bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Trust, Investment, and Business Contracting
Authors: Ang James S. , Cheng Yingmei , Wu Chaopeng 
Published: August 2015

AbstractHow does trust affect business contracting at the firm level? We analyze the case of foreign high-tech companies investing in China, where the risk of expropriation of their intellectual property is high. We find that firms mitigate this type of risk by taking local trustworthiness into account when making investment decisions. Firms prefer to invest in regions where local partners and employees are considered more trustworthy; they are also more likely to establish joint ventures and to make greater research and development investments. We employ instrumental variable regressions and dynamic panel generalized method of moments estimators to alleviate endogeneity concerns and control for time-invariant heterogeneity.
Giants at the Gate: Investment Returns and Diseconomies of Scale in Private Equity
Authors: Lopez-de-Silanes Florencio , Phalippou Ludovic , Gottschalg Oliver 
Published: August 2015

AbstractWe document the wide dispersion of private equity investment returns and examine performance determinants using a newly constructed database of 7,500 investments worldwide. One in 10 investments does not return any money, whereas 1 in 4 has an internal rate of return (IRR) above 50%. Quick flips are associated with the highest returns. Performance does not appear scalable: Investments held by private equity firms in periods with a high number of simultaneous investments underperform substantially. Results are consistent with the theoretical literature on organizational diseconomies linked to firm structure. Private equity firms’ actions do not appear to be mechanical or easily scalable.
The Post-Acquisition Returns of Stock Deals: Evidence of the Pervasiveness of the Asset Growth Effect
Authors: Mortal Sandra , Schill Michael J. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractA growing literature finds that firm asset growth rates are negatively correlated with subsequent stock returns. We show that the poor post-deal returns that have been documented for stock acquisitions are more precisely explained by the return effects associated with systematically larger asset growth rates for stock deals. We find a similar result for other cross-sectional and time-series acquisition effects, including poor returns for glamour deals, weakly monitored deals, and deals done during high-valuation periods. We suggest that the distinguishing characteristic associated with poor performing acquisitions is simply their tendency to grow assets.
‘Terrible’ divine commands revisited: a response to Davis and Franks
Authors: MORRISTON WES 
Published: August 2015

AbstractIf God commanded something that would ordinarily be classified as a terrible evil, would we have a moral obligation to obey? In two previous articles in this journal, I examined and evaluated several different ways in which a divine command theorist might answer this question. Richard Brian Davis and W. Paul Franks have now provided a vigorous rebuttal, in which they argue that my way of handling the relevant counterpossible conditionals is flawed, and that a divine command theorist who avails herself of the metaphysical platform of theistic activism can consistently say that if (per impossibile) God were to command some terrible evil, it would not be the case that we have a moral obligation to do it. In the present article, I clarify my own view and defend it against Davis and Franks's objections. I also argue that the core claim of theistic activism – that there would be nothing at all if there were no God – does not have all the dramatic implications that Davis and Franks claim for it.
Comparison of Computerized Patients versus Live Moulaged Actors for a Mass-casualty Drill
Authors: Claudius Ilene , Kaji Amy , Santillanes Genevieve , Cicero Mark , Donofrio J. Joelle , Gausche-Hill Marianne , Srinivasan Saranya , Chang Todd P. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractIntroductionMultiple modalities for simulating mass-casualty scenarios exist; however, the ideal modality for education and drilling of mass-casualty incident (MCI) triage is not established.Hypothesis/ProblemMedical student triage accuracy and time to triage for computer-based simulated victims and live moulaged actors using the pediatric version of the Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (JumpSTART) mass-casualty triage tool were compared, anticipating that student performance and experience would be equivalent.MethodsThe victim scenarios were created from actual trauma records from pediatric high-mechanism trauma presenting to a participating Level 1 trauma center. The student-reported fidelity of the two modalities was also measured. Comparisons were done using nonparametric statistics and regression analysis using generalized estimating equations.ResultsThirty-three students triaged four live patients and seven computerized patients representing a spectrum of minor, immediate, delayed, and expectant victims. Of the live simulated patients, 92.4% were given accurate triage designations versus 81.8% for the computerized scenarios (P=.005). The median time to triage of live actors was 57 seconds (IQR=45-66) versus 80 seconds (IQR=58-106) for the computerized patients (P<.0001). The moulaged actors were felt to offer a more realistic encounter by 88% of the participants, with a higher associated stress level.ConclusionWhile potentially easier and more convenient to accomplish, computerized scenarios offered less fidelity than live moulaged actors for the purposes of MCI drilling. Medical students triaged live actors more accurately and more quickly than victims shown in a computerized simulation.ClaudiusI, KajiA, SantillanesG, CiceroM, DonofrioJJ, Gausche-HillM, SrinivasanS, ChangTP.
Comparison of computerized patients versus live moulaged actors for a mass-casualty drill. Prehosp Disaster Med.2015; 30(5): 438–442.
Conversion of rural abattoir wastes to an organic fertilizer and its application in the field cultivation of tomato in India
Authors: Roy Malancha , Das Rimi , Debsarcar Anupam , Kumar Sen Pradip , Mukherjee Joydeep 
Published: August 2015

