bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Limits of Guanxi for Chinese Nationals Doing Business Abroad: Empirical Investigation into Chinese Companies in Germany
Authors: Lin Lan , Wang Dai , Si Yue‐Fang 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIn the last ten years, Chinese outward direct investment (CODI) has undergone dramatic development. It has become increasingly important on the global stage. This paper attempts to integrate the guanxi concept into the Uppsala internationalisation process model to explain CODI motivation, location choice and knowledge acquisition channels. It reveals that Chinese investment in Germany is mainly driven by the desire to explore markets and to search for strategic resources. It favours location rich in network resources. Guanxi acts as an important channel of knowledge acquisition, but it is not as important as contractual linkage because of the limited professional and industry‐related knowledge in the local Chinese community. Chinese capitalism has been shaped into a hybrid form that incorporates both modern corporate management and traditional guanxi utilisation. Research which ignores or overemphasises the role of guanxi could lead to an incorrect understanding.
A protocol for combining fluorescent proteins with histological stains for diverse cell wall components
Authors: Ursache Robertas , Andersen Tonni Grube , Marhavý Peter , Geldner Niko 
Published: November 2017

SummaryHigher plant function is contingent upon the complex three‐dimensional (3D) architecture of plant tissues, yet severe light scattering renders deep, 3D tissue imaging very problematic. Although efforts to ‘clear’ tissues have been ongoing for over a century, many innovations have been made in recent years. Among them, a protocol called ClearSee efficiently clears tissues and diminishes chlorophyll autofluorescence while maintaining fluorescent proteins – thereby allowing analysis of gene expression and protein localisation in cleared samples. To further increase the usefulness of this protocol, we have developed a ClearSee‐based toolbox in which a number of classical histological stains for lignin, suberin and other cell wall components can be used in conjunction with fluorescent reporter lines. We found that a number of classical dyes are highly soluble in ClearSee solution, allowing the old staining protocols to be enormously simplified; these additionally have been unsuitable for co‐visualisation with fluorescent markers due to harsh fixation and clearing. Consecutive staining with several dyes allows 3D co‐visualisation of distinct cell wall modifications with fluorescent proteins – used as transcriptional reporters or protein localisation tools – deep within tissues. Moreover, the protocol is easily applied on hand sections of different organs. In combination with confocal microscopy, this improves image quality while decreasing the time and cost of embedding/sectioning. It thus provides a low‐cost, efficient method for studying thick plant tissues which are usually cumbersome to visualise. Our ClearSee‐adapted protocols significantly improve and speed up anatomical and developmental investigations in numerous plant species, and we hope they will contribute to new discoveries in many areas of plant research.
LYS12 LysM receptor decelerates Phytophthora palmivora disease progression in Lotus japonicus
Authors: Fuechtbauer Winnie , Yunusov Temur , Bozsóki Zoltán , Gavrin Aleksandr , James Euan K. , Stougaard Jens , Schornack Sebastian , Radutoiu Simona 
Published: November 2017

SummaryPhytophthora palmivora is a devastating oomycete plant pathogen. We found that P. palmivora induces disease in Lotus japonicus and used this interaction to identify cellular and molecular events in response to this oomycete, which has a broad host range. Transcript quantification revealed that Lys12 was highly and rapidly induced during P. palmivora infection. Mutants of Lys12 displayed accelerated disease progression, earlier plant death and a lower level of defence gene expression than the wild type, while the defence program after chitin, laminarin, oligogalacturonide or flg22 treatment and the root symbioses with nitrogen‐fixing rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhiza were similar to the wild type. On the microbial side, we found that P. palmivora encodes an active chitin synthase‐like protein, and mycelial growth is impaired after treatment with a chitin‐synthase inhibitor. However, wheat germ agglutinin‐detectable N‐acetyl‐glucosamine (GlcNAc) epitopes were not identified when the oomycete was grown in vitro or while infecting the roots. This indicates that conventional GlcNAc‐mers are unlikely to be produced and/or accumulate in P. palmivora cell walls and that LYS12 might perceive an unknown carbohydrate. The impact of Lys12 on progression of root rot disease, together with the finding that similar genes are present in other P. palmivora hosts, suggests that LYS12 might mediate a common early response to this pathogen.
