bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Conditional Nature of Political Risk: How Home Institutions Influence the Location of Foreign Direct Investment
Authors: Beazer Quintin H. , Blake Daniel J. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractWhat determines whether countries' institutions attract or deter investment? Although existing theories predict that multinational enterprises (MNEs) avoid locations where institutions cannot constrain public and private actors' opportunistic behavior, we argue host institutions' attractiveness depends on firms' home environment. Home country institutions shape firms' practices and capabilities, thus helping to determine the environments that firms are best prepared to face abroad. We test our predictions using multiple data sets at different levels of analysis: firm‐level data on MNEs' foreign subsidiaries, data on bilateral foreign direct investment (FDI) positions, and longitudinal data on bilateral FDI flows. We find that states with independent judiciaries are particularly attractive to investment from countries also possessing independent courts. Similarly, countries with low judicial independence disproportionately send FDI to countries lacking independent judiciaries. These findings' implications challenge conventional wisdom: “Good” institutions may not attract all investors, and “bad” institutions may not always deter, as current research suggests.
Impaired cerebrospinal fluid dynamics along the entire optic nerve in normal‐tension glaucoma
Authors: Pircher Achmed , Montali Margherita , Wostyn Peter , Pircher Joachim , Berberat Jatta , Remonda Luca , Killer Hanspeter E. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractPurposeTo investigate the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics along the entire optic nerve (ON) in patients with normal‐tension glaucoma (NTG).MethodsRetrospective analysis of computed tomographic (CT) cisternographies in Caucasian patients with NTG. Fifty‐six patients (99 of 112 eyes) fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of NTG and underwent CT‐cisternography. Twelve subjects without NTG (24 eyes) served as controls. Contrast‐loaded cerebrospinal fluid (CLCSF) density measurements in Hounsfield units (HU) were performed at four defined regions along the ON and in the basal cistern.ResultsIn NTG patients, the mean density CLCSF in the bulbar segment measured 76 ± 49 HU right and 88 ± 74 HU left, in the mid‐orbital segment 117 ± 92 HU right and 119 ± 73 HU left, in the intracanalicular ON portion 209 ± 88 HU right and 216 ± 101 HU left, in the intracranial ON portion 290 ± 106 HU right and 286 ± 118 HU left and in the basal cistern 517 ± 213 HU. The distribution of CLCSF along the ON showed a statistically significant reduction in the intraorbital ON segments in NTG patients compared to controls without NTG with the far largest difference within the retrobulbar segment (−150 HU right and −117 HU left; right: p < 0.001, left: p < 0.001).ConclusionThis study demonstrates a gradual reduction in CLCSF towards the retrobulbar segment in NTG, while in controls without NTG, no reduction in CLCSF was measured within the orbital segments. Impaired CSF dynamics along the ON may contribute to the pathophysiology of NTG.
Detection of gastro‐oesophageal reflux in the neonatal unit
Authors: Rossor Thomas , Lingam Ingran , Douiri Abdel , Bhat Ravindra , Greenough Anne 
Published: March 2018

AbstractAimTo determine whether a pH probe or multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII) more frequently detected gastro‐oesophageal reflux and test the hypothesis that acid reflux was associated with lower baseline impedance.MethodsA prospective study of infants in whom reflux was suspected and evaluated using combined pH and multichannel impedance. Studies were considered abnormal if the acid index was >10% or there were >79MII reflux events in 24 hours. The acid index was the percentage of total study time with a pH<four and the acid clearance time (ACT) the time from the pH falling below four to rising above four.ResultsForty‐two infants [median gestational age 31 (range 23–42) weeks] were assessed. Only nine infants (21%) had abnormal studies, seven detected by pH monitoring, one by MII monitoring and one by both techniques (p = 0.04). After correcting for gestational age and post‐natal age, baseline impedance remained negatively correlated with the acid index (r = −0.34, p = 0.038) and the maximum ACT (r = −0.44, p = 0.006).ConclusionClinical suspicion of reflux was frequently incorrect, and reflux was more frequently detected by a pH probe. The inverse relationship of acid reflux to baseline impedance suggests that mucosal disruption may result from acid reflux in this population.
Transcriptome differences in frontal cortex between wild boar and domesticated pig
Authors: Long Keren , Mao Ke , Che Tiandong , Zhang Jinwei , Qiu Wanling , Wang Yujie , Tang Qianzi , Ma Jideng , Li Mingzhou , Li Xuewei 
Published: March 2018

