bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rent-seeking and firm value: Chinese evidence
Authors: Li Sihai , Wu Huiying , Jiang Xinfeng 
Published: September 2017

AbstractWe examine whether engagement in rent-seeking improves firm value in China. Rent-seeking is defined as a firm's use of resources to establish a relationship with the government to obtain government-controlled resources. We incorporate political rents and associated costs into an analytical framework to examine the relationship between rent-seeking and firm value. Using a sample of non-state-owned firms listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange from 2007 to 2013, we find evidence of the presence of political rents in the form of government subsidies and evidence of associated costs in the forms of corporate philanthropy and excess management remuneration, which largely explains the insignificant relationship found between rent-seeking and firm value. Our further analysis shows that rent-seeking behavior of firms reduces production efficiency, providing additional evidence to support our thesis that engagement in rent-seeking does not enhance firm value in the Chinese context. In an economy with weak institutions, in particular with weak protection for shareholders, managers and politicians can become rent-seekers and take a considerable share of the economic benefits derived from rent-seeking.
Rapid Risk Assessment Report for Schistosomiasis Epidemic in Jianli County Caused by the Sunk “Oriental Star” Cruise Ship
Authors: Ni Ziling , Tan Xiaodong , Liu Bei , Ying Zhaoyu , Gao Xudong , Yang Fen 
Published: September 2017

AbstractBackgroundAt 9:28 pm on June 1, 2015, the cruise ship “Oriental Star” sank into Yangtze River in Jianli County, with 422 people killed. When the accident occurred, the Chinese government took immediate action and dispatched more than 9000 rescuers. The risk for outbreak of schistosomiasis was increased because of the shipwreck. Obviously it is critical to carry out risk assessment as soon as possible.MethodsBy means of the Delphi method, the situation was analyzed so that the government could fathom the severity of the accident. Then, through matrix and sigma-plotting (3-dimensional graphics) methods, related authorities performed risk assessment after site investigation.ResultsThe latest news reported that more than 9000 people were involved in the rescue. The affected river was analyzed and mapped using SigmaPlot software, according to which the possibility, harmfulness, and controllability of the accident were determined to be medium (6), medium (6), and poor (7), respectively.ConclusionThe site of the accident where the cruise ship sank and rescue operations were carried out is a schistosomiasis epidemic area with high mortality and morbidity. The chance of an outbreak of the schistosomiasis epidemic in Jianli County is quite high. To protect people in this county from the epidemic, relevant logistic services should be arranged and all remains should be cleared up carefully. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:147–153)
Limit laws on extremes of nonhomogeneous Gaussian random fields
Authors: Tan Zhongquan 
Published: September 2017

Abstract
In this paper, by using the tail asymptotics derived by Dębicki et al. (2016), we prove the Gumbel limit laws for the maximum of a class of nonhomogeneous Gaussian random fields. As an application of the main results, we derive the Gumbel limit law for Shepp statistics of fractional Brownian motion and Gaussian integrated processes.
Environmental Constitutionalism: A Comparative Study
Authors: O’Gorman Roderic 
Published: September 2017

AbstractWhile 148 of the 196 national constitutions in effect today manifest some form of environmental constitutionalism, the fact that some states have not adopted such provisions suggests that their spread is not inexorable. This article investigates the factors which affect whether a state adopts environmental constitutionalism. By undertaking a historical analysis of those countries which have so amended their constitutions, it identifies the context in which the constitutional change takes place as a significant consideration. The context of constitutional change influences the amendment process, which is then opened up to a range of other factors, both external (learning/persuasion, acculturation/emulation) and internal (political leadership, public and sectoral engagement, constitutional ideology, national environmental damage), all of which are considered by examining previous efforts to enshrine environmental constitutionalism. The article concludes by highlighting four specific responses that are key to successful amendment processes, namely: capitalizing on crisis situations; ensuring that economic concerns are adequately addressed; leveraging the support of the public and politicians; and linking environmental protection to national values.
Sensorimotor computation underlying phototaxis in zebrafish
Authors: Wolf Sébastien , Dubreuil Alexis M. , Bertoni Tommaso , Böhm Urs Lucas , Bormuth Volker , Candelier Raphaël , Karpenko Sophia , Hildebrand David G. C. , Bianco Isaac H. , Monasson Rémi , Debrégeas Georges 
Published: September 2017

