bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Accounting conservatism, capital structure, and global diversification
Authors: Salama Feras M , Putnam Karl 
Published: January 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of accounting conservatism (as a proxy for financial reporting quality) on the degree of financial leverage. In addition, this paper examines the impact of global diversification (as a proxy for operational complexity) on the relationship between conservatism and financial leverage.

Design/methodology/approach
– A panel data regression analysis is conducted for the period 2000-2006. The authors utilized a two-way fixed-effects model to control for unobservable firm characteristics and time effects that may influence the firm’s decision to report conservatively.

Findings
– This paper provides empirical evidence that conservatism is positively associated with the degree of financial leverage, and the influence of conservatism on financial leverage is enhanced by the degree of global diversification.

Originality/value
– A major issue in corporate finance is the identification of variables that influence corporate capital structure choices. The evidence presented in this paper reveals that more conservative financial reporting is associated with a higher degree of financial leverage in the firm’s capital structure. This effect increases with the extent of global diversification, indicating that bondholders place a higher value on conservatism when there is more information asymmetry between stakeholders and managers caused by global diversification.
The detection of Propionibacterium acnes signatures in granulomas of lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei
Authors: Nishimoto Junko , Amano Masahiro , Setoyama Mitsuru 
Published: January 2015

AbstractLupus miliaris disseminatus faciei (LMDF) is a papular eruption that occurs on adults' faces, predominantly on the lower eyelids. Histologically, the granulomatous lesions are primarily situated around the hair follicles, particularly the superficial region/infundibula. Its etiology remains to be elucidated. Recently, Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) has been suspected as a cause of sarcoidosis. In light of the sarcoid‐like reactions that are present in LMDF, we hypothesized that P. acnes may also be implicated in granulomas associated with the disease. We evaluated nine DNA samples from granulomatous lesions from the skin of patients with LMDF. We used laser capture microdissection to extract DNA from these regions. Polymerase chain reaction was performed to amplify segments of the 16S ribosomal RNA of P. acnes, and the P. acnes gene was clearly detectable in all nine DNA samples. The gene was also detected in samples from normal‐appearing skin, but these bands were faint in all samples. The results of the present study suggest that P. acnes plays a pathogenetic roles in LMDF.
Case series of patients with chronic foot ulcers treated with autologous platelet‐rich plasma
Authors: Yotsu Rie R. , Hagiwara Shotaro , Okochi Hitoshi , Tamaki Takeshi 
Published: January 2015

AbstractTreatment for patients with chronic wounds is entering a new era, and autologous platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) is among the most promising treatments. PRP contains a concentration of platelets obtained by centrifuging the patient's blood. Because it contains fibrin and high concentrations of growth factors, PRP is known to promote wound healing. In this study, we present five patients with chronic foot ulcers successfully treated with PRP in our institution. The patients had various underlying diseases: diabetes (n = 2), peripheral arterial disease (n = 1), both diabetes and peripheral arterial disease (n = 1), and cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa (n = 1). Also, we provide a description of PRP's mechanisms, advantages, and limitations.
Diabetic macular ischaemia is associated with narrower retinal arterioles in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Liew Gerald , Sim Dawn A. , Keane Pearse A. , Tan Ava G. , Mitchell Paul , Wang Jie Jin , Wong Tien Y. , Fruttiger Marcus , Tufail Adnan , Egan Catherine A. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractPurposeDiabetic macular ischaemia (DMI) is an important cause of visual loss in patients with diabetes, but its relationship to the larger retinal vessels is unknown. We examined whether retinal vessel calibre is related to DMI.MethodsClinic‐based case–control study of patients with type 2 diabetes. The presence and severity of DMI was assessed using Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) protocols from fundus fluorescein angiographic (FFA) images. Custom software was used to quantify the greatest linear dimension and area of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ). Retinal vessel calibre was measured using a semi‐automated software on fundus fluorescein images.ResultsOf 53 patients examined, 18 (34%), 18 (34%) and 17 (32%) had no/mild, moderate and severe DMI, respectively. Persons with moderate or severe DMI had narrower mean retinal arteriolar calibre than persons with no/mild DMI (140.6 μm 95% confidence interval (CI) 134.7, 146.4 versus 150.7 μm, 95% CI 142.5, 158, p = 0.04). The association remained after multivariate adjustment for age, gender, previous panretinal photocoagulation, neovascularization at the disc and elsewhere and diabetic retinopathy severity. Increased FAZ size was also associated with narrower arteriolar calibre. Retinal venular calibre and arteriole to venule ratio (AVR) were not associated with DMI.ConclusionsRetinal arteriolar narrowing was associated with moderate‐to‐severe macular ischaemia in eyes with diabetic retinopathy. This suggests that larger vessels other than capillaries may also be associated with DMI.
A Gelatinases‐targeting scFv‐based Fusion Protein Shows Enhanced Antitumour Activity with Endostar against Hepatoma
Authors: Gao Ruijuan , Li Liang , Shang Boyang , Zhao Chunyan , Sheng Weijin , Li Diandong 
Published: January 2015

