bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Unified relation-theoretic metrical fixed point theorems under an implicit contractive condition with an application
Authors: Ahmadullah Md , Ali Javid , Imdad Mohammad 
Published: March 2016

AbstractThe main purpose of this article is to establish relation-theoretic metrical fixed point theorems via an implicit contractive condition which is general enough to yield a multitude of corollaries corresponding to several well known contraction conditions (e.g. Banach (Fundam. Math. 3:133-181, 1922), Kannan (Am. Math. Mon. 76:405-408, 1969), Reich (Can. Math. Bull. 14:121-124, 1971), Bianchini (Boll. Unione Mat. Ital. 5:103-108, 1972), Chatterjea (C. R. Acad. Bulg. Sci. 25:727-730, 1972), Hardy and Rogers (Can. Math. Bull. 16:201-206, 1973), Ćirić (Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 45:267-273, 1974) and several others) wherein even such corollaries are new results on their own. As an example we utilize our main results, to prove a theorem on the existence and uniqueness of the solution of an integral equation besides providing an illustrative example.
Bisphenol A Induces Fatty Liver by an Endocannabinoid-Mediated Positive Feedback Loop
Authors: Martella Andrea , Silvestri Cristoforo , Maradonna Francesca , Gioacchini Giorgia , Allarà Marco , Radaelli Giuseppe , Overby Darryl R. , Di Marzo Vincenzo , Carnevali Oliana 
Published: March 2016

Abstract
The xenoestrogen bisphenol A (BPA) is a widespread plasticizer detectable within several ecosystems. BPA is considered a metabolic disruptor, affecting different organs; however, little is known about its mechanism of action in the liver, in which it triggers triglyceride accumulation. Adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to BPA developed hepatosteatosis, which was associated with an increase in the liver levels of the obesogenic endocannabinoids 2-arachidonoylglycerol and anandamide and a concomitant decrease in palmitoylethanolamide. These changes were associated with variations in the expression of key endocannabinoid catabolic and metabolic enzymes and an increase in the expression of the endocannabinoid receptor cnr1. Acute and chronic in vitro treatments with nano- and micromolar BPA doses showed increased anandamide levels in line with decreased activity of fatty acid amide hydrolase, the main anandamide hydrolytic enzyme, and induced triglyceride accumulation in HHL-5 cells in a CB1-dependent manner. We conclude that BPA is able to produce hepatosteatosis in zebrafish and human hepatocytes by up-regulating the endocannabinoid system.
Factors Associated with the Year-End Decline in Working Capital
Authors: Frankel Richard , Levy Hagit , Shalev Ron 
Published: March 2016

Working capital is an important indicator of firm operational efficiency. All else being equal, lower levels signal greater efficiency. Managers are thus likely to be motivated to report lower levels of working capital at times of greater external attention. We find that working capital levels decrease in the fourth fiscal quarter significantly more than expected, conditional on seasonal changes in economic activity. The decrease subsequently reverses in the following first fiscal quarter. Evidence indicates that firms manage down year-end working capital through transactions that increase year-end operating cash flow and that firms spread this activity over all working capital accounts. Finally, the temporary decrease in year-end working capital is correlated with compensation benchmarks and analysts’ annual cash flow forecasts. The temporary drop is also more pronounced for firms with industry dominance. This paper was accepted by Mary Barth, accounting.
Mitigating Delays and Unfairness in Appointment Systems
Authors: Qi Jin 
Published: March 2016