AbstractAnimals continuously gather sensory cues to move towards favourable environments. Efficient goal-directed navigation requires sensory perception and motor commands to be intertwined in a feedback loop, yet the neural substrate underlying this sensorimotor task in the vertebrate brain remains elusive. Here, we combine virtual-reality behavioural assays, volumetric calcium imaging, optogenetic stimulation and circuit modelling to reveal the neural mechanisms through which a zebrafish performs phototaxis, i.e. actively orients towards a light source. Key to this process is a self-oscillating hindbrain population (HBO) that acts as a pacemaker for ocular saccades and controls the orientation of successive swim-bouts. It further integrates visual stimuli in a state-dependent manner, i.e. its response to visual inputs varies with the motor context, a mechanism that manifests itself in the phase-locked entrainment of the HBO by periodic stimuli. A rate model is developed that reproduces our observations and demonstrates how this sensorimotor processing eventually biases the animal trajectory towards bright regions.
Establishing multiple omics baselines for three Southeast Asian populations in the Singapore Integrative Omics Study
Authors: Saw Woei-Yuh , Tantoso Erwin , Begum Husna , Zhou Lihan , Zou Ruiyang , He Cheng , Chan Sze Ling , Tan Linda Wei-Lin , Wong Lai-Ping , Xu Wenting , Moong Don Kyin Nwe , Lim Yenly , Li Bowen , Pillai Nisha Esakimuthu , Peterson Trevor A. , Bielawny Tomasz , Meikle Peter J. , Mundra Piyushkumar A. , Lim Wei-Yen , Luo Ma , Chia Kee-Seng , Ong Rick Twee-Hee , Brunham Liam R. , Khor Chiea-Chuen , Too Heng Phon , Soong Richie , Wenk Markus R. , Little Peter , Teo Yik-Ying 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe Singapore Integrative Omics Study provides valuable insights on establishing population reference measurement in 364 Chinese, Malay, and Indian individuals. These measurements include > 2.5 millions genetic variants, 21,649 transcripts expression, 282 lipid species quantification, and 284 clinical, lifestyle, and dietary variables. This concept paper introduces the depth of the data resource, and investigates the extent of ethnic variation at these omics and non-omics biomarkers. It is evident that there are specific biomarkers in each of these platforms to differentiate between the ethnicities, and intra-population analyses suggest that Chinese and Indians are the most biologically homogeneous and heterogeneous, respectively, of the three groups. Consistent patterns of correlations between lipid species also suggest the possibility of lipid tagging to simplify future lipidomics assays. The Singapore Integrative Omics Study is expected to allow the characterization of intra-omic and inter-omic correlations within and across all three ethnic groups through a systems biology approach.
A gateway towards non-collinear spin processing using three-atom magnets with strong substrate coupling
Authors: Hermenau J. , Ibañez-Azpiroz J. , Hübner Chr. , Sonntag A. , Baxevanis B. , Ton K. T. , Steinbrecher M. , Khajetoorians A. A. , dos Santos Dias M. , Blügel S. , Wiesendanger R. , Lounis S. , Wiebe J. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractA cluster of a few magnetic atoms on the surface of a nonmagnetic substrate is one suitable realization of a bit for spin-based information technology. The prevalent approach to achieve magnetic stability is decoupling the cluster spin from substrate conduction electrons in order to suppress destabilizing spin-flips. However, this route entails less flexibility in tailoring the coupling between the bits needed for spin-processing. Here, we use a spin-resolved scanning tunneling microscope to write, read, and store spin information for hours in clusters of three atoms strongly coupled to a substrate featuring a cloud of non-collinearly polarized host atoms, a so-called non-collinear giant moment cluster. The giant moment cluster can be driven into a Kondo screened state by simply moving one of its atoms to a different site. Using the exceptional atomic tunability of the non-collinear substrate mediated Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction, we propose a logical scheme for a four-state memory.
Taking the pulse of Mars via dating of a plume-fed volcano
Authors: Cohen Benjamin E. , Mark Darren F. , Cassata William S. , Lee Martin R. , Tomkinson Tim , Smith Caroline L. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractMars hosts the solar system’s largest volcanoes. Although their size and impact crater density indicate continued activity over billions of years, their formation rates are poorly understood. Here we quantify the growth rate of a Martian volcano by40Ar/39Ar and cosmogenic exposure dating of six nakhlites, meteorites that were ejected from Mars by a single impact event at 10.7 ± 0.8 Ma (2σ). We find that the nakhlites sample a layered volcanic sequence with at least four discrete eruptive events spanning 93 ± 12 Ma (1416 ± 7 Ma to 1322 ± 10 Ma (2σ)). A non-radiogenic trapped40Ar/36Ar value of 1511 ± 74 (2σ) provides a precise and robust constraint for the mid-Amazonian Martian atmosphere. Our data show that the nakhlite-source volcano grew at a rate of ca. 0.4–0.7 m Ma−1—three orders of magnitude slower than comparable volcanoes on Earth, and necessitating that Mars was far more volcanically active earlier in its history.
Archaean and Proterozoic diamond growth from contrasting styles of large-scale magmatism
Authors: Koornneef Janne M. , Gress Michael U. , Chinn Ingrid L. , Jelsma Hielke A. , Harris Jeff W. , Davies Gareth R. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractPrecise dating of diamond growth is required to understand the interior workings of the early Earth and the deep carbon cycle. Here we report Sm-Nd isotope data from 26 individual garnet inclusions from 26 harzburgitic diamonds from Venetia, South Africa. Garnet inclusions and host diamonds comprise two compositional suites formed under markedly different conditions and define two isochrons, one Archaean (2.95 Ga) and one Proterozoic (1.15 Ga). The Archaean diamond suite formed from relatively cool fluid-dominated metasomatism during rifting of the southern shelf of the Zimbabwe Craton. The 1.8 billion years younger Proterozoic diamond suite formed by melt-dominated metasomatism related to the 1.1 Ga Umkondo Large Igneous Province. The results demonstrate that resolving the time of diamond growth events requires dating of individual inclusions, and that there was a major change in the magmatic processes responsible for harzburgitic diamond formation beneath Venetia from the Archaean to the Proterozoic.
Excitation of coupled spin–orbit dynamics in cobalt oxide by femtosecond laser pulses
Authors: Satoh Takuya , Iida Ryugo , Higuchi Takuya , Fujii Yasuhiro , Koreeda Akitoshi , Ueda Hiroaki , Shimura Tsutomu , Kuroda Kazuo , Butrim V. I. , Ivanov B. A. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractUltrafast control of magnets using femtosecond light pulses attracts interest regarding applications and fundamental physics of magnetism. Antiferromagnets are promising materials with magnon frequencies extending into the terahertz range. Visible or near-infrared light interacts mainly with the electronic orbital angular momentum. In many magnets, however, in particular with iron-group ions, the orbital momentum is almost quenched by the crystal field. Thus, the interaction of magnons with light is hampered, because it is only mediated by weak unquenching of the orbital momentum by spin–orbit interactions. Here we report all-optical excitation of magnons with frequencies up to 9 THz in antiferromagnetic CoO with an unquenched orbital momentum. In CoO, magnon modes are coupled oscillations of spin and orbital momenta with comparable amplitudes. We demonstrate excitations of magnon modes by directly coupling light with electronic orbital angular momentum, providing possibilities to develop magneto-optical devices operating at several terahertz with high output-to-input ratio.
Aromatic side-chain conformational switch on the surface of the RNA Recognition Motif enables RNA discrimination
Authors: Diarra dit Konté Nana , Krepl Miroslav , Damberger Fred F. , Ripin Nina , Duss Olivier , Šponer Jiří , Allain Frédéric H.-T. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe cyclooxygenase-2 is a pro-inflammatory and cancer marker, whose mRNA stability and translation is regulated by the CUG-binding protein 2 interacting with AU-rich sequences in the 3′ untranslated region. Here, we present the solution NMR structure of CUG-binding protein 2 RRM3 in complex with 5′-UUUAA-3′ originating from the COX-2 3′-UTR. We show that RRM3 uses the same binding surface and protein moieties to interact with AU- and UG-rich RNA motifs, binding with low and high affinity, respectively. Using NMR spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry and molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate that distinct sub-states characterized by different aromatic side-chain conformations at the RNA-binding surface allow for high- or low-affinity binding with functional implications. This study highlights a mechanism for RNA discrimination possibly common to multiple RRMs as several prominent members display a similar rearrangement of aromatic residues upon binding their targets.
Application of bio-orthogonal proteome labeling to cell transplantation and heterochronic parabiosis
Authors: Liu Yan , Conboy Michael J. , Mehdipour Melod , Liu Yutong , Tran Thanhtra P. , Blotnick Aaron , Rajan Prasanna , Santos Thalie Cavalcante , Conboy Irina M. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractStudies of heterochronic parabiosis demonstrated that with age, the composition of the circulatory milieu changes in ways that broadly inhibit tissue regenerative capacity. In addition, local tissue niches have age-specific influences on their resident stem cells. Here we use bio-orthogonal proteome labeling for detecting in vivo proteins present only in transplanted myoblasts, but not in host tissue, and proteins exclusive to one young mouse and transferred during parabiosis to its old partner. We use a transgenic mouse strain that ubiquitously expresses a modified tRNA methionine synthase, metRS, which preferentially incorporates the methionine surrogate azido-nor-leucine (ANL) into newly generated proteins. Using click chemistry and a modified antibody array to detect ANL-labeled proteins, we identify several ‘young’ systemic factors in old regenerating muscle of the heterochronic parabiotic partners. Our approach enables the selective profiling of mammalian proteomes in mixed biological environments such as cell and tissue transplantation, apheresis or parabiosis.
Short-channel field-effect transistors with 9-atom and 13-atom wide graphene nanoribbons
Authors: Llinas Juan Pablo , Fairbrother Andrew , Borin Barin Gabriela , Shi Wu , Lee Kyunghoon , Wu Shuang , Yong Choi Byung , Braganza Rohit , Lear Jordan , Kau Nicholas , Choi Wonwoo , Chen Chen , Pedramrazi Zahra , Dumslaff Tim , Narita Akimitsu , Feng Xinliang , Müllen Klaus , Fischer Felix , Zettl Alex , Ruffieux Pascal , Yablonovitch Eli , Crommie Michael , Fasel Roman , Bokor Jeffrey 
Published: September 2017

