bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The impact of strategic deviance on analysts’ earnings forecasts: evidence from China
Authors: He Xiqiong , Yin Changping 
Published: December 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of firm’s deviant strategy on analysts’ earnings forecasts and further examine the effects of firm’s information transparency and environmental uncertainty on these relationships from information asymmetry perspective.

Design/methodology/approach
The sample includes listed firms on Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange during the period 2007-2013.

Findings
The results indicate that firms’ deviant strategies have effects on analysts’ earnings forecasts, in particular, firms with extreme strategies have less analysts following, larger forecast error and dispersion compared with firms following industry norms. Moreover, information transparency and environmental uncertainty have effects on the relationship between strategic deviance and analysts’ earnings forecasts.

Practical implications
The empirical results of this paper provide strong evidence that strategy information is an important source of information for analysts’ earnings forecasts, which shows that analysts should pay attention to not only financial information but also the strategic information, especially when the information is related to strategic choice. In addition, it is necessary for investors to focus on strategic information to have a better understanding on financial information of enterprises and make better investment decisions.

Originality/value
The findings of this study indicate that corporate strategic deviance has an effect on analysts’ earnings forecasting behavior. This study enriches research studies on corporate strategy and external stakeholders and complements related research on analysts’ earnings forecasts from strategic perspective and information asymmetry perspective.
Global reconstruction of life‐history strategies: A case study using tunas
Authors: Horswill Cat , Kindsvater Holly K. , Juan‐Jordá Maria José , Dulvy Nicholas K. , Mangel Marc , Matthiopoulos Jason 
Published: December 2018

AbstractMeasuring the demographic parameters of exploited populations is central to predicting their vulnerability and extinction risk. However, current rates of population decline and species loss greatly outpace our ability to empirically monitor all populations that are potentially threatened.The scale of this problem cannot be addressed through additional data collection alone, and therefore it is a common practice to conduct population assessments based on surrogate data collected from similar species. However, this approach introduces biases and imprecisions that are difficult to quantify. Recent developments in hierarchical modelling have enabled missing values to be reconstructed based on the correlations between available life‐history data, linking similar species based on phylogeny and environmental conditions.However, these methods cannot resolve life‐history variability among populations or species that are closely placed spatially or taxonomically. Here, theoretically motivated constraints that align with life‐history theory offer a new avenue for addressing this problem. We describe a Bayesian hierarchical approach that combines fragmented, multispecies and multi‐population data with established life‐history theory, in order to objectively determine similarity between populations based on trait correlations (life‐history trade‐offs) obtained from model fitting.We reconstruct 59 unobserved life‐history parameters for 23 populations of tuna that sustain some of the world's most valuable fisheries. Testing by cross‐validation across different scenarios indicated that life‐histories were accurately reconstructed when information was available for other populations of the same species. The reconstruction of several traits was also accurate for species represented by a single population, although credible intervals increased dramatically.Synthesis and applications. The described Bayesian hierarchical method provides access to life‐history traits that are difficult to measure directly and reconstructs missing life‐history information useful for assessing populations and species that are directly or indirectly affected by human exploitation of natural resources. The method is particularly useful for examining populations that are spatially or taxonomically similar, and the reconstructed life‐history strategies described for the principal market tunas have immediate application to the world‐wide management of these fisheries.
CotL, a new morphogenetic spore coat protein of Clostridium difficile
Authors: Alves Feliciano Carolina , Douché Thibaut , Giai Gianetto Quentin , Matondo Mariette , Martin‐Verstraete Isabelle , Dupuy Bruno 
Published: December 2018

SummaryThe strict anaerobe Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of antibiotic‐associated diarrhoea. The oxygen‐resistant C. difficile spores play a central role in the infectious cycle, contributing to transmission, infection and recurrence. The spore surface layers, the coat and exosporium, enable the spores to resist physical and chemical stress. However, little is known about the mechanisms of their assembly. In this study, we characterized a new spore protein, CotL, which is required for the assembly of the spore coat. The cotL gene was expressed in the mother cell compartment under the dual control of the RNA polymerase sigma factors, σE and σK. CotL was localized in the spore coat, and the spores of the cotL mutant had a major morphologic defect at the level of the coat/exosporium layers. Therefore, the mutant spores contained a reduced amount of several coat/exosporium proteins and a defect in their localization in sporulating cells. Finally, cotL mutant spores were more sensitive to lysozyme and were impaired in germination, a phenotype likely to be associated with the structurally altered coat. Collectively, these results strongly suggest that CotL is a morphogenetic protein essential for the assembly of the spore coat in C. difficile.
Economic Security and the Political Governance Crisis in Central African Republic
Authors: Yapatake Kossele Thales Pacific , Shan Li Jin 
Published: December 2018