We consider an appointment system where heterogeneous participants are sequenced and scheduled for service. Because service times are uncertain, the aims are to mitigate the unpleasantness experienced by the participants in the system when their waiting times or delays exceed acceptable thresholds and to address fairness in the balancing of service levels among participants. To evaluate uncertain delays, we propose the Delay Unpleasantness Measure, which takes into account the frequency and intensity of delays above a threshold, and introduce the concept of lexicographic min-max fairness to design appointment systems from the perspective of the worst-off participants. We focus our study in the healthcare industry in balancing physicians’ overtime and patients’ waiting times in which patients are distinguished by their service time characterizations. The model can be adapted in the robust setting when the underlying probability distribution is not fully available. To capture the correlation between uncertain service times, we suggest using the mean absolute deviations as the descriptive statistics in the distributional uncertainty set to preserve the linearity of the model. The optimal sequencing and scheduling decisions can be derived by solving a sequence of mixed-integer programming problems, and we report the insights from our computational studies.This paper was accepted by Yinyu Ye, optimization.
Does Lean Improve Labor Standards? Management and Social Performance in the Nike Supply Chain
Authors: Distelhorst Greg , Hainmueller Jens , Locke Richard M. 
Published: March 2016

This study tests the hypothesis that lean manufacturing improves the social performance of manufacturers in emerging markets. We analyze an intervention by Nike, Inc., to promote the adoption of lean manufacturing in its apparel supply chain across 11 developing countries. Using difference-in-differences estimates from a panel of more than 300 factories, we find that lean adoption was associated with a 15 percentage point reduction in noncompliance with labor standards that primarily reflect factory wage and work hour practices. However, we find a null effect on factory health and safety standards. This pattern is consistent with a causal mechanism that links lean to improved social performance through changes in labor relations, rather than improved management systems. These findings offer evidence that capability-building interventions may reduce social harm in global supply chains. Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2015.2369 . This paper was accepted by Bruno Cassiman, business strategy.
Does Gender Diversity Promote Nonconformity?
Authors: Amini Makan , Ekström Mathias , Ellingsen Tore , Johannesson Magnus , Strömsten Fredrik 
Published: March 2016

Failure to express minority views may distort the behavior of company boards, committees, juries, and other decision-making bodies. Devising a new experimental procedure to measure such conformity in a judgment task, we compare the degree of conformity in groups with varying gender composition. Overall, our experiments offer little evidence that gender composition affects expression of minority views. A robust finding is that a subject’s lack of ability predicts both a true propensity to accept others’ judgment (informational social influence) and a propensity to agree despite private doubt (normative social influence). Thus, as an antidote to conformity in our experiments, high individual ability seems more effective than group diversity. Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2015.2382 . This paper was accepted by John List, behavioral economics.
Regulators of complement activity mediate inhibitory mechanisms through a common C3b‐binding mode
Authors: Forneris Federico , Wu Jin , Xue Xiaoguang , Ricklin Daniel , Lin Zhuoer , Sfyroera Georgia , Tzekou Apostolia , Volokhina Elena , Granneman Joke CM , Hauhart Richard , Bertram Paula , Liszewski M Kathryn , Atkinson John P , Lambris John D , Gros Piet 
Published: March 2016

AbstractRegulators of complement activation (RCA) inhibit complement‐induced immune responses on healthy host tissues. We present crystal structures of human RCA (MCP, DAF, and CR1) and a smallpox virus homolog (SPICE) bound to complement component C3b. Our structural data reveal that up to four consecutive homologous CCP domains (i–iv), responsible for inhibition, bind in the same orientation and extended arrangement at a shared binding platform on C3b. Large sequence variations in CCP domains explain the diverse C3b‐binding patterns, with limited or no contribution of some individual domains, while all regulators show extensive contacts with C3b for the domains at the third site. A variation of ~100° rotation around the longitudinal axis is observed for domains binding at the fourth site on C3b, without affecting the overall binding mode. The data suggest a common evolutionary origin for both inhibitory mechanisms, called decay acceleration and cofactor activity, with variable C3b binding through domains at sites ii, iii, and iv, and provide a framework for understanding RCA disease‐related mutations and immune evasion.
Increased expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 in ovarian/peritoneal endometriotic lesions
Authors: Piccinato Carla A , Neme Rosa M , Torres Natália , Sanches Lívia Renta , Cruz Derogis Priscilla Bento Mattos , Brudniewski Heloísa F , e Silva Júlio C Rosa , Ferriani Rui A 
Published: March 2016

