bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WILLINGNESS OF COMPANIES TO INVEST AFTER THE FINANCIAL CRISIS? EVIDENCE FROM LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES
Authors: Ozkan Aydin , Santillán‐Salgado Roberto J. , Yildiz Yilmaz , del Rocío Vega Zavala María 
Published: February 2020

AbstractIn this article we investigate the changes in corporate investment dynamics in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Using firm‐level data from six Latin American countries from 2002 to 2015, we show that firms are less constrained and have greater ability to invest after the crisis. However, the willingness of firms to invest optimally is reduced. This is supported by strong evidence that during the postcrisis period investment–cash flow sensitivity disappears, investment‐q sensitivity increases, and the estimated speeds of adjustment for target investment decrease. Moreover, after the crisis, firms notably increase their efforts to attain optimal cash and leverage levels. Our analysis implies that firms may not always be willing to invest optimally. The willingness to invest optimally appears to be time variant and moves together with the dynamics of cash and leverage policies, albeit in opposite directions.
Near‐infrared reflectance spectroscopy based online moisture measurement in copra
Authors: Lakshmanan Madan Kumar , Chinnu Tharmalingam , Arvamuthan Gopal 
Published: February 2020

AbstractMoisture in raw Copra (dried mature coconut) is an important quality parameter in the process of extraction of Coconut oil. The online and instantaneous measurement of moisture in copra chips with Near‐Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) has been explored in this work. To do so, a NIRS moisture sensor with in‐house designed wireless backhaul network was commissioned at an industrial‐scale oil mill in Southern India. The accuracy of the results was validated with laboratory‐tested values. Furthermore, a chemometric analysis of NIRS signals captured from copra samples was carried out to accurately measure the moisture content. The moisture sensor was interfaced with a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system through a wireless communication network designed and developed in‐house. The system was trialed for 13 months. The system enabled for monitoring the process parameters of the oil extraction process from a safe and convenient distance away from critical instruments. The moisture content values predicted by the online NIRS sensors closely matched laboratory values (over 70% of the data was within the standard allowable tolerances). The system enabled for smarter operation, aided in improving process capability, reduced manpower, and energy requirements.Practical ApplicationsThe moisture content of the copra plays a crucial role in the oil extraction process and drives the market price of copra. Typically, moisture content of <7% is acceptable to the industry. High moisture content can make the copra vulnerable to fungal and pestilential attack. The in‐situ and online measurement of moisture can help improve the process of extraction of oil by considering optimum moisture and temperature. Through this process, the oil extraction efficiency and yield can be increased. By adaptively adjusting the temperature of the cooker, the energy requirements of running the plant are also optimized.
Optimizing pink‐beam fast X‐ray microtomography for multiphase flow in 3D porous media
Authors: MEISENHEIMER D.E. , RIVERS M.L. , WILDENSCHILD D. 
Published: February 2020

SummaryA fast pink‐beam X‐ray microtomography methodology was developed at the GSECARS 13‐BMD beamline at the Advanced Photon Source to study multiphase flow in porous media. The white beam X‐ray distribution of the Advanced Photon Source is modified using a 1‐mm copper filter and the beam is reflected off a platinum mirror angled at 1.5 mrad, resulting in a pink beam with X‐ray intensities predominately in the range of 40–60 keV. Bubble formation in the wetting phase and wettability alteration of the solid phase from x‐ray exposure can be a problem with high flux and high energy beams, but the suggested pink‐beam configuration mitigates these effects. With a 14‐second acquisition time for capturing a complete dataset, the evolving fluid‐fronts of nonequilibrium three‐dimensional multiphase flow can be studied in real‐time and the images contain adequate image contrast and quality to measure important multiphase quantities such as contact angles and interfacial areas.Lay DescriptionUnderstanding how fluids are transported through porous materials is pertinent to many important societal processes in the environment (e.g. groundwater flow for drinking water) and industry (e.g. drying of industrial materials such as pulp and paper). To develop accurate models and theories of this fluid transportation, experiments need to track fluids in 3‐dimensions quickly. This is difficult to do as most materials are opaque and therefore cameras cannot capture fluid movement directly. But, with the help of x‐rays, scientists can track fluids in 3D using an imaging technique called x‐ray microtomography (μCT). Standard μCT takes about 15 minutes for one image which can produce blurry images if fluids are flowing quickly through the material. We present a technique, fast μCT, which uses a larger spectrum of x‐rays than the standard technique and acquires a 3D image in 14 seconds. With the large amount of x‐rays utilized in this technique, bubbles can start to form in the fluids from x‐ray exposure. We optimized the utilized x‐ray spectrum to limit bubble formation while still achieving a rapid 3D image acquisition that has adequate image quality and contrast. With this technique, scientists can study fluid transport in 3D porous materials in near real‐time for the improvement of models used to ensure public and environmental health.
A comparison of the associations of Reid Colposcopic Index and Swede Score with cervical histology
Authors: Suwanthananon Catthaleya , Inthasorn Perapong 
Published: February 2020