AbstractAnimal domestication is a long‐term, multistage process that results in modifications of many traits, especially the less aggressive behavior in domesticated animals. In this study, we used the Illumina RNA‐seq to compare the transcriptome in brain frontal cortex between wild boar and Rongchang pig, a typical indigenous domestic pig in China, and revealed that 604 genes and 639 genes were specifically detected in wild boar and domesticated pig, respectively, with distinct functional characteristics that may be related to their respective environment. In addition, we identified 60 differentially expressed genes showing an enrichment in immune response‐related function. Further comparison of the results against previous studies identified seven genes that are associated with domestication. Our results provide insights for deciphering the mechanism of pig domestication in the future.
Native woody vegetation in central Argentina: Classification of Chaco and Espinal forests
Authors: Cabido Marcelo , Zeballos Sebastián R. , Zak Marcelo , Carranza María L. , Giorgis Melisa A. , Cantero Juan J. , Acosta Alicia T. R. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractQuestionWhat are the composition and spatial patterns of native woody plant communities in the southern Great Chaco and Espinal?LocationCórdoba Province, central Argentina, an area of ca. 161,000 km2.MethodsWe collected 351 geo‐referenced relevés representative of the geographic, topographic and ecological variation of the Chaco and Espinal woody vegetation in central Argentina. The relevés were classified into vegetation types using the hierarchical ISOPAM method. Forest and shrubland types were described on the basis of diagnostic species occurrences and their distribution in relation to environmental factors. A map of the actual vegetation derived from remote‐sensed images (Landsat) and field data was used to describe the current distribution and abundance of the different vegetation types.ResultsThe classification of the 351 plots × 837 species matrix revealed two major clusters comprising seven woody vegetation types corresponding to Chaco lowland and mountain forests and shrublands, Espinal forests and edaphic vegetation. The most important gradients in woody vegetation types are related to elevation, temperature and rainfall variables.ConclusionsSubtropical seasonally dry woody plant communities from the southern extreme of the Great Chaco and Espinal forests were described for the first time based on complete floristic data. Our results show that lowland Chaco native forests, as well as replacement communities, are still present in its southern distribution range and are well distinguishable from other vegetation types such as the Espinal and mountain forests. Overall, extensive Espinal forests have almost disappeared while Chaco vegetation is highly fragmented and degraded.
Syntaxonomy and biogeography of dry grasslands on calcareous substrates in the central and southern Balkans
Authors: Matevski Vlado , Čarni Andraž , Ćušterevska Renata , Kostadinovski Mitko , Mucina Ladislav 
Published: March 2018

AbstractQuestionsWhich major syntaxa of dry grasslands supported by carbonate bedrock occur in the central and southern Balkans? What is their position along major ecological gradients and in the context of phytogeographic patterns of the region?LocationCentral and southern Balkans, including western Bulgaria, northern Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia (FYROM) and Serbia.MethodsWe compiled a matrix of 660 relevés of dry grasslands over lime‐rich bedrock, previously classified in the Festuco‐Brometea. We applied clustering techniques to classify separately synoptic and relevé data, and applied NMDS with passive projection of indicator values, climatic data and biogeographic geo‐elements onto ordination diagrams to assist interpretation of the syntaxonomic patterns. We constructed elevation distribution profiles for alliances and classes of grasslands of several grassland classes from a broader study area to elucidate the relationship of the elevational sorting of the syntaxa in relation to latitude.ResultsThe analysis revealed six major vegetation types, classified into four orders: (1) Stipo pulcherrimae‐Festucetalia pallentis, incl. (sub)montane rocky steppic grasslands of the Saturejion montanae of central Balkans, and the Koelerio‐Festucion dalmaticae – submontane rocky grasslands of southern Serbia and Kosovo; (2) Astragalo onobrychidis‐Potentilletalia represented by the Saturejo‐Thymion (low‐elevation steppic grasslands of southern Balkans); (3) Festucetalia valesiacae represented by grasslands on deep soil and low elevation of northern Greece, and finally (4) high‐elevation rocky grasslands of southern Balkans, classified as a new alliance – Diantho haematocalycis‐Festucion hirtovaginatae, that might belong to a new, yet undescribed, syntaxonomic order. Ordination suggests that the major differentiation of the high‐rank syntaxa follows north–south geographic and low–high elevation gradients.ConclusionsBecause of the transitional biogeographic position of the studied region, as well as considerable large elevation span across latitudes, the diversity of vegetation types is high. The indication a putative new dry grassland order, the mid‐high altitudes of the southern Balkans points to a need to re‐assess the Balkan vegetation occupying the community niche between the low‐elevation dry grasslands (Festuco‐Brometea) and those typical of high elevations (Elyno‐Seslerietea and Daphno‐Festucetea), seeking parallels to patterns described from the western Alps, Pyrenees, and Apennines. This syntaxonomic unit is poised to expand the concept of the Festuco hystricis‐Ononidetea striatae to the Balkans.
Estimating Individualized Treatment Rules for Ordinal Treatments
Authors: Chen Jingxiang , Fu Haoda , He Xuanyao , Kosorok Michael R. , Liu Yufeng 
Published: March 2018