Abstract
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease affecting up to 10% of all premenopausal women. There is evidence that different endometriosis sites show distinct local estrogen concentration, which, in turn, might be due to a unique local estrogen metabolism. We aimed to investigate whether there was a site-specific regulation of selected enzymes responsible for the oxidative metabolism of estrogens in biopsy samples and endometrial and endometriotic stromal cells. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 and CYP1B1 mRNA and protein expressions in deep-infiltrating (rectal, retossigmoidal, and uterossacral) lesions, superficial (ovarian and peritoneal) lesions, and eutopic and healthy (control) endometrium were evaluated by real-time PCR and western blot. Using a cross-sectional study design with 58 premenopausal women who were not under hormonal treatment, we were able to identify an overall increased CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 mRNA expression in superficial lesions compared with the healthy endometrium. CYP1A1 mRNA expression in superficial lesions was also greater than in the eutopic endometrium. Interestingly, we found a similar pattern of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 expression in in vitro stromal cells isolated from ovarian lesions (n=3) when compared with stromal cells isolated from either rectum lesions or eutopic endometrium. In contradiction, there was an increased half-life of estradiol (measured by HPLC-MS-MS) in ovarian endometriotic stromal cells compared with paired eutopic stromal endometrial cells. Our results indicate that there is a site-dependent regulation of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 in ovarian/peritoneal lesions and ovarian endometriotic stromal cells, whereas a slower metabolism is taking place in these cells.
Genome-Wide Association and Exome Sequencing Study of Language Disorder in an Isolated Population
Authors: Kornilov Sergey A. , Rakhlin Natalia , Koposov Roman , Lee Maria , Yrigollen Carolyn , Caglayan Ahmet Okay , Magnuson James S. , Mane Shrikant , Chang Joseph T. , Grigorenko Elena L. 
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:
Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder associated with negative outcomes in different domains; the etiology of DLD is unknown. To investigate the genetic underpinnings of DLD, we performed genome-wide association and whole exome sequencing studies in a geographically isolated population with a substantially elevated prevalence of the disorder (ie, the AZ sample).

METHODS:
DNA samples were collected from 359 individuals for the genome-wide association study and from 12 severely affected individuals for whole exome sequencing. Multifaceted phenotypes, representing major domains of expressive language functioning, were derived from collected speech samples.

RESULTS:
Gene-based analyses revealed a significant association between SETBP1 and complexity of linguistic output (P = 5.47 × 10−7). The analysis of exome variants revealed coding sequence variants in 14 genes, most of which play a role in neural development. Targeted enrichment analysis implicated myocyte enhancer factor–2 (MEF2)-regulated genes in DLD in the AZ population. The main findings were successfully replicated in an independent cohort of children at risk for related disorders (n = 372).

CONCLUSIONS:
MEF2-regulated pathways were identified as potential candidate pathways in the etiology of DLD. Several genes (including the candidate SETBP1 and other MEF2-related genes) seem to jointly influence certain, but not all, facets of the DLD phenotype. Even when genetic and environmental diversity is reduced, DLD is best conceptualized as etiologically complex. Future research should establish whether the signals detected in the AZ population can be replicated in other samples and languages and provide further characterization of the identified pathway.
Health-Related Quality of Life Into Adulthood After Very Preterm Birth
Authors: Baumann Nicole , Bartmann Peter , Wolke Dieter 
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND:
This study investigated change of health-related quality of life (HRQL) in very preterm/very low birth weight (VP/VLBW; born at &lt;32 weeks’ gestation and/or &lt;1500 g birth weight) individuals from adolescence to adulthood. Are perceptions similar by different informants (self, parents) and is HRQL related to economic and social functioning?

METHODS:
In a prospective whole-population sample in South Germany, 260 VP/VLBW and 229 term born individuals were assessed from birth to adulthood. HRQL was evaluated by self and parent report at age 13 and 26 years with the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3), and economic and social functioning from interview and standard assessments at 26 years.