AbstractBottom-up synthesized graphene nanoribbons and graphene nanoribbon heterostructures have promising electronic properties for high-performance field-effect transistors and ultra-low power devices such as tunneling field-effect transistors. However, the short length and wide band gap of these graphene nanoribbons have prevented the fabrication of devices with the desired performance and switching behavior. Here, by fabricating short channel (Lch ~ 20 nm) devices with a thin, high-κ gate dielectric and a 9-atom wide (0.95 nm) armchair graphene nanoribbon as the channel material, we demonstrate field-effect transistors with high on-current (Ion > 1 μA at Vd = −1 V) and high Ion/Ioff ~ 105 at room temperature. We find that the performance of these devices is limited by tunneling through the Schottky barrier at the contacts and we observe an increase in the transparency of the barrier by increasing the gate field near the contacts. Our results thus demonstrate successful fabrication of high-performance short-channel field-effect transistors with bottom-up synthesized armchair graphene nanoribbons.
PD-L1 is an activation-independent marker of brown adipocytes
Authors: Ingram Jessica R. , Dougan Michael , Rashidian Mohammad , Knoll Marko , Keliher Edmund J. , Garrett Sarah , Garforth Scott , Blomberg Olga S. , Espinosa Camilo , Bhan Atul , Almo Steven C. , Weissleder Ralph , Lodish Harvey , Dougan Stephanie K. , Ploegh Hidde L. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractProgrammed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is expressed on a number of immune and cancer cells, where it can downregulate antitumor immune responses. Its expression has been linked to metabolic changes in these cells. Here we develop a radiolabeled camelid single-domain antibody (anti-PD-L1 VHH) to track PD-L1 expression by immuno-positron emission tomography (PET). PET-CT imaging shows a robust and specific PD-L1 signal in brown adipose tissue (BAT). We confirm expression of PD-L1 on brown adipocytes and demonstrate that signal intensity does not change in response to cold exposure or β-adrenergic activation. This is the first robust method of visualizing murine brown fat independent of its activation state.
Characterization of Soft Amyloid Cores in Human Prion-Like Proteins
Authors: Batlle Cristina , de Groot Natalia Sanchez , Iglesias Valentin , Navarro Susanna , Ventura Salvador 
Published: September 2017