AbstractRecently the Central African Republic (CAR) has been experiencing huge economic insecurity which mostly derives from the political governance crisis that the country has been continuously undergoing since its independence in 1960. This paper examines the relationship between the political governance crisis and economic security in the country, covering the period 1996–2015, using two‐stage instrumental analysis and second order asymptotic tests. The results show that political stability and absence of violence/terrorism, voice and accountability, proxies of political governance crisis played a different role on national income per capita, agricultural raw materials exports, agriculture value added, external balance on goods and services, food exports, food imports, foreign direct investment, GDP growth, GDP per capita growth, wage and salaried workers, industry value added, total natural resources rent and trade, as proxies of economic security. The importance of sustainable political governance stability and the implementation of appropriate reforms at institutional level are preconditions to economic security.
Macroeconomic Consequences of Commodity Price Fluctuations in African Economies
Authors: Chuku Chuku , Simpasa Anthony , Oduor Jacob 
Published: December 2018

AbstractCommodity price fluctuations pose significant challenges for macroeconomic stability in many African economies. This is so because of the heavy dependence on primary commodities for revenue and economic activity. But not all countries are affected alike. The nature of the impacts is likely to be different, depending on the structural characteristics of the economy and the policy responses. In this paper we seek to better understand the macroeconomic impacts of commodity price fluctuations on economic performance in Africa using both descriptive analysis and carefully identified structural vector autoregressions. Overall, the results show that there is heterogeneity in both the direction and magnitude of macroeconomic responses to commodity price shocks in different economies. Specifically, the policy responses to commodity price shocks in Africa have been mostly procyclical, whereas the primary aim of fiscal and monetary policy should be to follow a countercyclical stance from a Keynesian perspective. As a result of these procyclical impacts, especially for fiscal variables, we recommend the use of structurally cyclical budget rules for fiscal policy, and product price targeting rules for monetary policy in Africa's commodity republics.
Phenolic Profiles, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Pawpaw Pulp (Asimina triloba [L.] Dunal) at Different Ripening Stages
Authors: Nam Jin‐Sik , Park Seo‐Yeon , Oh Hye‐Jun , Jang Hye‐Lim , Rhee Young Ha 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn this study, the phenolic components, as well as the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, of the ripe and unripe fruit of pawpaw (Asimina triloba [L.] Dunal) extracted using five different solvents (distilled water, 95% methanol, 80% methanol, 95% ethanol, and 80% ethanol) were analyzed. The total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were the highest in the 95% ethanol (149.50 mg CAE/g) and 80% ethanol (5.62 mg RE/g) extracts of the unripe fruit, respectively. Analysis of 17 phenolic compounds in pawpaw extracts revealed that epigallocatechin, epicatechin, and p‐coumaric acid were the as major compounds, and the amounts of all components significantly decreased with the ripening (P < 0.05). In all antioxidant assays, the 95% ethanol extract of the unripe fruit showed the highest antioxidant activity (EC50 0.22 to 0.93 mg/mL). The pawpaw extracts were more sensitive against Corynebacterium xerosis and Clostridium perfringens. In particular, the 95% ethanol extract of the ripe fruit notably inhibited C. xerosis growth, with minimum inhibitory concentration of 1.56 mg/mL. These results showed that the unripe fruit of pawpaw has abundant phenolic compounds and superior antioxidant activity, and that the 95% ethanol extract of the ripe fruit shows strong inhibitory activity against various microorganisms. Therefore, pawpaw fruit can be utilized as an attractive source of nutrients and therapeutic agents.Practical ApplicationIn this study, we identified that the unripe fruit of pawpaw is rich in phenolic compounds and shows strong antioxidant activities. The 95% ethanol extract of the ripe fruit showed strong high inhibitory effect against various microorganisms. These results suggest that pawpaw fruit can serve as a source of antioxidants and delay the aging process. In addition, the fruit could also potentially be utilized as a potential antimicrobial agent.
Allergy inhibitory receptor‐1 inhibits autoantibody production via upregulation of apoptotic debris clearance by macrophages
Authors: Iizuka Akira , Segawa Seiji , Kondo Yuya , Kaneko Shunta , Yokosawa Masahiro , Furuyama Kotona , Miki Haruka , Tahara‐Hanaoka Satoko , Shibuya Akira , Tsuboi Hiroto , Goto Daisuke , Matsumoto Isao , Shibayama Shiro , Sumida Takayuki 
Published: December 2018