The target of rapamycin kinase affects biomass accumulation and cell cycle progression by altering carbon/nitrogen balance in synchronized Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells
Authors: Jüppner Jessica , Mubeen Umarah , Leisse Andrea , Caldana Camila , Wiszniewski Andrew , Steinhauser Dirk , Giavalisco Patrick 
Published: November 2017

SummarySeveral metabolic processes tightly regulate growth and biomass accumulation. A highly conserved protein complex containing the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase is known to integrate intra‐ and extracellular stimuli controlling nutrient allocation and hence cellular growth. Although several functions of TOR have been described in various heterotrophic eukaryotes, our understanding lags far behind in photosynthetic organisms. In the present investigation, we used the model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to conduct a time‐resolved analysis of molecular and physiological features throughout the diurnal cycle after TOR inhibition. Detailed examination of the cell cycle phases revealed that growth is not only repressed by 50%, but also that significant, non‐linear delays in the progression can be observed. By using metabolomics analysis, we elucidated that the growth repression was mainly driven by differential carbon partitioning between anabolic and catabolic processes. Accordingly, the time‐resolved analysis illustrated that metabolic processes including amino acid‐, starch‐ and triacylglycerol synthesis, as well RNA degradation, were redirected within minutes of TOR inhibition. Here especially the high accumulation of nitrogen‐containing compounds indicated that an active TOR kinase controls the carbon to nitrogen balance of the cell, which is responsible for biomass accumulation, growth and cell cycle progression.
Do Swedish multinationals pay less in taxes than domestic firms?
Authors: Hansson Åsa , Olofsdotter Karin , Thede Susanna 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIn recent years, there has been growing concern that multinational enterprises (MNEs) engage in strategic tax planning in order to shift profits to low‐tax jurisdictions. This common perception is generally confirmed by empirical evidence, which is foremost provided for countries with high corporate taxes and relatively complex tax systems. We investigate whether multinational firms in a country with a comparatively more competitive tax system undertake profit shifting. We do this using detailed census data from corporate income statements and balance sheets filed by Swedish manufacturing firms between 1997 and 2007. We detect profit shifting by comparing MNEs with (purely) domestic firms. In particular, we identify systematic differences in tax payments, earnings (before interest and taxes) and equity ratios between multinational and comparable domestic firms based on propensity score matching. In addition, we examine the tax behavioural impact of acquiring multinational status using difference‐in‐differences estimations and/or propensity score matching. Our results reveal that the extent to which multinational firms have lower tax payments than their domestic counterparts depends on their production characteristics and foreign market outreach. In particular, we find evidence indicating that firms operating in few foreign markets and firms that become multinational engage in profit shifting from Sweden.
Improving the Supercooling Degree of TiO2 Suspensions by Coupling With Zirconium Phosphate Nanoplatelets
Authors: Yuan Xiao , Mo Songping , Chen Ying , Jia Lisi , Yin Tao , Yang Zhi , Cheng Zhengdong 
Published: November 2017

Phase-change materials (PCM) with low supercooling degree (SD) are important in cold thermal energy storage (CTES) applications. The SD of nanosuspension PCM usually decreases with increasing nanoparticle concentration. However, the performance variation of nanosuspension PCM at high concentrations has been rarely studied, though it is important because nanoparticles tend to aggregate. In this paper, the SD and dispersion stability of nanosuspensions of TiO2, zirconium phosphate (ZrP), and TiO2 coupled with zirconium phosphate (TiO2-ZrP) were investigated at nanoparticle concentrations up to 5.0 wt %. Results show that the SD of TiO2 suspension did not remarkably varied with mass concentrations above 2.0 wt %. In contrast, the SD of TiO2-ZrP and ZrP were low and continuously decreased with increasing mass concentration of nanoparticles. The dispersion stability of TiO2-ZrP suspension improved compared with that of TiO2 suspension. Hence, TiO2-ZrP suspension provided more nucleation sites than TiO2 suspension to induce heterogeneous in water.
