a bounded quasi-geodesic combing exists. We prove that the problem of estimating higher dimensional divergence as well can be restricted to round spheres. Applications of these results include a combinatorial analogy of the Federer–Fleming inequality for finitely generated groups.
Dissecting through the metallogenic potentials of Precambrian granitoids: case studies from the Bastar and Eastern Dharwar Cratons, India
Authors: Pandit Dinesh , Bhattacharya Sourabh , Panigrahi Mruganka K.
Published: January 2019

The Malanjkhand granodiorite in the Bastar Craton hosts a major copper (+ molybdenum) deposit. It represents a Precambrian granite–ore system lacking in key morphological features of porphyry-type deposits but is comparable as a chemical package with a distinct mode of evolution of the magmatic-hydrothermal system. Mineral chemistry of biotite and apatite along with bulk geochemical data constrain critical parameters such as initial water and halogen contents of the magma. Evolution of the magmatic-hydrothermal fluid has been envisaged with available thermobarometric data. A quantitative ore genetic model in terms of efficiency of removal of metals and resultant mineralization in terms of quantity of metals has been attempted for the Malanjkhand deposit. The Eastern Dharwar Craton witnessed prolific granitic activities in multiple phases during the Late Archean and are spatially close to auriferous schist belts. Against a widely held view of a single metamorphogenic origin of metal and ore fluid, a granite–gold connection can be visualized for the auriferous schist belts of the Eastern Dharwar Craton through comparison of fluid characteristics in the granitoid and ore regimes and mineral chemical constraints. Although a quantitative genetic link between the granitoid and gold would need more data, a magmatic component of the ore fluid could be established based on the available information.
Energy-Efficient Runtime Management of Heterogeneous Multicores using Online Projection
Authors: Tzilis Stavros , Trancoso Pedro , Sourdis Ioannis
Published: January 2019

Heterogeneous multicores offer flexibility in the form of different core types and Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS), defining a vast configuration space. The optimal configuration choice is not always straightforward, even for single applications, and becomes a very difficult problem for dynamically changing scenarios of concurrent applications with unpredictable spawn and termination times and individual performance requirements. This article proposes an integrated approach for runtime decision making for energy efficiency on such systems. The approach consists of a model that predicts performance and power for any possible decision and low-complexity heuristics that use this model to evaluate a subset of possible decisions to choose the best. The model predicts performance by projecting standalone application profiling data to the current status of the system and power by using a set of platform-specific parameters that are determined only once for a given system and are independent of the application mix. Our approach is evaluated with a plethora of dynamic, multi-application scenarios. When considering best effort performance to be adequate, our runtime achieves on average 3% higher energy efficiency compared to the powersave governor and 2× better compared to the other linux governors. Moreover, when also considering individual applications’ performance requirements, our runtime is able to satisfy them, giving away 18% of the system’s energy efficiency compared to the powersave, which, however, misses the performance targets by 23%; at the same time, our runtime maintains an efficiency advantage of about 55% compared to the other governors, which also satisfy the performance constraints.
An Autotuning Framework for Scalable Execution of Tiled Code via Iterative Polyhedral Compilation
Authors: Sato Yukinori , Yuki Tomoya , Endo Toshio
Published: January 2019

On modern many-core CPUs, performance tuning against complex memory subsystems and scalability for parallelism is mandatory to achieve their potential. In this article, we focus on loop tiling, which plays an important role in performance tuning, and develop a novel framework that analytically models the load balance and empirically autotunes unpredictable cache behaviors through iterative polyhedral compilation using LLVM/Polly. From an evaluation on many-core CPUs, we demonstrate that our autotuner achieves a performance superior to those that use conventional static approaches and well-known autotuning heuristics. Moreover, our autotuner achieves almost the same performance as a brute-force search-based approach.
Subquadratic Kernels for Implicit 3-H
itting
S
et
and 3-S
et
P
acking
Problems
Authors: Fomin Fedor V. , Le Tien-Nam , Lokshtanov Daniel , Saurabh Saket , Thomassé Stéphan , Zehavi Meirav
Published: January 2019

We consider four well-studied NP-complete packing/covering problems on graphs: F
eedback
V
ertex
S
et in
T
ournaments
(FVST), C
luster
V
ertex
D
eletion
(CVD), T
riangle
P
acking in
T
ournaments
(TPT) and I
nduced
P
3
-P
acking
. For these four problems, kernels with
O
(
k
2
) vertices have been known for a long time. In fact, such kernels can be obtained by interpreting these problems as finding either a packing of
k
pairwise disjoint sets of size 3 (3-S
et
P
acking
) or a hitting set of size at most
k
for a family of sets of size at most 3 (3-H
itting
S
et
). In this article, we give the first kernels for FVST, CVD, TPT, and I
nduced
P
3
-P
acking
with a subquadratic number of vertices. Specifically, we obtain the following results.