AbstractAimCervical cancer, the fourth most common cancer in women, is preventable. Colposcopy and colposcopic scoring systems are helpful tools to guide the treatment of precancerous lesions. This study was done to compare the association between Reid colposcopic index (RCI) and Swede score.MethodsThis prospective study enrolled 159 subjects aged 18 years or over with abnormal pap smears or high‐risk HPV (types 16 and/or 18). All women underwent colposcopies, and the findings were classified by RCI and Swede score. Biopsies were done in all cases. The performance of both scores was evaluated.ResultsA total of 43 (27.0%) high‐grade lesions were detected. AUC of ROC of both tests showed excellent performance with 0.906 for RCI and 0.902 for Swede score. The correlation coefficient was 0.986. At a cutoff of 5, RCI had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for detected CIN2+ lesions of 83.7%, 89.7%, 75.0%, and 93.7%, respectively. At a cutoff of 7 for RCI score, the corresponding figures were 46.5%, 99.1%, 95.2%, and 83.3%. At a cutoff of 5, Swede score had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 88.4%, 87.1%, 71.7%, and 95.3%. At a cutoff of 9 for Swede score, those values were 14.0%, 99.1%, 85.7%, and 75.7%.ConclusionThere was a good association between RCI and Swede score. Both scoring systems had the good performance. Swede score is effective for practical use and applied in Thailand.
Therapeutic potential of combination therapy of soluble VEGF receptor 1 and conventional chemotherapy for ovarian cancer growth
Authors: Sato Noriko , Kumasawa Keiichi , Yamashita Michiko , Miyake Tatsuya , Nakamura Hitomi , Kimura Tadashi 
Published: February 2020

AbstractAimThis study aimed at evaluating the additional anti‐tumor effects of exogenous rVEGFR1 (sFlt1) on conventional chemotherapy in ovarian cancer cell lines.MethodsWe utilized cells from two ovarian cancer cell lines, SKOV3 and HeyA8, and treated them with a combination of rVEGFR1 (sFlt1) and carboplatin as well as rVEGFR1 (sFlt1) alone. First, we evaluated cell survival after treatment by using cell counting and MTS assays. Next, we performed Ki67 staining for evaluating the inhibitory effects of the treatment on cell proliferation, and a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay for evaluating cytotoxicity. Finally, to determine whether MAP kinase signaling is involved in this process, we performed western blot analysis of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK), phospho‐ERK, c‐jun n‐terminal kinase (JNK) and phospho‐JNK.ResultsThe cytotoxic and growth‐restriction effects were more pronounced in the group co‐administered with rVEGFR1 (sFlt1) and carboplatin than in cells treated with either rVEGFR1 (sFlt1) or carboplatin alone. Quantitative analysis of Ki67‐positive cells also showed a decreased proportion of Ki67‐positive cells in SKOV3 cells treated with a combination of exogeneous rVEGFR1 (sFlt1) and carboplatin compared to that in cells treated with either rVEGFR1 (sFlt1) or carboplatin alone. In the LDH assay, we also found significantly enhanced cell toxicity from the combination therapy. Finally, western blotting analysis showed that the MAPK signaling pathway was not affected by sFlt1 treatment.ConclusionThis study confirmed the additive effects of rVEGFR1 (sFlt1) combined with conventional chemotherapy for ovarian cancer growth in in vitro assays, thus suggesting the combination of rVEGFR1 (sFlt1) and carboplatin as a potential novel therapeutic option for ovarian cancer.
Next Generation External Venturing Practices in Family Owned Businesses
Authors: Ramírez‐Pasillas Marcela , Lundberg Hans , Nordqvist Mattias 
Published: February 2020