Performance of statistical process control methods for regional surgical site infection surveillance: a 10-year multicentre pilot study
Authors: Baker Arthur W , Haridy Salah , Salem Joseph , Ilieş Iulian , Ergai Awatef O , Samareh Aven , Andrianas Nicholas , Benneyan James C , Sexton Daniel J , Anderson Deverick J 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundTraditional strategies for surveillance of surgical site infections (SSI) have multiple limitations, including delayed and incomplete outbreak detection. Statistical process control (SPC) methods address these deficiencies by combining longitudinal analysis with graphical presentation of data.MethodsWe performed a pilot study within a large network of community hospitals to evaluate performance of SPC methods for detecting SSI outbreaks. We applied conventional Shewhart and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) SPC charts to 10 previously investigated SSI outbreaks that occurred from 2003 to 2013. We compared the results of SPC surveillance to the results of traditional SSI surveillance methods. Then, we analysed the performance of modified SPC charts constructed with different outbreak detection rules, EWMA smoothing factors and baseline SSI rate calculations.ResultsConventional Shewhart and EWMA SPC charts both detected 8 of the 10 SSI outbreaks analysed, in each case prior to the date of traditional detection. Among detected outbreaks, conventional Shewhart chart detection occurred a median of 12 months prior to outbreak onset and 22 months prior to traditional detection. Conventional EWMA chart detection occurred a median of 7months prior to outbreak onset and 14 months prior to traditional detection. Modified Shewhart and EWMA charts additionally detected several outbreaks earlier than conventional SPC charts. Shewhart and SPC charts had low false-positive rates when used to analyse separate control hospital SSI data.ConclusionsOur findings illustrate the potential usefulness and feasibility of real-time SPC surveillance of SSI to rapidly identify outbreaks and improve patient safety. Further study is needed to optimise SPC chart selection and calculation, statistical outbreak detection rules and the process for reacting to signals of potential outbreaks.
Ionised calcium levels in major trauma patients who received blood en route to a military medical treatment facility
Authors: Kyle Tony , Greaves Ian , Beynon Anthony , Whittaker Vicky , Brewer Mike , Smith Jason 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundHypocalcaemia is a common metabolic derangement in critically ill patients. Blood transfusion can also contribute to depleted calcium levels. The aims of this study were to identify the incidence of hypocalcaemia in military trauma patients receiving blood products en route to a deployed hospital facility and to determine if intravenous calcium, given during the prehospital phase, has an effect on admission calcium levels.MethodsThis was a retrospective review of patients transported by the UK Medical Emergency Response Team in Afghanistan between January 2010 and December 2014 who were treated with blood products in the prehospital setting. Total units of blood products administered, basic demographics, Injury Severity Score and trauma type were collected. Ionised serum calcium levels on admission to hospital were compared between those who received blood products without prehospital intravenous calcium supplemental therapy (non-treatment) and patients who were treated with 10 mL of intravenous calcium chloride (10%) concurrently with blood products (treatment).ResultsThe study included 297 patients; 237 did not receive calcium and 60 did. The incidence of hypocalcaemia in the non-treatment group was 70.0% (n=166) compared with 28.3% (n=17) in the treatment group. Serum calcium levels were significantly different between the groups (1.03 mmol/L vs 1.25 mmol/L, difference 0.22 mmol/L, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.27). In the non-treatment group, 26.6% (n=63) had calcium levels within the normal range compared with 41.7% (n=25) in those who received calcium. There was a dose response of calcium level to blood products with a significant decrease in calcium levels as the volume of blood products increased.ConclusionTrauma patients who received blood products were at high risk of hypocalcaemia. Aggressive management of these patients with intravenous calcium during transfusion may be required.
