bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of external debt in the foreign direct investment–growth relationship
Authors: Tanna Sailesh , Li Chengchun , De Vita Glauco 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThis paper investigates the relevance of external debt as a factor inhibiting economic growth gains to be accrued from foreign direct investment (FDI). We develop a model that formalizes a mechanism to allow for the influence of external debt in the transmission of FDI‐generated externalities and conduct threshold regressions to test the existence of a debt contingency effect that limits the positive impact of inward FDI on growth. With the use of annual as well as 5‐year averaged data for 39 developing countries over the period 1984–2010, our findings support the hypothesis that FDI‐induced growth is dependent on the external debt constraint. In particular, we show that beyond a certain threshold high indebtedness constrains economies from reaping growth benefits from FDI as they seek to reduce their debt levels. In this scenario, the evidence also shows that increasing financial development can mitigate the negative influence of high external debt on the FDI–growth nexus.
Postforced eviction communities: The contribution of personal and environmental resources to the sense of belonging to the community
Authors: Levy Drorit , Friedman Yuval 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThis article aims to examine the contribution of personal and environmental resources to the sense of belonging to the community among postforced eviction communities. The study included 140 participants who experienced forced eviction, and ranged in age from 20 to 79 years. Slightly more than half were women (52.4%, 74). Nearly half of the participants continued living alongside their fellow community members, while others left for different communities. The participants filled out self‐report questionnaires assessing their sense of belonging, social and family support, sense of mastery, and self‐esteem. We used 2 complementary instruments: the stepwise regression and the mediation model. Results indicated that the level of social and family support was found to be higher in the unified communities. Lower levels of the sense of belonging were found in the split communities. The sense of mastery was found to positively contribute to the sense of belonging. The self‐esteem resource was not found to contribute to the sense of belonging, whereas social and family support was found to positively contribute to the sense of belonging. The mediation model presented an interesting finding insofar that an indirect positive association was found regarding the sense of belonging via social support within different types of communities. The discussion refers to the findings and their contribution to both theory and practice.
Two‐dimensional nanomaterials for photocatalytic water disinfection: recent progress and future challenges
Authors: Liu Yue , Zeng Xiangkang , Hu Xiaoyi , Hu Jian , Zhang Xiwang 
Published: July 2018

AbstractPhotocatalysis has received ever‐growing attention as a promising alternative to traditional water treatment technologies for waterborne biohazard inactivation. Due to unique optical, electronic, physicochemical properties and feasibility of functional architecture assembly, two‐dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have become important in developing novel photocatalysts. This review summarizes the recent progress in configuring nanostructures with 2D materials as building blocks for photocatalytic water disinfection. In this review, five categories of 2D nanomaterials, that is, graphene, graphitic carbon nitride, 2D metal oxides and metallates, metal oxyhalides and transition metal dichalcogenides, for photocatalytic pathogen inactivation are introduced. First, the synthesis process, nanostructure engineering and disinfection performance of 2D‐based photocatalysts are reviewed in categories. In the following section, the bacteria destruction mechanism based on the generation and roles of reactive species (RSs) is presented. Moreover, the effects of the chemical characteristics of the water matrix on photocatalytic bactericidal performance are discussed. Finally, the challenges regarding the development and application of 2D‐based photocatalysts for highly efficient water sterilization are highlighted. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Family‐supportive supervisor behaviors: A review and recommendations for research and practice
Authors: Crain Tori L. , Stevens Shalyn C. 
Published: July 2018

SummaryFamily‐supportive supervisors empathize with employees' attempts to balance work and nonwork, while also actively facilitating employees' ability to manage work and nonwork demands. Over the last three decades, approximately 60 publications have investigated family‐supportive supervisor behavior (FSSB), with one third of these appearing in just the last 3 years. Thus, as the burgeoning FSSB literature continues to develop, there is a critical need to understand this body of work in totality in order to further advance theory, expand empirical investigation of the construct, and facilitate the practical dissemination of FSSB‐related information into organizational settings. We conduct the first comprehensive and systematic review of the FSSB literature to date. More specifically, we discuss early formative work establishing the construct of FSSB, existing theory, antecedents, outcomes, moderators, and interventions. Lastly, we provide a number of future directions for this subject area related to construct clarification, theory, expanding the FSSB nomological network, methodology, and interventions.
Tuber formation as influenced by the C : N ratio in potato plants
Authors: Zheng Hongli , Wang Yingnan , Zhao Jingyu , Shi Xiaohua , Ma Zhong , Fan Mingshou 
Published: July 2018