AbstractSophisticated capital intensive waste-recycling technologies are unviable in small rural abattoirs in India due to low volume of wastes (principally blood and rumen digesta) generated and lack of infrastructural facilities. We report recycling of slaughterhouse wastes as an organic fertilizer, ‘bovine-blood-rumen-digesta-mixture’ (BBRDM). Bovine blood and rumen digesta were mixed in 3:1 ratio in a metallic container, boiled and stirred continuously till the mixture was largely free of water. The mass was sun-dried for 3 days to obtain the final product. BBRDM was applied for field cultivation of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L., local variety ‘Patharkuchi’) in West Bengal state (India) during 2012–13 and 2013–14. We compared tomato yields obtained with BBRDM (N:P2O5:K2O 30.36:1:5.75) and conventional inorganic fertilizers [diammonium phosphate (DAP), N:P2O5:K2O 18:46:0 + potash, N:P2O5:K2O 0:0:44]. BBRDM was applied at a higher rate compared with DAP + potash to meet the farmers’ desire for enhanced yields. 75 kg ha−1 was applied at the 2nd week while 150 kg ha−1 was applied at the 8th week after transplantation. Yields (total fruit weight) obtained from BBRDM-treated plants were higher in comparison with DAP + potash-fertilized plants by 46–48% as the former supplied 2.5 times more nitrogen (N) than the latter. The partial factor productivity of DAP + potash was 73–76% higher than BBRDM. Conversely, as BBRDM was produced through local entrepreneurship from slaughterhouse wastes, the cost of this organic product would be expected to be much lower than the commercial inorganic fertilizer. Furthermore, application of BBRDM negates the environmental cost of treating slaughterhouse effluent. Considering the same cost of applying 225 kg fertilizer ha−1, higher yield with BBRDM should result in greater potential revenue for the farmer compared with yields with DAP + potash. The C/N ratio of BBRDM is 4.8, having relatively high N content. Accordingly, rapid release of plant-available N was observed in BBRDM-fertilized soils. The temporal increase in soil NH4+may be attributed to lack of soil N immobilization. Local farmers are willing to accept the new fertilizer as a substitute for currently used chemical fertilizers.
MRI detection of breast cancer micrometastases with a fibronectin-targeting contrast agent
Authors: Zhou Zhuxian , Qutaish Mohammed , Han Zheng , Schur Rebecca M. , Liu Yiqiao , Wilson David L. , Lu Zheng-Rong 
Published: August 2015