AbstractAimAllergy inhibitory receptor‐1 (Allergin‐1) is a newly identified immune regulatory molecule thought to influence autoantibody production. Autoantibody production, like that observed in Allergin‐1‐deficient mice, is crucial in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. The purpose of this study is to clarify the regulatory role of Allergin‐1‐mediated autoantibody production using a murine model of thymocytic anaphylaxis.MethodsC57BL/6 (WT) and Allergin‐1‐deficient mice were treated with apoptotic cells from naive thymocytes stimulated by dexamethasone. Antibody titers of total or immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclass of anti‐double‐stranded DNA (anti‐dsDNA) and anti‐histone antibody from serum were measured using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Macrophages from wild‐type (WT) or Allergin‐1‐deficient mice were co‐cultured with fluorescence‐labeled apoptotic thymocytes or fluorogenic reagent and resultant phagocytic activity was quantified by with flow cytometry.ResultsAfter apoptotic cells injection, antibody titers of total and IgG3 anti‐dsDNA and total anti‐histone from serum were significantly increased in Allergin‐1‐deficient versus WT mice. Phagocytic activity was significantly lower in macrophages from Allergin‐1‐deficient mice versus WT mice.ConclusionAllergin‐1 might play an inhibitory role in autoantibody production via upregulation of macrophage phagocytosis.
Preventing secondary exposure to women from men applying a novel nestorone/testosterone contraceptive gel
Authors: Yuen F. , Wu S. , Thirumalai A. , Swerdloff R. S. , Page S. T. , Liu P. Y. , Dart C. , Wu H. , Blithe D. L. , Sitruk‐Ware R. , Long J. , Bai F. , Hull L. , Bremner W. J. , Anawalt B. D. , Wang C. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractBackgroundTestosterone (T)/Nestorone (NES) combination gel is a potential transdermal male contraceptive that suppresses gonadotropins and spermatogenesis. Transfer of transdermal T from men to women can be prevented by washing or covering application sites with clothing.ObjectivesWe hypothesized that showering or wearing a shirt over gel application sites would prevent secondary exposure of T and NES to a woman after close skin contact.Materials and methodsTwelve healthy male and 12 healthy female participants were recruited. Men applied T/NES 62 mg/8 mg gel to their shoulders and upper arms. Two hours after application, female partners rubbed the application site for 15 min. Exposure in the female partner was assessed under three conditions: a shirt covered the application site; the man showered prior to skin contact; or without intervention to reduce transfer. Serum T and NES concentrations were measured by LC‐MS/MS in serial blood samples for 24 h after gel exposure.Main OutcomesChange in female serum T and NES levels as measured by average concentration over 24 h (Cavg).ResultsMedian female serum T Cavg was 23.9 ng/dL (interquartile range, 19.3, 33.9) with the shirt barrier and 26.7 ng/dL (20.7, 33.9) after showering, which was higher than baseline 20.9 ng/dL (16.7, 25.0), both p < 0.03) but lower than without intervention (58.2 ng/dL [30.9, 89.1], both p < 0.01). Female serum NES Cavg and maximum concentration were below the lower limit of quantification with the shirt barrier and after showering, but increased without intervention in six of 12 women (maximum concentration <60 pg/mL). Men had lower average serum NES levels after showering (47 pg/ml [20, 94] compared to no intervention (153.3 pg/mL [51, 241], p < 0.02).ConclusionSecondary transfer of T and NES occurs after intensive skin contact with the gel application site. Secondary transfer is decreased by a shirt barrier or showering before contact.
Clinical characteristics of men complaining of premature ejaculation together with erectile dysfunction: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Rastrelli G. , Cipriani S. , Corona G. , Vignozzi L. , Maggi M. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractBackgroundPremature ejaculation (PE) is present in up to 30% of men with erectile dysfunction (ED).ObjectivesTo assess the clinical features of men complaining of both ED and PE (ED‐PE) as compared to men reporting only ED or PE.Materials and methodsA consecutive series of 4024 men (mean age 51.2 ± 13.2 years) consulting for sexual dysfunction was studied. The population was categorized into ED‐only (n = 2767; 68.8%), PE‐only (n = 475; 1.8%), and ED‐PE (n = 782; 19.4%). Sexual symptoms were evaluated using the structured interviews SIEDY and ANDROTEST. Penile color Doppler ultrasound (PDCU) parameters were also assessed.ResultsWhen compared to PE alone, ED‐PE reported more sexual complaints, including impaired morning erections [OR = 5.8 (4.1; 8.3)], decreased sexual desire [OR = 2.6 (1.8; 3.7)], decreased ejaculate volume [OR = 2.7 (1.8; 4.0)], and reduced frequency of sexual intercourse [OR = 1.4 (1.0; 2.0)]. Conversely, ED‐PE and ED‐only men had a similar prevalence of sexual symptoms. In ED‐PE men, the characteristics of ED were similar to ED‐only men, whereas the characteristics of PE were milder than in PE‐only men. ED‐PE men had a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular (CV) diseases [OR = 1.8 (1.1; 3.0), 2.7 (1.3; 5.6) and 2.7 (1.1; 6.5), respectively] than PE‐only subjects. Moreover, ED‐PE men showed worse dynamic peak systolic velocity at PDCU [B = −12.0 (−17.7; −6.2)] and a greater 10‐year estimated CV risk [B = 3.8 (2.5; 5.1)] than PE‐only patients. Conversely, comorbidities and PDCU parameters were similar in ED‐PE and ED‐only men.DiscussionThe present results suggest that men reporting ED and PE should be considered as patients with ED‐only, at least at first glance. Consequently, the diagnosis—including the CV risk stratification—and treatment should be primarily focused on the erectile problem.ConclusionsErectile dysfunction‐PE patients present several similarities with those consulting only for ED, whereas their characteristics are different from PE‐only men. In agreement with the guidelines, our results confirm that ED‐PE men might be considered (and managed) primarily as patients with ED.
A role of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Skat‐Rørdam Josephine , Højland Ipsen David , Lykkesfeldt Jens , Tveden‐Nyborg Pernille 
Published: December 2018