RESULTS:
At both time points, HUI3 scores of VP/VLBW were reported to be lower compared with term born controls by participants and parents. Except for adolescent self-reports (P = .13) these differences were all significant (P &lt; .05). In contrast to participants themselves, parents reported VP/VLBW individuals’ HRQL to be worsening over time (change of mean HUI3 scores: 0.88–0.86, P = .03). Parents, particularly, reported negative changes in emotion and pain for VP/VLBW individuals over time. Participant and parent-perceived HRQL was negatively related to economic and social functioning outcomes such as receiving social benefits, unemployment, dating romantic partner or having friends.

CONCLUSIONS:
VP/VLBW individuals and their parents perceive HRQL to be lower compared with term controls in adolescence and in adulthood. Lower HRQL was related to economic and social functioning problems in adulthood. No evidence for improvement of HRQL into adulthood was found in this geographical sample in Germany.
The dispersion of Rayleigh waves in orthotropic layered half-space using matrix method
Authors: Tuan Tran Thanh , Trung Tran Ngoc 
Published: March 2016

In this paper, the secular equation of Rayleigh surface waves propagating in an orthotropic layered half-space is derived by the matrix method. All the layers and the half-space are assumed to have identical principle axes. The explicit form of the matrizant for each layer is obtained by the Sylvester's theorem. The derived secular equation takes only real values and depends only on the dimensionless variables and dimensionless material parameters. Hence, it is convenient in numerical calculation.
Reservoir optimization with differential evolution
Authors: Phuong Phan Thi Thu , Lai Hoang Van , Tri Bui Dinh 
Published: March 2016

Reservoir optimization, is one of recent problems, which has been researched by several methods such as Linear Programming (LP), Non-linear Programming (NLP), Genetic Algorithm (GA), and Dynamic Programming (DP). Differential Evolution (DE), a method in GA group, is recently applied in many fields, especially water management. This method is an improved variant of GA to converge and reach to the optimal solution faster than the traditional GA. It is also capable to apply for a wide range space, to a problem with complex, discontinuous, undifferential optimal function. Furthermore, this method does not requirethe gradient information of the space but easily find the global solution by asimple algorithm. In this paper, we introduce DE, compare to LP which was considered mathematically decades ago to prove DE's accuracy, then apply DE to Pleikrong, a reservoir in Vietnam, then discuss about the results.
Thermomechanical postbuckling of thick FGM plates resting on elastic foundations with tangential edge constraints
Authors: Tung Hoang Van 
Published: March 2016

This paper investigates the effects of tangential edge constraints and elastic foundations on the buckling and postbuckling behavior of thick FGM rectangular plates resting on elastic foundations and subjected to thermal and thermomechanical loading conditions. Material properties are assumed to be temperature dependent, and graded in the thickness direction according to a simple power law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of constituents. Governing equations are based on the higher order shear deformation plate theory incorporating the von Karman geometrical nonlinearity, initial geometrical imperfection, tangential edge constraints and Pasternak type elastic foundations. Approximate solutions are assumed to satisfy simply supported boundary conditions and Galerkin procedure is applied to derive expressions of buckling loads and load-deflection relations. In thermal postbuckling analysis, an iteration algorithm is employed to determine critical buckling temperatures and postbuckling temperature-deflection equilibrium paths. The separate and simultaneous effects of tangential edge restraints, elastic foundations and temperature dependence of material properties on the buckling and postbuckling responses of higher order shear deformable FGM plates are analyzed and discussed.
Leaching of dissolved phosphorus from tile-drained agricultural areas
Authors: Andersen H. E. , Windolf J. , Kronvang B. 
Published: March 2016