AbstractMetastasis is the primary cause of death in breast cancer patients. Early detection of high-risk breast cancer, including micrometastasis, is critical in tailoring appropriate and effective interventional therapies. Increased fibronectin expression, a hallmark of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, is associated with high-risk breast cancer and metastasis. We have previously developed a penta-peptide CREKA (Cys-Arg-Glu-Lys-Ala)-targeted gadolinium-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, CREKA-Tris(Gd-DOTA)3 (Gd-DOTA (4,7,10-tris(carboxymethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecyl gadolinium), which binds to fibrin–fibronectin complexes that are abundant in the tumour microenvironment of fast-growing breast cancer. Here we assess the capability of CREKA-Tris(Gd-DOTA)3 to detect micrometastasis with MRI in co-registration with high-resolution fluorescence cryo-imaging in female mice bearing metastatic 4T1 breast tumours. We find that CREKA-Tris(Gd-DOTA)3 provides robust contrast enhancement in the metastatic tumours and enables the detection of micrometastases of size <0.5 mm, extending the detection limit of the current clinical imaging modalities. These results demonstrate that molecular MRI with CREKA-Tris(Gd-DOTA)3 may facilitate early detection of high-risk breast cancer and micrometastasis in the clinic.
Ionization-induced annealing of pre-existing defects in silicon carbide
Authors: Zhang Yanwen , Sachan Ritesh , Pakarinen Olli H. , Chisholm Matthew F. , Liu Peng , Xue Haizhou , Weber William J. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractA long-standing objective in materials research is to effectively heal fabrication defects or to remove pre-existing or environmentally induced damage in materials. Silicon carbide (SiC) is a fascinating wide-band gap semiconductor for high-temperature, high-power and high-frequency applications. Its high corrosion and radiation resistance makes it a key refractory/structural material with great potential for extremely harsh radiation environments. Here we show that the energy transferred to the electron system of SiC by energetic ions via inelastic ionization can effectively anneal pre-existing defects and restore the structural order. The threshold determined for this recovery process reveals that it can be activated by 750 and 850 keV Si and C self-ions, respectively. The results conveyed here can contribute to SiC-based device fabrication by providing a room-temperature approach to repair atomic lattice structures, and to SiC performance prediction as either a functional material for device applications or a structural material for high-radiation environments.
Flexibility and extracellular opening determine the interaction between ligands and insect sulfakinin receptors
Authors: Yu Na , Zotti Moises João , Scheys Freja , Braz Antônio S. K. , Penna Pedro H. C. , Nachman Ronald J. , Smagghe Guy 
Published: August 2015

AbstractDespite their fundamental importance for growth, the mechanisms that regulate food intake are poorly understood. Our previous work demonstrated that insect sulfakinin (SK) signaling is involved in inhibiting feeding in an important model and pest insect, the red flour beetleTribolium castaneum. Because the interaction of SK peptide and SK receptors (SKR) initiates the SK signaling, we have special interest on the structural factors that influence the SK-SKR interaction. First, the three-dimensional structures of the twoT. castaneumSKRs (TcSKR1 and TcSKR2) were generated from molecular modeling and they displayed significance in terms of the outer opening of the cavity and protein flexibility. TcSKR1 contained a larger outer opening of the cavity than that in TcSKR2, which allows ligands a deep access into the cavity through cell membrane. Second, normal mode analysis revealed that TcSKR1 was more flexible than TcSKR2 during receptor-ligand interaction. Third, the sulfated SK (sSK) and sSK-related peptides were more potent than the nonsulfated SK, suggesting the importance of the sulfate moiety.
Silver Nanorods Wrapped with Ultrathin Al2O3 Layers Exhibiting Excellent SERS Sensitivity and Outstanding SERS Stability
Authors: Ma Lingwei , Huang Yu , Hou Mengjing , Xie Zheng , Zhang Zhengjun 
Published: August 2015