AbstractNon‐alcoholic fatty liver disease is becoming a major health burden, as prevalence increases and there are no approved treatment options. Thiazolidinediones target the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and have been investigated in several clinical trials for their potential in treating non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). PPARγ has specialized roles in distinct tissues and cell types, and although the primary function of PPARγ is in adipose tissue, where the highest expression levels are observed, hepatic expression levels of PPARγ are significantly increased in patients with NAFLD. Thus, NAFLD patients receiving treatment with PPARγ agonists might have a liver response apart from the one in adipose tissue. Owing to the different roles of PPARγ, new treatment strategies include development of compounds harnessing the beneficial effects of PPARγ while restricting PPARγ unwanted effects such as adipogenesis resulting in weight gain. Furthermore, dual or pan agonists targeting two or more of the PPARs have shown promising results in pre‐clinical research and some are currently proceeding to clinical trials. This MiniReview explores adipose‐ and liver‐specific actions of PPARγ, and how this knowledge may contribute in the search for new treatment modalities in NAFLD/NASH.
Altered T cell receptor beta repertoire patterns in pediatric ulcerative colitis
Authors: Werner L , Nunberg M Y , Rechavi E , Lev A , Braun T , Haberman Y , Lahad A , Shteyer E , Schvimer M , Somech R , Weiss B , Lee Y N , Shouval D S 
Published: December 2018