Abstract
We investigated leaching of dissolved phosphorus (P) from 45 tile-drains representing animal husbandry farms in all regions of Denmark. Leaching of P via tile-drains exhibits a high degree of spatial heterogeneity with a low concentration in the majority of tile-drains and few tile-drains (15% in our investigation) having high to very high concentration of dissolved P. The share of dissolved organic P (DOP) was high (up to 96%). Leaching of DOP has hitherto been a somewhat overlooked P loss pathway in Danish soils and the mechanisms of mobilization and transport of DOP needs more investigation. We found a high correlation between Olsen-P and water extractable P. Water extractable P is regarded as an indicator of risk of loss of dissolved P. Our findings indicate that Olsen-P, which is measured routinely in Danish agricultural soils, may be a useful proxy for the P leaching potential of soils. However, we found no straight-forward correlation between leaching potential of the top soil layer (expressed as either degree of P saturation, Olsen-P or water extractable P) and the measured concentration of dissolved P in the tile-drain. This underlines that not only the source of P but also the P loss pathway must be taken into account when evaluating the risk of P loss.
Histamine and Histaminergic Receptors in Colorectal Cancer: From Basic Science to Evidence-based Medicine
Authors: Losurdo Giuseppe , Principi Mariabeatrice , Girardi Bruna , Pricci Maria , Barone Michele , Ierardi Enzo , Di Leo Alfredo 
Published: March 2016

Background:
Histamine is an imidazolic compound performing a crucial function in the pathogenesis of
inflammation. Several studies have also emphasized its pro-carcinogenic effect in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Object:

In fact, increased histamine levels have been observed in CRC and a decreased catabolism of this molecule is
typical of colorectal adenomas. Additional data have demonstrated that CRC is characterized by an altered balance
of histamine receptors (HRs); in fact, HR1 and HR4 are down-regulated in CRC, while HR2 is overexpressed.

Method:
Based on this evidence, we reviewed several studies investigating the role of HR2 antagonists (HR2A),
such as cimetidine in CRC.

Results:
From a clinical point of view, HR2A may prolong the survival rates of patients with CRC, and a recent
meta-analysis seems to confirm this finding. From a biological perspective, it has been demonstrated that HR2A
could have a beneficial effect on CRC for many reasons: i) promotion of peri-tumoral lymphocyte growth and
improvement of immune response against the tumor, ii) suppression of adhesion molecules which might favor
metastasis, iii) anti-angiogenetic activity (reduction of VEGF), iv) increased production of some cytokines which
may counteract tumor growth, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-15. On the
contrary, HR1 antagonists did not demonstrate any beneficial effect on CRC. Therefore, it is presumable that
histamine could be a relevant player in the development of CRC, but its effect might be mediated by an imperfect
homeostasis of its receptors.

Conclusion:
In this scenario, HR2A could inhibit carcinogenesis whereas HR2 might act as a pro-carcinogenetic,
while HR1 and HR4, being suppressed in CRC, may antagonize neoplastic development.
The Effect of Networked Clients' Economic Importance on Audit Quality
Authors: Hossain Sarowar , Monroe Gary S. , Wilson Mark , Jubb Christine 
Published: March 2016

SUMMARY
In this study, we examine the association between audit quality and networked clients' economic importance. We consider networks of clients that result from audit committee member-audit partner interlocks. These interlocks occur when an audit committee member of a company is also an audit committee member of other companies that are audited by a common audit firm and audit partner. The audit partner may perceive that future fee income from the network of interlocked companies may be affected by disputes with the management of an interlocked client company. These economic ties have the potential to erode auditor independence and, as a consequence, reduce audit quality. The test variables include measures of network fee dependence based on the audit partner's fees generated from the networked clients created by audit committee member-audit partner interlocks. Audit quality is proxied by the likelihood of issuing a first-time going-concern modified audit report and the absolute value of discretionary accruals. Regressions on unrestricted and propensity score matched samples provide consistent evidence that audit partner dependence on fees from other companies in the network reduce audit quality.
JEL Classifications: G34; M41; M42.
Data Availability: All data used in this paper are publicly available.