AbstractDrawing on an Entrepreneurship as Practice (EaP) approach, this article examines how next generation members in family owned businesses (FOBs) engage in external venturing. Our study builds on longitudinal qualitative research in two Mexican FOBs where the next generation launched ten ventures. It reveals five different practices of external venturing used by next generation family members: ‘obtaining family approval’, ‘bypassing family’, ‘family venture mimicking’, ‘jockeying in family’, and ‘jockeying around family’. The five practices are combined into three routes for external venturing: ‘imitating the family business’, ‘splitting the family business’, and ‘surpassing the family business’. Building on notions from Michel de Certeau’s practice theory, this study contributes to theorizing the five practices as ways of operating and the routes as modes of sensing to better understand how next generation family members deal with settings featured by dominant orders within the family and the FOB in their attempts to originate and launch their new ventures.
Bubbling up or cascading down? Public servants, political advisers and politicization
Authors: Shaw Richard , Eichbaum Chris 
Published: February 2020

AbstractOne of the strands in the growing scholarship on political advisers in parliamentary democracies proposes that advisers can reduce the risk of civil service politicization by furnishing partisan advice to ministers, freeing civil servants to focus on the provision of expert competence. This benign narrative generates a significant hypothesis, which is that the institutionalization of the partisan role diminishes the risk of civil service politicization. That hypothesis has yet to be fully tested. Several studies have assessed the impact of advisers' actions on civil service impartiality, but the consequences of bureaucrats' own agency for that dependent variable have received far less attention. Drawing on data from a survey of New Zealand public servants, this article challenges the assumption in the political advisers literature that civil service politicization is primarily driven by exogenous factors and calls for a more nuanced theoretical approach to endogenous aspects of politicization.
Association of methylphenidate use and traditional and cyberbullying in adolescents with ADHD
Authors: Tural Hesapcıoglu Selma , Kandemir Gözde 
Published: February 2020

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed to determine whether there is a difference in terms of traditional/cyberbullying or victimization among adolescents receiving methylphenidate for attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and treatment‐naïve adolescents with ADHD during a 1‐year period.MethodsThe Sociodemographic Data Form, Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School‐Aged Children (Present and Lifetime Version), Peer Bullying Scale–Adolescent Form and the Cyberbully/Victim Scale were administered to male adolescents with ADHD.ResultsAdolescents who did not receive methylphenidate during the last 1‐year were exposed to higher rates of physical victimization, isolation, destroying of property by others, and sexual victimization, all of which are subtypes of traditional victimization; they also reported higher rates of destroying others' property. Furthermore, cyberbullying victimization and cyberbullying behaviors were more common in the non‐treated group.ConclusionEffective treatment of ADHD could lessen involvement in the bullying cycle in adolescents with ADHD.
The categorization of Hispanics in biomedical research: US and Latin American perspectives
Authors: Liz Jordan 
Published: February 2020

AbstractContemporary genetic and biomedical research on race and ethnicity has reignited the debate over the biological significance of these categories. This article provides an overview of the critical literature concerning the categorization of Hispanic and Hispanic populations within these research programs. More specifically, this article focuses on issues regarding: The conceptualization of Hispanic identity, issues of data collection and generalization (e.g., the use of a specific Hispanic nationality as a stand‐in for all Hispanics), the tension between social and biological classifications of ethnic populations, and the social, political, and scientific implications of genetic research for Latin America.
Inference for longitudinal data from complex sampling surveys: An approach based on quadratic inference functions
Authors: Dumitrescu Laura , Qian Wei , Rao J. N. K. 
Published: February 2020