AbstractSilver nanostructures have been considered as promising substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) with extremely high sensitivity. The applications, however, are hindered by the facts that their morphology can be easily destroyed due to the low melting points (~100 °C) and their surfaces are readily oxidized/sulfured in air, thus losing the SERS activity. It was found that wrapping Ag nanorods with an ultrathin (~1.5 nm) but dense and amorphous Al2O3 layer by low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) could make the nanorods robust in morphology up to 400 °C and passivate completely their surfaces to stabilize the SERS activity in air, without decreasing much the SERS sensitivity. This simple strategy holds great potentials to generate highly robust and stable SERS substrates for real applications.
Progeny Clustering: A Method to Identify Biological Phenotypes
Authors: Hu Chenyue W. , Kornblau Steven M. , Slater John H. , Qutub Amina A. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractEstimating the optimal number of clusters is a major challenge in applying cluster analysis to any type of dataset, especially to biomedical datasets, which are high-dimensional and complex. Here, we introduce an improved method, Progeny Clustering, which is stability-based and exceptionally efficient in computing, to find the ideal number of clusters. The algorithm employs a novel Progeny Sampling method to reconstruct cluster identity, a co-occurrence probability matrix to assess the clustering stability and a set of reference datasets to overcome inherent biases in the algorithm and data space. Our method was shown successful and robust when applied to two synthetic datasets (datasets of two-dimensions and ten-dimensions containing eight dimensions of pure noise), two standard biological datasets (the Iris dataset and Rat CNS dataset) and two biological datasets (a cell phenotype dataset and an acute myeloid leukemia (AML) reverse phase protein array (RPPA) dataset). Progeny Clustering outperformed some popular clustering evaluation methods in the ten-dimensional synthetic dataset as well as in the cell phenotype dataset and it was the only method that successfully discovered clinically meaningful patient groupings in the AML RPPA dataset.
Variable alterations of the microbiota, without metabolic or immunological change, following faecal microbiota transplantation in patients with chronic pouchitis
Authors: Landy J. , Walker A. W. , Li J. V. , Al-Hassi H. O. , Ronde E. , English N. R. , Mann E. R. , Bernardo D. , McLaughlin S. D. , Parkhill J. , Ciclitira P. J. , Clark S. K. , Knight S. C. , Hart A. L. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractFaecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is effective in the treatment ofClostridium difficileinfection, where efficacy correlates with changes in microbiota diversity and composition. The effects of FMT on recipient microbiota in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) remain unclear. We assessed the effects of FMT on microbiota composition and function, mucosal immune response and clinical outcome in patients with chronic pouchitis. Eight patients with chronic pouchitis (current PDAI ≥7) were treated with FMT via nasogastric administration. Clinical activity was assessed before and four weeks following FMT. Faecal coliform antibiotic sensitivities were analysed and changes in pouch faecal and mucosal microbiota assessed by 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing and1H NMR spectroscopy. Lamina propria dendritic cell phenotype and cytokine profiles were assessed by flow cytometric analysis and multiplex assay. Following FMT, there were variable shifts in faecal and mucosal microbiota composition and, in some patients, changes in proportional abundance of species suggestive of a “healthier” pouch microbiota. However, there were no significant FMT-induced metabolic or immunological changes, or beneficial clinical response. Given the lack of clinical response following FMT via a single nasogastric administration our results suggest that FMT/bacteriotherapy for pouchitis patients requires further optimisation.
Design of substrate-based BCR-ABL kinase inhibitors using the cyclotide scaffold
Authors: Huang Yen-Hua , Henriques Sónia T. , Wang Conan K. , Thorstholm Louise , Daly Norelle L. , Kaas Quentin , Craik David J. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThe constitutively active tyrosine kinase BCR-ABL is the underlying cause of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Current CML treatments rely on the long-term use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), which target the ATP binding site of BCR-ABL. Over the course of treatment, 20–30% of CML patients develop TKI resistance, which is commonly attributed to point mutations in the drug-binding region. We design a new class of peptide inhibitors that target the substrate-binding site of BCR-ABL by grafting sequences derived from abltide, the optimal substrate of Abl kinase, onto a cell-penetrating cyclotide MCoTI-II. Three grafted cyclotides show significant Abl kinase inhibition in vitro in the low micromolar range using a novel kinase inhibition assay. Our work also demonstrates that a reengineered MCoTI-II with abltide sequences grafted in both loop 1 and 6 inhibits the activity of [T315I]Abl in vitro, a mutant Abl kinase harboring the “gatekeeper” mutation which is notorious for being multidrug resistant. Results from serum stability and cell internalization studies confirm that the MCoTI-II scaffold provides enzymatic stability and cell-penetrating properties to the lead molecules. Taken together, our study highlights that reengineered cyclotides incorporating abltide-derived sequences are promising substrate-competitive inhibitors for Abl kinase and the T315I mutant.
Higher freshwater fish and sea fish intake is inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk among Chinese population: a case-control study
Authors: Xu Ming , Fang Yu-Jing , Chen Yu-Ming , Lu Min-Shan , Pan Zhi-Zhong , Yan Bo , Zhong Xiao , Zhang Cai-Xia 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThe association between specific fish intake and colorectal cancer risk remains controversial. This study aimed to examine the association between specific fish intake and colorectal cancer risk in Chinese population in a large case control study. During July 2010 to November 2014, 1189 eligible colorectal cancer cases and 1189 frequency-matched controls (age and sex) completed in-person interviews. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to estimate dietary intake. Multivariate logistical regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) after adjusting for various confounders. A strong inverse association was found between freshwater fish intake and colorectal cancer risk. Compared with the lowest quartile, the highest quartile intake showed a risk reduction of 53% (OR 0.47, 95% CI = 0.36–0.60, Ptrend < 0.01) after adjustment for various confounders. The inverse association were also observed for sea fish (OR 0.79, 95%CI = 0.62–0.99, Ptrend < 0.01) and fresh fish (OR 0.49, 95%CI = 0.38–0.62, Ptrend < 0.01). No statistically significant association was found between dried/salted fish and shellfish intake and colorectal cancer risk. These results indicate that higher consumption of freshwater fish, sea fish and fresh fish is associated with a lower risk of colorectal caner.
Cold plasma treatment enhances oilseed rape seed germination under drought stress
Authors: Ling Li , Jiangang Li , Minchong Shen , Chunlei Zhang , Yuanhua Dong 
Published: August 2015