Limb girdle muscular dystrophy due to mutations in POMT2
Authors: Østergaard Sofie Thurø , Johnson Katherine , Stojkovic Tanya , Krag Thomas , De Ridder Willem , De Jonghe Peter , Baets Jonathan , Claeys Kristl G , Fernández-Torrón Roberto , Phillips Lauren , Topf Ana , Colomer Jaume , Nafissi Shahriar , Jamal-Omidi Shirin , Bouchet-Seraphin Celine , Leturcq France , MacArthur Daniel G , Lek Monkol , Xu Liwen , Nelson Isabelle , Straub Volker , Vissing John 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundMutations in the gene coding for protein O-mannosyl-transferase 2 (POMT2) are known to cause severe congenital muscular dystrophy, and recently, mutations in POMT2 have also been linked to a milder limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) phenotype, named LGMD type 2N (LGMD2N). Only four cases have been reported so far.ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02759302MethodsWe report 12 new cases of LGMD2N, aged 18–63 years. Muscle involvement was assessed by MRI, muscle strength testing and muscle biopsy analysis. Other clinical features were also recorded.ResultsPresenting symptoms were difficulties in walking, pain during exercise, delayed motor milestones and learning disabilities at school. All had some degree of cognitive impairment. Brain MRIs were abnormal in 3 of 10 patients, showing ventricular enlargement in one, periventricular hyperintensities in another and frontal atrophy of the left hemisphere in a third patient. Most affected muscle groups were hip and knee flexors and extensors on strength testing. On MRI, most affected muscles were hamstrings followed by paraspinal and gluteal muscles. The 12 patients in our cohort carried 11 alleles with known mutations, whereas 11 novel mutations accounted for the remaining 13 alleles.ConclusionWe describe the first cohort of patients with LGMD2N and show that unlike other LGMD types, all patients had cognitive impairment. Primary muscle involvement was found in hamstring, paraspinal and gluteal muscles on MRI, which correlated well with reduced muscle strength in hip and knee flexors and extensors. The study expands the mutational spectrum for LGMD2N, with the description of 11 novel POMT2 mutations in the association with LGMD2N.Clinical trial registrationNCT02759302.
The Permian timescale: an introduction
Authors: Lucas Spencer G. , Shen Shu-Zhong 
Published: November 2017

Abstract
The Permian timescale has developed over about two centuries of research to the current chronostratigraphic scale advocated by the Subcommission on Permian Stratigraphy of three series and nine stages: Cisuralian (lower Permian) – Asselian, Sakmarian, Artinskian, Kungurian; Guadalupian (middle Permian) – Roadian, Wordian, Capitanian; and Lopingian (upper Permian) – Wuchiapingian and Changhsingian. The boundaries of the Permian System are defined by global stratotype sections and points (GSSPs) and the numerical ages of those boundaries appear to be determined with a precision better than 1‰. Nevertheless, much work remains to be done to refine the Permian timescale. Precise numerical age control within the Permian is very uneven and a global polarity timescale for the Permian is far from established. Chronostratigraphic definitions of three of the nine Permian stages remain unfinished and various issues of marine biostratigraphy are still unresolved. In the non-marine Permian realm, much progress has been made in correlation, especially using palynomorphs, megafossil plants, conchostracans and both the footprints and bones of tetrapods (amphibians and reptiles), but many problems of correlation remain, especially the cross-correlation of non-marine and marine chronologies. The further development of a Permian chronostratigraphic scale faces various problems, including those of stability and priority of nomenclature and concepts, disagreements over changing taxonomy, ammonoid v. fusulinid v. conodont biostratigraphy, differences in the perceived significance of biotic events for chronostratigraphic classification and correlation problems between provinces. Future research on the Permian timescale should focus on GSSP selection for the remaining undefined stage bases, the definition and characterization of substages, and further development and integration of the Permian chronostratigraphic scale with radioisotopic, magnetostratigraphic and chemostratigraphic tools for calibration and correlation.