AbstractGelatinases play important roles in tumour invasion and metastasis and are thus considered promising targets for cancer therapy. In this study, a new single‐chain variable fragment (scFv)‐based fusion protein Fv‐LDP, composed of the anti‐gelatinases scFv and lidamycin apoprotein (LDP), was prepared, and its combination with angiogenesis inhibitor Endostar was then investigated. The fusion protein Fv‐LDP specifically bound to various tumour cells, and its binding capability to human pulmonary giant cell carcinoma (PG) cells was higher than that of LDP. Fv‐LDP inhibited the expression and secretion of gelatinases and could be internalized into tumour cells via endocytosis. Fv‐LDP also suppressed the growth of human hepatoma cells and murine hepatoma 22 transplanted in Kunming mice in various degrees. In addition, Endostar could enhance the synergistic or additive inhibition of Fv‐LDP on the growth, migration or invasion of human hepatoma cells shown by a colony formation assay and a transwell‐based migration or invasion assay, respectively. In vivo, Fv‐LDP/Endostar combination showed a significantly synergistic effect on the growth of a human hepatoma xenograft, with an inhibition rate of 80.8% compared with the Fv‐LDP (44.1%) or Endostar (8.9%)‐treated group. The above‐mentioned results indicate that the fusion protein Fv‐LDP is effective against transplantable hepatoma in mice and human hepatoma xenografts in athymic mice. Moreover, Endostar can potentiate the inhibition effect of Fv‐LDP on the growth of human hepatoma cells and xenografts. These data will provide a new combined strategy for improving the therapeutic efficacy of treatments for hepatoma or other gelatinase‐overexpressing tumours.
Design and Biological Evaluation of Furan/Pyrrole/Thiophene‐2‐carboxamide Derivatives as EfficientDNAGyraseB Inhibitors ofStaphylococcus aureus
Authors: Janupally Renuka , Medepi Bhramam , Brindha Devi Parthiban , Suryadevara Priyanka , Jeankumar Variam Ullas , Kulkarni Pushkar , Yogeeswari Perumal , Sriram Dharmarajan 
Published: January 2015

DNAtopoisomerases are well‐validated targets in micro‐organisms.DNAgyraseB is one of the most important enzymes among them as per their clinical importance. In earlier study, a novel lead 4‐((4‐(furan‐2‐carboxamido)phenyl)amino)‐4‐oxobutanoic acid was identified as inhibitor againstDNAgyraseB with anIC50of 12.88 ± 1.39 μm. Subsequently, analogues of this lead were developed and evaluated throughin vitroassays andin vivostudies. Among the 24 analogues, compound22was found to be the top hit with an improvedDNAgyraseB activity of 5.35 ± 0.61 μm, and the binding affinity of this compound was further ascertained biophysically through differential scanning fluorimetry. The most potent ligand did not show any signs of cardiotoxicity in zebra fish ether‐ago‐go‐related gene, ascertaining the safety profile of this series a breakthrough among the previously reported cardiotoxic gyraseB inhibitors.
ST13 polymorphisms and their effect on exacerbations in steroid‐treated asthmatic children and young adults
Authors: Vijverberg S. J. H. , Koster E. S. , Tavendale R. , Leusink M. , Koenderman L. , Raaijmakers J. A. M. , Postma D. S. , Koppelman G. H. , Turner S. W. , Mukhopadhyay S. , Tse S. M. , Tantisira K. G. , Hawcutt D. B. , Francis B. , Pirmohamed M. , Pino‐Yanes M. , Eng C. , Burchard E. G. , Palmer C. N. A. , Maitland‐van der Zee A. H. 
Published: January 2015