AbstractIncreasing the tuber number per plant and promoting tuber formation are important goals for potato production. Thus, it is of significance to understand how environmental factors affect tuber formation, which relates to the development of agronomical practices. The objective of this research was to test whether changing the CO2 or N supply level could alter the C : N ratio in potatoes, and whether a change of the C : N ratio in potatoes closely correlates with tuber formation in potato plants. Potato plantlets were grown in greenhouse with varied CO2 or N levels. The C and N concentrations of plants were measured, and the tuber number and tuber weight were recorded after different growth times. The results show that the C : N ratios in the potato plants increased with increasing CO2 concentration and that potato plants treated with higher CO2 concentrations form tubers earlier. A decrease in the N supply also resulted in a higher C : N ratio and earlier tuber formation. Therefore the hypothesis proposed previously is supported by the present work. In addition, the results that C concentration in plants remained stable under different CO2 or N levels imply that the variation of C : N ratio in the potato plants is mainly due to a change of N concentrations which decreased as the environmental CO2 concentration increased, while increased as the N supply level increased.
Protection of cyanobacterial carotenoids' Raman signatures by Martian mineral analogues after high‐dose gamma irradiation
Authors: Baqué Mickaël , Hanke Franziska , Böttger Ute , Leya Thomas , Moeller Ralf , de Vera Jean‐Pierre 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe future robotic exploration missions to Mars—European Space Agency/Roscosmos's ExoMars2020 and National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Mars2020 rovers—will search for signs of extant or extinct life using, among other instruments, Raman spectrometers for the first time. The question remains whether organic biosignatures—such as pigments and cellular components—may be detected by this method. Evaluating their detection limit under simulated extraterrestrial conditions is therefore crucial for the success of future life detection missions. Ionizing radiation can be considered as the most deleterious factor for the long‐term preservation of potential biomarkers on Mars. Here, we report on the preservation potential of Raman signatures in the Antarctic strain CCCryo 231‐06 of the cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. after high doses of gamma irradiation. The carotenoids' signals, a well‐established biosignature model, dominate the Raman spectra at 532‐nm excitation wavelength due to resonance effects. But comparing their distribution and quantifying their preservation are still problematic in natural samples. To standardize the analyses, we successfully applied Raman mapping and signal‐to‐noise ratio masks to quantify the effects of irradiation. The typical in vivo Raman signatures of carotenoids could be detected after exposure to up to 56 kGy with significant deterioration in terms of signal coverage and signal‐to‐noise ratio. But they remained stable even after the highest dose of γ rays (117 kGy) tested in this study for colonies embedded in two different Martian mineral analogues. Data gathered during these ground‐based irradiation experiments contribute to interpret results from space experiments and will guide our search for life on Mars and other bodies of interest.
Molecular Strategies for Improved Dielectric Elastomer Electrical Breakdown Strengths
Authors: Yu Liyun , Skov Anne L. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractDielectric elastomer transducers (actuators and generators) possess great commercial potential because they allow for novel transducer designs and applications due to—amongst others—their flexibility and low weight. On the other hand, the flexibility and inherent softness of dielectric elastomers also pose restrictions on their use, since the thin elastomers may undergo destructive deformations under large loads or in large electrical fields. In order to design better dielectric elastomers, it is crucial to understand the underlying phenomena of how thin and elastic dielectric elastomer films undergo electrical breakdown. This understanding will allow for the design of dielectric elastomers with high electrical breakdown strength and thus open up the use of films in transducers at higher electrical fields and forces. Here, the study couples intrinsic electrical breakdown strengths with well‐described polymer and network characteristics, namely Kuhn parameters and cross‐linking density. The universality of the developed model is illustrated by comparison over a wide range of silicone‐based elastomers, such as prestretched elastomers and synthesized cross‐linked bottlebrush polymers, representing both filled and unfilled elastomers. This study paves a robust way for the molecular design of elastomers into high‐intrinsic electrical breakdown strength dielectric elastomers.
Visualization and Analysis of Complex Reaction Data: The Case of Tautomeric Equilibria
Authors: Glavatskikh Marta , Madzhidov Timur , Baskin Igor I. , Horvath Dragos , Nugmanov Ramil , Gimadiev Timur , Marcou Gilles , Varnek Alexandre 
Published: July 2018

AbstractGenerative Topographic Mapping (GTM) approach was successfully used to visualize, analyze and model the equilibrium constants (KT) of tautomeric transformations as a function of both structure and experimental conditions. The modeling set contained 695 entries corresponding to 350 unique transformations of 10 tautomeric types, for which KT values were measured in different solvents and at different temperatures. Two types of GTM‐based classification models were trained: first, a “structural” approach focused on separating tautomeric classes, irrespective of reaction conditions, then a “general” approach accounting for both structure and conditions. In both cases, the cross‐validated Balanced Accuracy was close to 1 and the clusters, assembling equilibria of particular classes, were well separated in 2‐dimentional GTM latent space. Data points corresponding to similar transformations measured under different experimental conditions, are well separated on the maps. Additionally, GTM‐driven regression models were found to have their predictive performance dependent on different scenarios of the selection of local fragment descriptors involving special marked atoms (proton donors or acceptors). The application of local descriptors significantly improves the model performance in 5‐fold cross‐validation: RMSE=0.63 and 0.82 logKT units with and without local descriptors, respectively. This trend was as well observed for SVR calculations, performed for the comparison purposes.
A novel test method for quantifying cracking propensity of photovoltaic backsheets after ultraviolet exposure
Authors: Lin Chiao‐Chi , Lyu Yadong , Jacobs Deborah S. , Kim Jae Hyun , Wan Kai‐Tak , Hunston Donald L. , Gu Xiaohong 
Published: July 2018