• FVST admits a kernel with
O
(
k
3/2
) vertices.

• CVD admits a kernel with
O
(
k
5/3
) vertices.

• TPT admits a kernel with
O
(
k
3/2
) vertices.

• I
nduced
P
3
-P
acking
admits a kernel with
O
(
k
5/3
) vertices.

Our results resolve an open problem from WorKer 2010 on the existence of kernels with O(
k
2−ϵ
) vertices for FVST and CVD. All of our results are based on novel uses of old and new “expansion lemmas” and a weak form of crown decomposition where (i)
almost all
of the head is used by the solution (as opposed to
all
), (ii)
almost none
of the crown is used by the solution (as opposed to
none
), and (iii) if
H
is removed from
G
, then there is
almost no
interaction between the head and the rest (as opposed to
no
interaction at all).
Biodiversity Research Trends and Gaps from the Confluence of Three Global Biodiversity Hotspots in the Far-Eastern Himalaya
Authors: Basnet Deepa , Kandel Pratikshya , Chettri Nakul , Yang Yongping , Lodhi Mahendra Singh , Htun Naing Zaw , Uddin Kabir , Sharma Eklabya
Published: January 2019

The Far-Eastern Himalaya Landscape (FHL), a shared transboundary landscape between China, India, and Myanmar, is one of the most intact and biologically rich landscapes in the Eastern Himalaya. Yet, the state of biodiversity and its significance are comparatively poorly known to conservationists and policy makers due to low priority in research, inaccessibility, and remoteness. We collated and reviewed 1032 articles relating to biodiversity of the FHL to understand research trends, identify knowledge gaps, and suggest priority research areas for future biodiversity conservation and management in the landscape. Our review showed that the Myanmar part of the landscape is the most studied, followed by the Indian and Chinese parts. The trend of publications in the landscape showed that the earliest publication on biodiversity in the FHL dates back to 1833, while the years from 2001 to 2017 account for almost 80% of the total publications. Most studies focused on species (73.6%), followed by ecosystems (25%) and genetics (1.4%). Mammals were the most studied taxa (22.6%), with a greater focus on charismatic megafauna, followed by arthropods (15.6%), angiosperms (14.8%), insects (13.4%), and birds (10.8%). There were very few publications on lower invertebrates and lower kingdoms, Monera, Protista, Fungi, and Viruses. At the ecosystem level, most studies focused on forests (58.5%) followed by freshwater (32%), agroecosystems (9%), and alpine/tundra ecosystem (0.5%); there were only 14 studies at genetic level. In the FHL, new species have been discovered and rediscovered starting from the early 1930s until 2017. The majority of newly discovered species in the last 18 years are arthropods. The paper reviews past research areas, identifies gaps for future research and intervention, and recommends transboundary collaboration to address these gaps for conservation and sustainable development of the FHL landscape.
Increased Interleukin-11 Levels Are Correlated with Cardiac Events in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Ye Jing , Wang Zhen , Ye Di , Wang Yuan , Wang Menglong , Ji Qingwei , Huang Ying , Liu Ling , Shi Ying , Shi Lei , Zeng Tao , Xu Yao , Liu Jianfang , Jiang Huimin , Lin Yingzhong , Wan Jun
Published: January 2019

Background. Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is an important inflammatory cytokine and has been demonstrated to participate in cardiovascular diseases. However, there have been no studies about the role of IL-11 in heart failure (HF). The present study is aimed at investigating whether IL-11 levels are associated with the cardiac prognosis in patients with HF. Methods. The plasma concentrations of IL-11 were measured in 240 patients with chronic HF (CHF) and 80 control subjects without signs of significant heart disease. In addition, we prospectively followed these CHF patients to endpoints of cardiac events. Results. Compared with the control group, the plasma IL-11 concentrations were significantly increased in the CHF patients and gradually increased in the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II group, the NYHA functional class III group, and the NYHA functional class IV group. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve revealed that the predictive role of IL-11 in HF is not as good as N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), although IL-11 has a certain value in predicting cardiac events. In addition, the CHF patients were divided into 3 groups according to the plasma IL-11 concentration category (low, T1; middle, T2; and high, T3). The multivariate Cox hazard analysis showed that the high plasma IL-11 concentrations were independently associated with the presence of cardiac events after adjustment for confounding factors. Furthermore, the CHF patients were divided into two groups based on the median plasma IL-11 concentrations. The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the patients with high IL-11 concentrations had a higher risk of cardiac events compared with those with low IL-11 concentrations. Conclusions. Higher plasma IL-11 levels significantly increase the presence of cardiac events and suggest a poor outcome; although the diagnostic value of IL-11 in CHF is not as good as BNP, there is a certain value in predicting cardiac events in CHF.
Modeling Pulse Properties near the Bubble-to-Pulse Transition in Randomly Packed Beds
Authors: Salgi Paul , Krayem Sanaa
Published: January 2019