Summary
Precision medicine is an emerging scientific topic for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual patient characteristics. It is an important direction for clinical research, and many statistical methods have been proposed recently. One of the primary goals of precision medicine is to obtain an optimal individual treatment rule (ITR), which can help make decisions on treatment selection according to each patient's specific characteristics. Recently, outcome weighted learning (OWL) has been proposed to estimate such an optimal ITR in a binary treatment setting by maximizing the expected clinical outcome. However, for ordinal treatment settings, such as individualized dose finding, it is unclear how to use OWL. In this article, we propose a new technique for estimating ITR with ordinal treatments. In particular, we propose a data duplication technique with a piecewise convex loss function. We establish Fisher consistency for the resulting estimated ITR under certain conditions, and obtain the convergence and risk bound properties. Simulated examples and an application to a dataset from a type 2 diabetes mellitus observational study demonstrate the highly competitive performance of the proposed method compared to existing alternatives.
Motivating Sample Sizes in Adaptive Phase I Trials Via Bayesian Posterior Credible Intervals
Authors: Braun Thomas M. 
Published: March 2018

Summary
In contrast with typical Phase III clinical trials, there is little existing methodology for determining the appropriate numbers of patients to enroll in adaptive Phase I trials. And, as stated by Dennis Lindley in a more general context, “[t]he simple practical question of ‘What size of sample should I take’ is often posed to a statistician, and it is a question that is embarrassingly difficult to answer.” Historically, simulation has been the primary option for determining sample sizes for adaptive Phase I trials, and although useful, can be problematic and time-consuming when a sample size is needed relatively quickly. We propose a computationally fast and simple approach that uses Beta distributions to approximate the posterior distributions of DLT rates of each dose and determines an appropriate sample size through posterior coverage rates. We provide sample sizes produced by our methods for a vast number of realistic Phase I trial settings and demonstrate that our sample sizes are generally larger than those produced by a competing approach that is based upon the nonparametric optimal design.
Autoantibodies to thrombopoietin and the thrombopoietin receptor in patients with immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Nazy Ishac , Kelton John G. , Moore Jane C. , Clare Rumi , Horsewood Peter , Smith James W. , Ivetic Nikola , D'Souza Vanessa , Li Na , Arnold Donald M. 
Published: March 2018