AbstractSurface cracking in multilayered backsheets is one of the common failure modes for field photovoltaic (PV) modules, leading to safety concerns. However, the current IEC qualification tests such as IEC 61215 cannot adequately predict the backsheet cracking in fielded modules. Moreover, little is known about effect of key environmental factors on the cracking behaviors of backsheets. In this study, a novel test method combining accelerated weathering with in situ surface cracking monitoring during tensile deformation is developed to quantify cracking propensity of backsheets after aging. A polyester‐based backsheet was selected, and 4 environmental conditions (UV/85°C/5% relative humidity (RH), UV/85°C/60% RH, 85°C/5% RH, 85°C/60% RH) were used for backsheet aging. The relationship between material degradation and crack formation of the backsheet under different environmental conditions is discussed. The channel cracks (fragmentation) perpendicular to the loading direction were only observed on the UV‐aged samples, not on those unaged or aged without UV irradiation. Moisture played a synergistic role with UV in the formation of surface cracking. Mode I fracture toughness (KIC) of the embrittled surface layer obtained from this test dropped by 98% relative to fresh samples, indicating a much higher cracking propensity of this backsheet after UV exposure. The proposed method was further validated by fragmentation tests of outdoor‐exposed backsheet samples. This method can serve as a quantitative tool to evaluate the cracking propensity of backsheets for a better material selection and lifetime prediction of PV modules.
Computing multiple Lyapunov‐like functions for inner estimates of domains of attraction of switched hybrid systems
Authors: Zheng Xiuliang , She Zhikun , Lu Junjie , Li Meilun 
Published: July 2018

SummaryDomain of attraction plays an important role in stability analysis and safety verification of nonlinear control systems. In this paper, based on the concept of multiple Lyapunov‐like functions, we propose iteration algorithms for computing inner estimates of domains of attraction for a class of switched hybrid systems, where the state space is composed of several regions and each region is described by polyhedral sets. Starting with an initial inner estimate of domain of attraction, we firstly present a theoretical framework for obtaining a larger inner estimate by iteratively computing multiple Lyapunov‐like functions. Successively, the theoretical framework is underapproximatively realized by using S‐procedure and sums of squares programming, associated with the coordinatewise iteration method. Afterwards, for obtaining a required initial inner estimate of domain of attraction, we propose an alternative higher‐order truncation and linear semidefinite programming based method for computing a common Lyapunov function. Especially, a bisection method based improvement is proposed for obtaining better estimates in each iteration step. Finally, we implement proposed algorithms and test them on numerical examples with comparisons. These computation and comparison results show that the advantages of our multiple Lyapunov‐like functions based algorithm. Especially, we provide alternative underapproximations for avoiding the possible numerical problem.
CEO career horizon, corporate governance, and real options: The role of economic short‐termism
Authors: Lee Joon Mahn , Park Jung Chul , Folta Timothy B. 
Published: July 2018