AbstractPrion-like behaviour is attracting much attention due to the growing evidences that amyloid-like self-assembly may reach beyond neurodegeneration and be a conserved functional mechanism. The best characterized functional prions correspond to a subset of yeast proteins involved in translation or transcription. Their conformational promiscuity is encoded in Prion Forming Domains (PFDs), usually long and intrinsically disordered protein segments of low complexity. The compositional bias of these regions seems to be important for the transition between soluble and amyloid-like states. We have proposed that the presence of cryptic soft amyloid cores embedded in yeast PFDs can also be important for their assembly and demonstrated their existence and self-propagating abilities. Here, we used an orthogonal approach in the search of human domains that share yeast PFDs compositional bias and exhibit a predicted nucleating core, identifying 535 prion-like candidates. We selected seven proteins involved in transcriptional or translational regulation and associated to disease to characterize the properties of their amyloid cores. All of them self-assemble spontaneously into amyloid-like structures able to propagate their polymeric state. This provides support for the presence of short sequences able to trigger conformational conversion in prion-like human proteins, potentially regulating their functionality.
A non-transcriptional role for the glucocorticoid receptor in mediating the cell stress response
Authors: Ptushkina Marina , Poolman Toryn , Iqbal Mudassar , Ashe Mark , Petersen Janni , Woodburn Joanna , Rattray Magnus , Whetton Anthony , Ray David 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is essential for the stress response in mammals. We investigated potential non-transcriptional roles of GR in cellular stress response using fission yeast as a model.We surprisingly discovered marked heat stress resistance in yeast ectopically expressing human GR, which required expression of both the N-terminal transactivation domain, and the C-terminal ligand binding domain, but not the DNA-binding domain of the GR. This effect was not affected by GR ligand exposure, and occurred without significant GR nuclear accumulation. Mechanistically, the GR survival effect required Hsp104, and, indeed, GR expression increased Hsp104 expression. Proteomic analysis revealed GR binding to translasome components, including eIF3, a known partner for Sty1, a pattern of protein interaction which we confirmed using yeast two-hybrid studies.Taken together, we find evidence for a novel pathway conferring stress resistance in yeast that can be activated by the human GR, acting by protein-protein mechanisms in the cytoplasm. This suggests that in organisms where GR is natively expressed, GR likely contributes to stress responses through non-transcriptional mechanisms in addition to its well-established transcriptional responses.
Directional beaming of light from a subwavelength metal slit with phase-gradient metasurfaces
Authors: Zhu Hua , Yin Xiang , Chen Lin , Li Xun 
Published: September 2017