Traveling wave analysis of a recently developed two-fluid model for bubbly flow in lab-size packed beds is used to propose a constitutive closure for the effective viscosity, a nonzero parameter that is needed in the liquid momentum balance to avoid the prediction of disturbances with an infinite growth rate. Near-solitary wave profiles are predicted over a range of velocity parameters consistent with linear stability analysis. Centimeter-scale periodic disturbances are predicted in the near-pulsing regime. Preliminary estimates of average pulse properties compare well with typically reported experimental values. Initial comparison with time integration subject to periodic boundary conditions shows agreement of the liquid saturation profiles but differences in the liquid velocity profiles.
Cycle Analysis Method of Tree Ring and Solar Activity Based on Variational Mode Decomposition and Hilbert Transform
Authors: Li Guohui , Zheng Mengtao , Yang Hong
Published: January 2019

According to the correlation of tree ring and solar activity, the cycle analysis method based on variational mode decomposition (VMD) and Hilbert transform is proposed. Firstly, the tree ring width of cypress during 1700 to 1955 beside the Huangdi Tomb and the long-term sunspot number during 1700 to 1955, respectively, are decomposed by VMD into a series of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Secondly, Hilbert transformation on the decomposed IMF component is performed. Then, the marginal spectra are given and analyzed. Finally, their quasiperiodic properties are obtained as follows: the tree ring width has the quasiperiodicity of 2 to 7a, 10.8a, and 25a; the sunspot number has the quasiperiodicity of 8.3a, 9.9a, 11.1a, 52.2a, and 101.2a. The result obtained by analyzing that quasiperiodicity shows that the main periods of tree ring width and the sunspot number in the same period are basically consistent, and tree ring width has other cycles. This shows that sunspot activity is an important factor affecting tree ring growth, and tree ring width is influenced by other external environments.
Estimation of Maximum Daily Fresh Snow Accumulation Using an Artificial Neural Network Model
Authors: Lee Gun , Kim Dongkyun , Kwon Hyun-Han , Choi Eunsoo
Published: January 2019

For estimation of maximum daily fresh snow accumulation (MDFSA), a novel model based on an artificial neural network (ANN) was proposed. Daily precipitation, mean temperature, and minimum temperature were used as the input data for the ANN model. The ANN model was regularized and trained using a set of 19,923 data points, observed daily in South Korea between 1960 and 2016. Leave-one-out cross validation was performed to validate the model. When the input data were known at the gauged locations, the correlation coefficient between the observed MDFSA and the estimated one by the ANN model was 0.90. When the input data were spatially interpolated at ungauged locations using the ordinary kriging (OK) method, the correlation coefficient was 0.40. The difference in correlation coefficients between the two methods implies that, while the ANN model itself has good performance, a significant portion of the uncertainty of the estimated MDFSA at ungauged locations comes from high spatial variability of the input variables that cannot be captured by the network of in situ gauges. However, these correlation coefficients were significantly greater than the correlation coefficient obtained by spatially interpolating the MDFSA values with the OK method (R = 0.20). These findings suggest that our ANN model significantly reduces the uncertainty of the estimated MDFSA caused by its high spatial variability.
A Fractal Model to Interpret Porosity‐Dependent Hydraulic Properties for Unsaturated Soils
Authors: Zhou Annan , Fan Yang , Cheng Wen-Chieh , Zhang Junran
Published: January 2019

This paper presents a simple fractal model to quantify the effects of initial porosity on the soil‐water retention curve and hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils. In the proposed conceptual model, the change of maximum pore radius, which largely determines the change of the air‐entry value, is directly related to the fractal dimension of pore volume (D) and porosity change. The hydraulic properties of unsaturated soils are then governed by the maximum pore radius, the fractal dimension of pore volume (D), and the fractal dimension of drainable pore volume (Dd ≤ D). The new fractal model removes the empirical fitting parameters that have no physical meaning from existing models for porosity‐dependent water retention and hydraulic behaviour and employs parameters of fractal dimensions that are intrinsic to the nature of the fractal porous materials. The proposed model is then validated against experimental data from the literature on soil‐water retention behaviour and unsaturated conductivity.