AbstractWe propose a survey weighted quadratic inference function method for the analysis of data collected from longitudinal surveys, as an alternative to the survey weighted generalized estimating equation method. The procedure yields estimators of model parameters, which are shown to be consistent and have a limiting normal distribution. Furthermore, based on the inference function, a pseudolikelihood ratio type statistic for testing a composite hypothesis on model parameters and a statistic for testing the goodness of fit of the assumed model are proposed. We establish their asymptotic distributions as weighted sums of independent chi‐squared random variables and obtain Rao‐Scott corrections to those statistics leading to a chi‐squared distribution, approximately. We examine the performance of the proposed methods in a simulation study.
The Role of Basal Ganglia Reinforcement Learning in Lexical Ambiguity Resolution
Authors: Ceballos Jose M. , Stocco Andrea , Prat Chantel S. 
Published: February 2020

AbstractThe current study aimed to elucidate the contributions of the subcortical basal ganglia to human language by adopting the view that these structures engage in a basic neurocomputation that may account for its involvement across a wide range of linguistic phenomena. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that basal ganglia reinforcement learning (RL) mechanisms may account for variability in semantic selection processes necessary for ambiguity resolution. To test this, we used a biased homograph lexical ambiguity priming task that allowed us to measure automatic processes for resolving ambiguity toward high‐frequency word meanings. Individual differences in task performance were then related to indices of basal ganglia RL, which were used to group subjects into three learning styles: (a) Choosers who learn by seeking high reward probability stimuli; (b) Avoiders, who learn by avoiding low reward probability stimuli; and (c) Balanced participants, whose learning reflects equal contributions of choose and avoid processes. The results suggest that balanced individuals had significantly lower access to subordinate, or low‐frequency, homograph word meanings. Choosers and Avoiders, on the other hand, had higher access to the subordinate word meaning even after a long delay between prime and target. Experimental findings were then tested using an ACT‐R computational model of RL that learns from both positive and negative feedback. Results from the computational model simulations confirm and extend the pattern of behavioral findings, providing an RL account of individual differences in lexical ambiguity resolution.
COM1, a factor of alternative non‐homologous end joining, lagging behind the classic non‐homologous end joining pathway in rice somatic cells
Authors: Xu Zhan , Zhang Jianxiang , Cheng Xinjie , Tang Yujie , Gong Zhiyun , Gu Minghong , Yu Hengxiu 
Published: February 2020