AbstractIn this article, we demonstrate directional beaming of light from a metal nanoslit surrounded with phase-gradient metasurfaces on both sides. Distinct from the grating-based beaming structures, here the momentum mismatch between the surface wave and radiation wave is overcome by the phase-gradient metasurfaces. The deviation angle of the directional beam can be flexibly adjusted by appropriately arranging the phase-gradient of metasurfaces on each side of the nanoslit. The metasurface-based beaming structures also present the ability to operate with high diffraction efficiency and small divergence angle, implying various potential applications in nanophotonics.
Field-cycling NMR with high-resolution detection under magic-angle spinning: determination of field-window for nuclear hyperpolarization in a photosynthetic reaction center
Authors: Gräsing Daniel , Bielytskyi Pavlo , Céspedes-Camacho Isaac F. , Alia A. , Marquardsen Thorsten , Engelke Frank , Matysik Jörg 
Published: September 2017

AbstractSeveral parameters in NMR depend on the magnetic field strength. Field-cycling NMR is an elegant way to explore the field dependence of these properties. The technique is well developed for solution state and in relaxometry. Here, a shuttle system with magic-angle spinning (MAS) detection is presented to allow for field-dependent studies on solids. The function of this system is demonstrated by exploring the magnetic field dependence of the solid-state photochemically induced nuclear polarization (photo-CIDNP) effect. The effect allows for strong nuclear spin-hyperpolarization in light-induced spin-correlated radical pairs (SCRPs) under solid-state conditions. To this end, 13C MAS NMR is applied to a photosynthetic reaction center (RC) of the purple bacterium Rhodobacter (R.) sphaeroides wildtype (WT). For induction of the effect in the stray field of the magnet and its subsequent observation at 9.4 T under MAS NMR conditions, the sample is shuttled by the use of an aerodynamically driven sample transfer technique. In the RC, we observe the effect down to 0.25 T allowing to determine the window for the occurrence of the effect to be between about 0.2 and 20 T.