Effect of Etanercept on the Success of Assisted Reproductive Technology in Patients with Endometrioma
Authors: Önalan Göğşen , Tohma Yusuf Aytaç , Zeyneloğlu Hulusi Bülent 
Published: November 2017

<b><i>Aims:</i></b> To determine the effects of a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (etanercept) on pregnancy outcomes in patients with endometrioma who were treated with assisted reproductive technology. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Sixty-eight infertile patients who had endometrioma were included in our retrospective case-control study. We administered etanercept (Enbrel, 50 mg in 1 mL intramuscularly) to 19 patients on the second day of their previous menstrual cycle. All patients were treated with assisted reproductive technology. Pregnancy and live birth rates (LBR) were documented. <b><i>Results:</i></b> When all other parameters (age, body mass index, infertility) are supposed to be constant, the clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher in patients who used etanercept in an antagonist protocol than in patients who did not use etanercept (χ<sup>2</sup> = 5.547; <i>p</i> = 0.019) but LBR did not reach a statistical significance (χ<sup>2</sup> = 3.179; <i>p</i> = 0.075). The use of etanercept had an OR of 4.17 (95% CI 1.23–14.14) compared with not using etanercept for clinical pregnancy rate. The use of etanercept increased the rate of pregnancy (χ<sup>2</sup> = 6.55; <i>p</i> = 0.01). The pregnancy rate with the use of etanercept had an OR of 4.23 (95% CI 1.35–13.25) compared with patients who did not use etanercept. In the same way, the use of etanercept increased LBR twofold, but it is not significant in the border line (χ<sup>2</sup> = 3.771; <i>p</i> = 0.052). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Etanercept may be a new non-hormonal therapy that may be an adjunct to treatment of infertile women with endometrioma. However, the safety of etanercept on embryos and fetuses has not been fully clarified.
Complete Malleus Removal for Cholesteatoma: A Multivariate Analysis of Ossiculoplasty Success and Residual Disease
Authors: Shapiro Scott , Bennett Donald , Wetmore Stephen , Cassis Adam 
Published: November 2017

Objective: Determine the effect of complete malleus removal during canal wall up tympanomastoidectomy for cholesteatoma on ossiculoplasty success and rate of residual cholesteatoma. Methods: We reviewed the operative, audiogram, and clinical reports of patients who underwent canal wall up tympanomastoidectomy for cholesteatoma between 2009 and 2016 at a tertiary academic medical center with at least 8 months of follow-up after surgery. To control for extent of disease, we independently catalogued the subsites of the middle ear and mastoid that cholesteatoma involved from each operation. We performed multivariate logistic regression to determine the independent effect of complete removal of the malleus on the rate of residual disease and success of ossiculoplasty. Results: One hundred eighty surgeries were included in the analysis. For ossiculoplasty success, the adjusted odds ratio of complete malleus removal was 1.7 (95% CI, 0.43-7.0, P = .43), which was not statistically significant. For residual disease, the adjusted odds ratio of complete malleus removal versus not was 0.29 (95% CI, 0.074-1.1, P = .076), which approached but did not meet statistical significance. Conclusion: Though complete malleus removal does not independently decrease the rate of residual cholesteatoma, it may be a safe technique as it did not compromise ossiculoplasty success.
Tubeless Total Intravenous Anesthesia Spontaneous Ventilation for Adult Suspension Microlaryngoscopy
Authors: Yoo Mi Jin , Joffe Aaron M. , Meyer Tanya K. 
Published: November 2017

Introduction: Maintaining spontaneous ventilation (SV) under total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) without an endotracheal tube provides uninterrupted and unobstructed surgical access for suspension microlaryngoscopy (SML). This study describes the method and outcome of adults who underwent SML under tubeless TIVA-SV. Methods: Retrospective review of adults who underwent SML between June 2014 and September 2016 using TIVA-SV without an endotracheal tube. Results: Sixty-six cases in 36 patients were included with mean age of 50.6 years and 52.7% were female. Airway pathology included 41.6% subglottic or tracheal stenosis, 19.4% laryngeal lesion or mass, 16.7% glottic stenosis, 13.9% recurrent respiratory papilloma, and 8.3% supraglottic stenosis. Anesthesia was most commonly provided by continuous infusion of propofol and remifentanil (57.6%). Approximately half (53%) of cases received superior laryngeal nerve block. Average operative time was 72.9 minutes (range, 27-166 minutes). Eight cases required supplemental ventilation: 6 cases required transient endotracheal ventilation or mask ventilation, and 2 cases were converted to alternative ventilation. Conclusions: Total intravenous anesthesia is an attractive alternative to traditional endotracheal tube intubation, jet ventilation, or intermittent apneic ventilation for adult SML. During episodes of hypoventilation or desaturation, endotracheal ventilation, mask ventilation, or jet ventilation can effectively recover oxygenation.