SUMMARYThe role of rice (Oryza sativa) COM1 in meiotic homologous recombination (HR) is well understood, but its part in somatic double‐stranded break (DSB) repair remains unclear. Here, we show that for rice plants COM1 conferred tolerance against DNA damage caused by the chemicals bleomycin and mitomycin C, while the COM1 mutation did not compromise HR efficiencies and HR factor (RAD51 and RAD51 paralogues) localization to irradiation‐induced DSBs. Similar retarded growth at the post‐germination stage was observed in the com1‐2 mre11 double mutant and the mre11 single mutant, while combined mutations in COM1 with the HR pathway gene (RAD51C) or classic non‐homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway genes (KU70, KU80, and LIG4) caused more phenotypic defects. In response to γ‐irradiation, COM1 was loaded normally onto DSBs in the ku70 mutant, but could not be properly loaded in the MRE11RNAi plant and in the wortmannin‐treated wild‐type plant. Under non‐irradiated conditions, more DSB sites were occupied by factors (MRE11, COM1, and LIG4) than RAD51 paralogues (RAD51B, RAD51C, and XRCC3) in the nucleus of wild‐type; protein loading of COM1 and XRCC3 was increased in the ku70 mutant. Therefore, quite differently to its role for HR in meiocytes, rice COM1 specifically acts in an alternative NHEJ pathway in somatic cells, based on the Mre11–Rad50–Nbs1 (MRN) complex and facilitated by PI3K‐like kinases. NHEJ factors, not HR factors, preferentially load onto endogenous DSBs, with KU70 restricting DSB localization of COM1 and XRCC3 in plant somatic cells.
Quantitative Experimental Investigation on the Flow Characteristics of Nanofluids in Turbulent Flow
Authors: Lv Jizu , Hu Chengzhi , Zhang Zhenxian , Bai Minli 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
In addition to the increase of thermal conductivity, heat transfer enhancement mechanism for nanofluids also includes the changes of the flow characteristics, therefore it is needed to take an in-depth research on nanofluids flow characteristics. In this paper, the flow characteristics of H2O and SiO2-H2O nanofluids in a rectangular convex channel (channel composed of continuous staggered rectangular convex platform) at the Reynolds numbers 2300, 2500, 3000 and 4000 are studied by the quantitative PIV method (Fig. 1a). The rectangular convex channel (Fig. 1b) has periodic perturbation effect on the fluid flow, so that the flow direction is changed for several times, and vortexes are generated, which makes turbulence enhanced. In this way, flow is in the intense turbulent state under a low flow rate. Results show that the flow fields becomes more chaotic by the addition of nanoparticles (Fig. 2 and 3). Both the number and the size of vortices increase observably. The vorticity of nanofluids is also enhanced compared with H2O, and with the increase of Reynolds number, the increased ratio in the vorticity magnitude is getting higher (Fig. 4). At different Reynolds number, the pressure loss of nanofluids increases by 2.27%, 2.23%, 1.5% and 14.7%, respectively. As shown the flow resistance does not increase significantly compared to base fluids, especially at low Reynolds number. It can be concluded that the interaction between nanoparticles and the basic fluid strengthens the flow field disturbance, which is benefit to the heat transfer of nanofluids.
Optimization of a Radial Turbine for Pulsating Flows
Authors: Liu Zheng , Copeland Colin 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
A turbocharger turbine is exposed to pulsating flow conditions when it is connected to an engine exhaust system due to the opening and closing of the exhaust valves. However, many radial turbines are designed and tested under steady-state conditions without taking into account these unsteady exhaust flows. In order to seek the optimal aerodynamic design of a radial flow turbine (RFT) under pulsating flow conditions, the present research utilizes a numerical simulation approach to optimize the blade shape of a small-scale mixed flow turbine (MFT) under 50 Hz pulses. This corresponds to a four-stroke, three-cylinder engine rotating at 2000 rpm. In order to understand how a less computationally intensive, steady-state optimization compares, the blade shape was also optimized using the peak power point of the pulse. Three turbine features were modified during the optimization process, including blade cone angle, blade axial location, and blade camber angles. The optimization was carried out using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)–genetic algorithm (GA) coupled approach, targeting at maximizing both energy-weighted efficiency and energy output during a predefined pulse period. To ensure that the new design maintains a similar matching to the engine, the maximum deviation of turbine swallowing capacity is controlled to within ±5% of the baseline for all new blade designs. The design that achieves the maximum pulse cycle-averaged efficiency was produced from unsteady optimization, with a performance benefit of 0.66%. The unsteady optimization also produced a blade shape that delivers the maximum energy output, with an improvement of 5.42%.
Analytical Reason for Smaller Lateral Sway in Angled-Plane Scissor Linkage
Authors: Singh Sunil Kumar , Deepak Sangamesh R. 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
Scissor linkages are widely used with scissor links arranged in two parallel planes. When small misalignment of revolute joint axes are permissible, the linkage can undergo lateral sway. This paper, using rigid-body kinematics and a modeling of misalignment, converts the task of finding lateral sway into a non-linear constrained optimization problem. Through linearization of the optimization problem, this paper analytically proves that (1) maximum lateral sway increases as the number of units in the parallel-plane scissor linkage increases whereas in angled-plane scissor linkage, the lateral sway tends to a finite limit as the number of units is increased and (2) the lateral sway is independent of connector length in parallel-plane scissor linkage whereas it is dependent on the length of the connector in angled-plane scissor linkage. These results are further substantiated with numerical solution of the non-linear optimization problem. The results imply that the angled-plane scissor linkage can substantially limit lateral sway in comparison to parallel-plane scissor linkage under similar conditions of joint misalignment. The analytical expression derived in this paper helps in identifying the influence of design parameters on lateral sway.