SummaryAutoantibodies to thrombopoietin (TPO, also termed THPO) or the TPO receptor (cMpl, also termed MPL) could play a pathological role in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). In this study, we tested for autoantibodies against TPO, cMpl, or the TPO/cMpl complex in ITP and other thrombocytopenic disorders. Using an inhibition step with excess TPO in fluid‐phase to improve binding specificity, the prevalence of anti‐TPO autoantibodies was: active ITP: 9/32 (28%); remission ITP: 0/14 (0%); non‐immune thrombocytopenias: 1/10 (10%); and healthy controls: 1/11 (9%). Similarly, using an inhibition step with excess cMpl, the prevalence of specific anti‐cMpl autoantibodies was: active ITP: 7/32 (22%); remission ITP: 1/14 (7%); non‐immune thrombocytopenias: 3/10 (30%); and healthy controls: 0/11 (0%). Two active ITP patients had autoantibodies against the TPO/cMpl complex, but not against TPO or cMpl alone. Anti‐TPO or anti‐cMpl autoantibodies were found in 44% of ITP patients, and in 40% of patients with other thrombocytopenic disorders. These autoantibodies did not correlate with ITP disease severity or number of ITP treatments received; however, in this cohort, 3 patients failed to respond to TPO receptor agonist medications, and of those, 2 had anti‐TPO autoantibodies. This suggests that anti‐TPO and anti‐cMpl autoantibodies are associated with thrombocytopenia, and may be clinically relevant in a subset of ITP patients.
Climate and environment in southwest Sweden 15.5–11.3 cal. ka BP
Authors: Wohlfarth Barbara , Luoto Tomi P. , Muschitiello Francesco , Väliranta Minna , Björck Svante , Davies Siwan M. , Kylander Malin , Ljung Karl , Reimer Paula J. , Smittenberg Rienk H. 
Published: March 2018

Lake sedimentary records that allow documentation of the distinct climatic and environmental shifts during the early part of the Last Termination are scarce for northern Europe. This multi‐proxy study of the sediments of Atteköpsmosse, southwest Sweden, therefore fills an important gap and provides detailed information regarding past hydroclimatic conditions and local environmental responses to climatic shifts. Lake infilling started c. 15.5 cal. ka BP, but low aquatic productivity, cold summer lake water temperatures, unstable catchments, and scarce herb and shrub vegetation prevailed until c. 14.7–14.5 cal. ka BP. Inflow of warmer air masses and higher July air temperatures favoured a rise in aquatic productivity and lake water summer temperatures, and the establishment of a diverse herb, shrub and dwarf shrub vegetation, which also included tree birch c. 14.5 cal. ka BP. Freshening of the moisture source region c. 13.7–13.6 cal. ka BP does not seem to have had a large impact on the ancient lake and its catchment, as lake aquatic productivity increased further and lake water summer temperatures and minimum mean July air temperatures remained around 12–14 °C. In contrast, further freshening of the moisture source region c. 13 cal. ka BP triggered a decrease in lake productivity, drier conditions and lower lake water summer temperatures. Macroscopic finds of tree Betula and Pinus sylvestris at 13–12.8 cal. ka BP demonstrate the presence of these trees in the lake's catchment. The transition into the Holocene (11.6–11.5 cal. ka BP) is marked by a change in chironomid assemblages and by a rise in lake water summer temperatures and aquatic productivity. These changes were followed by the re‐establishment of a diverse aquatic and terrestrial vegetation, including tree birch and Pinus sylvestris at 11.4 cal. ka BP.
Design, synthesis, and evaluation of genipin derivatives for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Huang Weijun , Wang Yujun , Li Jiaming , Zhang Yanchun , Ma Xiaodong , Zhu Panhu , Zhang Yang 
Published: March 2018