SummaryBackgroundThe clinical response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) is associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in various genes. This study aimed to relate variations in genes in the steroid pathway and asthma susceptibility genes to exacerbations in children and young adults treated with ICS.MethodsWe performed a meta‐analysis of three cohort studies: Pharmacogenetics of Asthma Medication in Children: Medication with Anti‐Inflammatory effects (n = 357, age: 4–12 years, the Netherlands), BREATHE (n = 820, age: 3–22 years, UK) and Paediatric Asthma Gene Environment Study (n = 391, age: 2–16 years, UK). Seventeen genes were selected based on a role in the glucocorticoid signalling pathway or a reported association with asthma. Two outcome parameters were used to reflect exacerbations: hospital visits and oral corticosteroid (OCS) use in the previous year. The most significant associations were tested in three independent validation cohorts; the Childhood Asthma Management Programme (clinical trial, n = 172, age: 5–12 years, USA), the Genes‐ environment and Mixture in Latino Americans II‐ study (n = 745, age: 8–21, USA) and the Pharmacogenetics of adrenal suppression cohort (n = 391, age: 5–18, UK) to test the robustness of the findings. Finally, all results were meta‐analysed.ResultsTwo SNPs in ST13 (rs138335 and rs138337), but not in the other genes, were associated at a nominal level with an increased risk of exacerbations in asthmatics using ICS in the three cohorts studied. In a meta‐analysis of all six studies, ST13 rs138335 remained associated with an increased risk of asthma‐related hospital visits and OCS use in the previous year; OR = 1.22 (P = 0.013) and OR = 1.22 (P = 0.0017), respectively.Conclusion and clinical relevanceA novel susceptibility gene, ST13, coding for a cochaperone of the glucocorticoid receptor, is associated with exacerbations in asthmatic children and young adults despite their ICS use. Genetic variation in the glucocorticoid signalling pathway may contribute to the interindividual variability in clinical response to ICS treatment in children and young adults.
Measuring the Competitiveness of China's Processed Exports
Authors: Thorbecke Willem 
Published: January 2015

AbstractChina's surplus in processing trade remains large. Processed exports are final goods produced using parts and components that are imported duty free. Because much of the value‐added of these exports comes from East Asia, exchange rates throughout the region should affect their foreign currency prices. This paper presents data on value‐added exchange rates for processed exports over the 1993–2013 period and reports that they significantly affect exports. While the renminbi appreciated 36 percent between the beginning of 2005 and the end of 2013, exchange rates in supply chain countries depreciated. This has mitigated the effect of the RMB appreciation on the price competitiveness of processed exports.
Impact of an integrated model of care on potentially preventable hospitalizations for people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Zhang J. , Donald M. , Baxter K. A. , Ware R. S. , Burridge L. , Russell A. W. , Jackson C. L. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractAimsTo evaluate the impact of an integrated model of care for patients with complex Type 2 diabetes mellitus on potentially preventable hospitalizations.MethodsA prospective controlled trial was conducted comparing a multidisciplinary, community‐based, integrated primary–secondary care diabetes service with usual care at a hospital diabetes outpatient clinic. Study and hospital admissions data were linked for the period from 12 months before to 24 months after commencement of the trial. The primary outcome was the number of potentially preventable hospitalizations with diabetes‐related principal diagnoses. Length of stay once hospitalized was also reported.ResultsOf 327 adult participants, 206 were hospitalized and accounted for 667 admissions during the study period. Compared with the usual care group, patients in the integrated model of care group were nearly half as likely to be hospitalized for a potentially preventable diabetes‐related principal diagnosis in the 24 months after study commencement (incidence rate ratio 0.53, 95% CI 0.29, 0.96; P = 0.04). The magnitude of the result remained similar after adjusting for age, sex, education and baseline HbA1c concentration (incidence rate ratio 0.54, 95% CI 0.29, 1.01; P = 0.05).When hospitalized, patients in the integrated care group had a similar length of stay compared with those in the usual care group (median difference ‐2 days, 95%CI ‐6.5, 2.3; P = 0.33).ConclusionsPatients receiving the integrated model of care had a reduction in the number of hospitalizations when the principal diagnosis for admission was a diabetes‐related complication. Integrated models of care for people with complex diabetes can reduce hospitalizations and help attempts to curtail increasing demand on finite health services.
The Sound of Bedrock: Lines of Grammar between Kant, Wittgenstein, and Cavell
Authors: Baz Avner 
Published: January 2015