Summary
The antigenic specificity of T cells occurs via generation and rearrangement of different gene segments producing a functional T cell receptor (TCR). High-throughput sequencing (HTS) allows in-depth assessment of TCR repertoire patterns. There are limited data concerning whether TCR repertoires are altered in inflammatory bowel disease. We hypothesized that pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) patients possess unique TCR repertoires, resulting from clonotypical expansions in the gut. Paired blood and rectal samples were collected from nine newly diagnosed treatment-naive pediatric UC patients and four healthy controls. DNA was isolated to determine the TCR-β repertoire by HTS. Significant clonal expansion was demonstrated in UC patients, with inverse correlation between clinical disease severity and repertoire diversity in the gut. Using different repertoire variables in rectal biopsies, a clear segregation was observed between patients with severe UC, those with mild–moderate disease and healthy controls. Moreover, the overlap between autologous blood–rectal samples in UC patients was significantly higher compared with overlap among controls. Finally, we identified several clonotypes that were shared in either all or the majority of UC patients in the colon. Clonal expansion of TCR-β-expressing T cells among UC patients correlates with disease severity and highlights their involvement in mediating intestinal inflammation.
Re‐fixation and perseveration patterns in neglect patients during free visual exploration
Authors: Paladini Rebecca E. , Wyss Patric , Kaufmann Brigitte C. , Urwyler Prabitha , Nef Tobias , Cazzoli Dario , Nyffeler Thomas , Müri René M. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe literature suggests that neglect patients not only show impairments in directing attention toward the left, contralesional space, but also present with perseverative behavior. Moreover, previous studies described re‐fixations during visual search tasks, and interpreted this finding as an impairment of spatial working memory. The aim of the present study was to study re‐fixations and perseverations (i.e., recurrent re‐fixations to same locations) during free visual exploration, a task with high ecological validity. We hypothesized that: (1) neglect patient would perform re‐fixations more frequently than healthy controls within the right hemispace; and, (2) the re‐fixation behavior of neglect patients would be characterized by perseverative fixations. To test these hypotheses, we assessed 22 neglect patients and 23 healthy controls, measuring their eye movements during free exploration of naturalistic pictures. The results showed that neglect patients tend to re‐fixate locations within the ipsilesional hemispace when they freely explore naturalistic pictures. Importantly, the saliency of discrete locations within the pictures has a stronger influence on fixation behavior within the contralesional than within the ipsilesional hemispace in neglect patients. Finally, the results indicated that, for re‐fixations, saliency plays a more important role within the contralesional than the ipsilesional hemispace. Moreover, we found evidence that re‐fixation behavior of neglect patients is characterized by frequent recurrent re‐fixations back to the same spatial locations which may be interpreted as perseverations. Hence, with the present study, we could better elucidate the mechanism leading to re‐fixations and perseverative behavior during free visual exploration in neglect patients.
Plastic and genetic responses of a common sedge to warming have contrasting effects on carbon cycle processes
Authors: Walker Tom W. N. , Weckwerth Wolfram , Bragazza Luca , Fragner Lena , Forde Brian G. , Ostle Nicholas J. , Signarbieux Constant , Sun Xiaoliang , Ward Susan E. , Bardgett Richard D. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractClimate warming affects plant physiology through genetic adaptation and phenotypic plasticity, but little is known about how these mechanisms influence ecosystem processes. We used three elevation gradients and a reciprocal transplant experiment to show that temperature causes genetic change in the sedge Eriophorum vaginatum. We demonstrate that plants originating from warmer climate produce fewer secondary compounds, grow faster and accelerate carbon dioxide (CO2) release to the atmosphere. However, warmer climate also caused plasticity in E. vaginatum, inhibiting nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis and growth and slowing CO2 release into the atmosphere. Genetic differentiation and plasticity in E. vaginatum thus had opposing effects on CO2 fluxes, suggesting that warming over many generations may buffer, or reverse, the short‐term influence of this species over carbon cycle processes. Our findings demonstrate the capacity for plant evolution to impact ecosystem processes, and reveal a further mechanism through which plants will shape ecosystem responses to climate change.