Twenty‐two novel genipin derivatives have been designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE). As a result, compound 13a bearing ligustrazine moiety displayed the most potent AChE inhibitory activity in this series with IC50 value of 218 nm. Besides, MTT assay was performed to investigate the neuroprotection of these compounds against PC12 cells injured by Amyloid β‐protein 1–42 (Aβ1–42). Among them, 8a showed higher inhibition rate (%Inhibition = 22.29) than the positive reference Donepezil (%Inhibition = 17.65).
The Ugandan version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI‐UG). Part II: Psychometric properties
Authors: Amer A. , Kakooza‐Mwesige A. , Jarl G. , Tumwine J. K. , Forssberg H. , Eliasson A.‐C. , Hermansson L. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractBackgroundThe Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) has been recommended as a gold standard in paediatric rehabilitation. A Ugandan version of PEDI (PEDI‐UG) has been developed by culturally adapting and translating the original PEDI. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the PEDI‐UG in Ugandan children by testing the instrument's rating scale functioning, internal structure, and test–retest reliability.MethodsTwo hundred forty‐nine Ugandan children (125 girls) aged 6 months to 7.5 years (Mean = 3.4, SD = 1.9) with typical development were tested using the PEDI‐UG. Forty‐nine children were tested twice to assess test–retest reliability. Validity was investigated by Rasch analysis and reliability by intraclass correlation coefficient.ResultsThe PEDI‐UG domains showed good unidimensionality based on principal component analysis of residuals. Most activities (95%) showed acceptable fit to the Rasch model. Six misfit items were deleted from the Functional Skills scales and one from the Caregiver Assistance scales. The category steps on the Caregiver Assistance scales' rating scale were reversed but functioned well when changed from a 6‐point to 4‐point rating scale. The reliability was excellent; intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.87–0.92 for the domains of the Functional Skills scales and 0.86–0.88 for the domains of the Caregiver Assistance scales.ConclusionThe PEDI‐UG has good to excellent psychometric properties and provides a valid measure of the functional performance of typically developing children from the age of 6 months to 7.5 years in Uganda. Further analysis of all items, including misfit and deleted items, in children with functional disability is recommended.
Contributions of Reward Sensitivity to Ventral Striatum Activity Across Adolescence and Early Adulthood
Authors: Schreuders Elisabeth , Braams Barbara R. , Blankenstein Neeltje E. , Peper Jiska S. , Güroğlu Berna , Crone Eveline A. 
Published: March 2018

It was examined how ventral striatum responses to rewards develop across adolescence and early adulthood and how individual differences in state‐ and trait‐level reward sensitivity are related to these changes. Participants (aged 8–29 years) were tested across three waves separated by 2 years (693 functional MRI scans) in an accelerated longitudinal design. The results confirmed an adolescent peak in reward‐related ventral striatum, specifically nucleus accumbens, activity. In early to mid‐adolescence, increases in reward activation were related to trait‐level reward drive. In mid‐adolescence to early adulthood decreases in reward activation were related to decreases in state‐level hedonic reward pleasure. This study demonstrates that state‐ and trait‐level reward sensitivity account for reward‐related ventral striatum activity in different phases of adolescence and early adulthood.
Participatory monitoring to connect local and global priorities for forest restoration
Authors: Evans Kristen , Guariguata Manuel R. , Brancalion Pedro H. S. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractNew global initiatives to restore forest landscapes present an unparalleled opportunity to reverse deforestation and forest degradation. Participatory monitoring could play a crucial role in providing accountability, generating local buy in, and catalyzing learning in monitoring systems that need scalability and adaptability to a range of local sites. We synthesized current knowledge from literature searches and interviews to provide lessons for the development of a scalable, multisite participatory monitoring system. Studies show that local people can collect accurate data on forest change, drivers of change, threats to reforestation, and biophysical and socioeconomic impacts that remote sensing cannot. They can do this at one‐third the cost of professionals. Successful participatory monitoring systems collect information on a few simple indicators, respond to local priorities, provide appropriate incentives for participation, and catalyze learning and decision making based on frequent analyses and multilevel interactions with other stakeholders. Participatory monitoring could provide a framework for linking global, national, and local needs, aspirations, and capacities for forest restoration.
Big Data Toolsets to Pharmacometrics: Application of Machine Learning for Time‐to‐Event Analysis
Authors: Gong Xiajing , Hu Meng , Zhao Liang 
Published: March 2018

AbstractAdditional value can be potentially created by applying big data tools to address pharmacometric problems. The performances of machine learning (ML) methods and the Cox regression model were evaluated based on simulated time‐to‐event data synthesized under various preset scenarios, i.e., with linear vs. nonlinear and dependent vs. independent predictors in the proportional hazard function, or with high‐dimensional data featured by a large number of predictor variables. Our results showed that ML‐based methods outperformed the Cox model in prediction performance as assessed by concordance index and in identifying the preset influential variables for high‐dimensional data. The prediction performances of ML‐based methods are also less sensitive to data size and censoring rates than the Cox regression model. In conclusion, ML‐based methods provide a powerful tool for time‐to‐event analysis, with a built‐in capacity for high‐dimensional data and better performance when the predictor variables assume nonlinear relationships in the hazard function.