AbstractIn ‘Aesthetics Problems of Modern Philosophy’ Stanley Cavell proposes, first, that Kant's characterization of judgments of beauty may be read as a Wittgensteinian grammatical characterization, and, second, that the philosophical appeal to ‘what we say and mean’ partakes of the grammar of judgment of beauty. I argue first that the expression of the dawning of an aspect partakes of the grammar of judgments of beauty as characterized by Kant, and may also be seen—on a prevailing way of thinking about concepts and how they relate to their instances—to have the same kind of significance that judgments of beauty have according to Kant. And then I argue that there are good (Wittgensteinian) reasons for being suspicious of the prevailing conception of concepts, and therefore good reasons for being suspicious of the proposed understanding of the significance of aspect perception—an understanding that has attracted many readers of Wittgenstein's remarks on aspects. This leads me to suggest that it is actually the philosophical appeal to ordinary language that has the kind of significance that the Kantian picture attributes to judgments of beauty and to the seeing of aspects. In this way, I offer a way to vindicate Cavell's second proposal.
Seasonal dynamics of bioenergy characteristics in grassland functional groups
Authors: Melts I. , Heinsoo K. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractSemi‐natural grasslands (SNG) are considered as bioenergy resources, either for combustion or for biogas production. To provide information on the seasonal (June–August) dynamics of herbage quantity and chemical composition, we studied the effects of factors on the proportions of four plant functional groups, chemical composition and total biomass yield at twelve sites representing three Estonian SNG types. Biomass yield increased only in alluvial meadows with the largest contribution of sedges/rushes (39%). Grasses dominated in dry‐to‐mesic meadows (62%) and other forbs in wooded meadows (55%). Concentration of fibre was highest in grasses and sedges/rushes (682 and 645 g NDF kg−1), and lignin was highest in legumes and other forbs (103 and 113 g kg−1). Legumes contained more C and N (447 and 25 g kg−1) and grasses more Cl (1 g kg−1). The highest concentrations of Mg, K and ash were in other forbs (4, 18 and 80 g kg−1), and Ca in legumes (16 g kg−1). The results are discussed in the context of suitability of different functional groups and SNG types for bioenergy conversion. Grasses and sedge‐/rush‐rich biomass are considered suitable for methane production. Biomass harvesting in July and minimizing the problems with N and Cl during combustion need to be considered. Forb‐rich biomass should be pre‐treated before direct combustion.
Mission Groups and the New Politics of British Higher Education
Authors: Filippakou Ourania , Tapper Ted 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThis article explores the emergence and impact of the mission groups in British higher education. The central argument is that given the development of a mass and diversified model of higher education it was inevitable that the higher education institutions would form pressure groups, while increased marketisation and growing inter‐institutional competition have helped to sustain their presence. With particular reference to their input into the policy making process, it analyses how they contribute to a new politics of policy‐making and concludes by considering the future of the mission groups in the light of the recent demise of the 1994 Group.
University Admissions and the Prediction of Degree Performance: an Analysis in the Light of Changes to the English Schools’ Examination System
Authors: Johnston Ron , Manley David , Jones Kelvyn , Harris Richard , Hoare Anthony 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe United Kingdom's Department for Education has recently changed the nature of the AS‐level examinations normally taken by students aspiring to enter higher education degree courses one year into their post‐compulsory education. In the face of protests from universities and other institutions that this would both harm students’ progression towards the A‐level qualifications, on which entry to English universities is normally based, and make it difficult for universities determining which of their applicants were best placed to benefit from their degree courses, the Department conducted research which it claimed showed that degree outcome could be predicted as well from the results of GCSE examinations taken one year before AS‐levels as from AS‐levels themselves. This paper critiques those analyses and their conclusions showing, through a re‐analysis and extended interpretation of the Department's data, that AS‐levels provide a more reliable predictor of degree performance in 2011 than GCSEs and that many students who performed better at AS‐level than at GCSE gained a place, and performed well, at a university with high entrance standards.
Preparation of Silicon Nitride Hollow Quasi‐Spheres by RF Thermal Plasma
Authors: Lu Chen , Fan Junmei , Zhang Yanchang , Yuan Fangli , Yao Mingshui 
Published: January 2015