Research Summary: Combining studies on real options theory and economic short‐termism, we propose that, depending on CEOs’ career horizons, CEOs have heterogeneous interests in strategic flexibility, and thus, have different incentives to make real options investments. We argue that compared to CEOs with longer career horizons, CEOs with shorter career horizons will be less inclined to make real options investments because they may not fully reap the rewards during their tenure. In addition, we argue that long‐term incentives and institutional ownership will mitigate the relationship between CEOs’ career horizons and real options investments. U.S. public firms as an empirical setting produced consistent evidence for our predictions. Our study is the first to theoretically explain and empirically show that a CEO's self‐seeking behavior will impact real options investments.Managerial Summary: This article helps to explain how a CEO's self seeking‐behavior may shape a firm's real option investment, which could result in different level of strategic flexibility. We argue that CEOs with short career horizons have less time to exercise their firms’ real options, which should lower the investments in the firms’ real options portfolios relative to CEOs with long career horizons. We study a sample of U.S. public firms and find strong evidence that a CEO's expected tenure in the firm is positively related to the real options investments at the firm level. We find that this agency issue can be mitigated by adopting appropriate corporate governance mechanisms such as long‐term incentives and institutional investors.
Conceptualization of a T‐Shaped engineering competency model in collaborative organizational settings: Problem and status in the Spanish aircraft industry
Authors: Delicado Bernardo A. , Salado Alejandro , Mompó Rafael 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThere are persistent factors associated with ineffective systems engineering practice inherent in interdisciplinary teams. In this context, technical silos seem to be prevalent. The concept of team‐based competencies emerges as a paradigm to facilitate effective collaborative interactions between technical specialists during a system's development. In particular, the T‐Shaped competency model, while addressing the individual member, embodies the paradigm of complementing competencies of team members. In this way, specialty engineers could see their profiles complemented with a relevant self‐awareness of the potential systemic impact of their particular tasks. Literature suggests that such self‐awareness could improve their capacities to cross disciplinary borders, to move easily between the detailed level and the bigger picture of the system, and to interact better with other branches of engineering. Hence, the T‐Shaped competency model holds promise in improving the effectiveness of systems engineering team. This paper provides two main contributions. The first contribution is an articulation of the problem related to team competencies in engineering problems based on existing literature. The second contribution is an assessment of the status of the problem in a representative actual industrial setting in Spain. The assessment is performed through an empirical qualitative study conducted with practicing engineers in the context of the modern aerospace enterprise in Spain. The results of the assessment show strong agreement with the core principles and ideas outlined in existing literature, and delineate additional issues not previously identified.
Model-based problem solving for university timetable validation and improvement
Authors: Schneider David , Leuschel Michael , Witt Tobias 
Published: July 2018

Abstract

Constraint satisfaction problems can be expressed very elegantly in state-based formal methods such as B. But can such specifications be directly used for solving real-life problems? In other words, can a formal model be more than a design artefact but also be used at runtime for inference and problem solving? We will try and answer this important question in the present paper with regard to the university timetabling problem. We report on an ongoing project to build a curriculum timetable validation tool where we use a formal model as the basis to validate timetables from a student’s perspective and to support incremental modification of timetables. In this article we describe the problem domain, the formalization in B and our approach to execute the formal model in a production system using
ProB
.
An Explorative Study of an Emerging Practice Clinical Education Programme for Occupational Therapy Students
Authors: Li-Tsang Cecilia W.P. , Choi Pluto K.K. , Sinclair Kit , Wong Rebecca S.M. 
Published: July 2018

Background With a changing mode of service delivery in the community, students in the health care field need to equip themselves with better clinical reasoning skills, judgement, and problem solving abilities. Objective This study aimed to determine the essential components for clinical education for students in a health care discipline and to evaluate the learning process of students placed in emerging clinical (EC) education. Methods Eight occupational therapy students were placed in an EC education setting (EC group) in a hospital in mainland China, where no occupational therapy service had been offered previously, while another eight students were placed in the conventional clinical (CC) education (CC group) for a period of 8 weeks. Students and the clinical educator in the EC group had to explore the opportunities for service development and promotion, while students in the CC group had enough support for equipment, space, and utilities. A questionnaire was carefully designed to evaluate and compare the degree of satisfaction between the two groups. Focus group interviews were also arranged to collect information regarding their learning process and attitude towards the education, and address any problems encountered. Results We found that despite the lack of equipment and facilities, students and the clinical educator in the EC group managed to create an environment that could stimulate the learning of students through clinical reasoning, problem solving, and decision making. Conclusion The essential elements of clinical education for students appeared to be the motivation and attitudes of students and the supervision of the clinical educator. The lack of equipment and facilities did not appear to reduce the scope of learning for students.
Rehabilitation Using Topical Agent—Myth or Reasonable Option?
Authors: Leung Ping Chung , Peng Lihua , Zhao Xin , Hung Leung Kim 
Published: July 2018

Objective To investigate whether topical agents of herbal origin used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have real biological effects on limb swelling and tissue healing. Methods Formation of an innovative formula was achieved through a literature screening of over 200 herbs. The herbs selected have been reported to be anti-inflammatory, promoting circulation and supporting tissue/bone healing. In vitro and in vivo tests were done to investigate the biological effects of the herbs. Results Topical agent for tissue swelling: (a) The herbs were found to facilitate the transport of a chemical through an artificial membrane and porcine skin in a diffusion chamber; (b) the herbal bath was found to positively reduce hand and foot swelling. Topical agent for fracture healing: (a) In vitro tests showed positive anti-inflammatory, circulation promotion and tissue healing effects of a six herbs formula; (b) treated animals showed bigger callus, higher serum bone specific alkaline phosphatase and better mechanical strength; (c) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry testing showed that there was a real transport of chemical markers across the skin. Conclusion TCM herbal agents used topically for hand swelling and tissue healing do have demonstrable scientific basis. Further research is justified.