Silicon nitride hollow quasi‐spheres (SNHQSs) are prepared via a two‐step method: producing micrometer‐sized agglomerated granules with β‐Si3N4, and sintering additives of nano‐alumina and nano‐yttria by spray‐drying and then hollowing the spray‐dried granules (SDGs) by radio frequency thermal plasma sintering. Five kinds of slurry with different content of sintering additives are prepared for spray‐drying, and the attained five kinds of SDGs have similar morphology and properties. However, different SDGs generate diverse hollow structures via plasma sintering. The cavity formation mechanism of the SNHQSs is deeply investigated. In addition, the obtained SNHQSs possess low apparent density (0.371–0.481 g/mL), high compressive strength (up to 50 MPa), and good thermal stability (up to 1600°C), which will enable their promising applications in porous ceramics.
Política de la legislación laboral en el sur de China. Las cámaras de comercio y otros organismos extranjeros ante las leyes sobre negociación colectiva
Authors: HUI Elaine Sio‐Ieng , CHAN Chris King‐Chi 
Published: January 2015

ResumenEn 2010, tras la huelga en Honda, hubo protestas laborales en toda China. Los gobiernos de Shenzhen y Guangdong reaccionaron desempolvando los proyectos de Decreto sobre consulta colectiva y de Normativa sobre gestión democrática de las empresas, retirados con anterioridad. Pero tras la oposición frontal de cámaras de comercio y organismos gubernamentales extranjeros, hongkoneses y taiwaneses, volvieron a retirarse. Mediante entrevistas, los autores revelan los medios de influencia en la legislación laboral china de estos actores, cuyas actitudes dependen de la posición de las empresas representadas en las cadenas mundiales de producción y del modelo de relaciones laborales de su país o territorio de origen.
Optical and Structural Properties of ZnO and ZnO:Cd Particles Grown by the Hydrothermal Method
Authors: Guzmán‐Embús Diego A. , Vargas‐Charry Maria F. , Vargas‐Hernández Carlos 
Published: January 2015

Here, we examine the structural, vibrational, optical, and morphological properties of ZnO particles synthesized by the hydrothermal method, incorporating cadmium at different concentrations through the molar ratio Rm = Cd+2/Zn+2 and a thermal treatment at 500°C. The X‐ray diffraction results demonstrated the high crystallinity of the ZnO compound with a wurtzite‐type hexagonal structure. The Raman scattering spectra demonstrated that the ZnO vibrational modes occur in the region between 200 and 1300 cm−1, which is associated with different vibrational configurations characteristic of the ZnO molecule: E2(Low), E2(M), A1(TO) E1(TO), 2B1(High), E2(High), and TA + LO. The modes that were most affected by the incorporation of Cd2+ were those assigned to 2E2(Low), E2(M), and 2B1(High), and this effect was associated with a greater displacement of Zn2+ ions. The optical study showed a reduction in the band gap and a decrease in the crystalline quality due to the substitution of Cd2+ in the ZnO lattice. Cadmium incorporation affected the morphology of the ZnO:Cd particles, changing the lengths and diameters of the ZnO rods; when the Cd concentration was increased, the ZnO rods shortened, forming coin‐type hexagonal structures.