AbstractEffects of cold plasma treatment on seed germination, seedling growth, antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation levels and osmotic-adjustment products of oilseed rape under drought stress were investigated in a drought-sensitive (Zhongshuang 7) and drought-tolerant cultivar (Zhongshuang 11). Results showed that, under drought stress, cold plasma treatment significantly improved the germination rate by 6.25% in Zhongshuang 7 and 4.44% in Zhongshuang 11. Seedling growth characteristics, including shoot and root dry weights, shoot and root lengths and lateral root number, significantly increased after cold plasma treatment. The apparent contact angle was reduced by 30.38% in Zhongshuang 7 and 16.91% in Zhongshuang 11. Cold plasma treatment markedly raised superoxide dismutase and catalase activities by 17.71% and 16.52% in Zhongshuang 7 and by 13.00% and 13.21% in Zhongshuang 11. Moreover, cold plasma treatment significantly increased the soluble sugar and protein contents, but reduced the malondialdehyde content in seedlings. Our results suggested that cold plasma treatment improved oilseed rape drought tolerance by improving antioxidant enzyme activities, increasing osmotic-adjustment products and reducing lipid peroxidation, especially in the drought-sensitive cultivar (Zhongshuang 7). Thus, cold plasma treatment can be used in an ameliorative way to improve germination and protect oilseed rape seedlings against damage caused by drought stress.
Hydrogen segregation and its roles in structural stability and metallization: silane under pressure
Authors: Cui Wenwen , Shi Jingming , Liu Hanyu , Yao Yansun , Wang Hui , Iitaka Toshiaki , Ma Yanming 
Published: August 2015

AbstractWe present results from first-principles calculations on silane (SiH4) under pressure. We find that a three dimensionalP-3 structure becomes the most stable phase above 241 GPa. A prominent structural feature, which separates theP-3 structure from previously observed/predicted SiH4structures, is that a fraction of hydrogen leaves the Si-H bonding environment and forms segregated H2units. The H2units are sparsely populated in the system and intercalated with a polymeric Si-H framework. Calculations of enthalpy of formation suggest that theP-3 structure is against the decomposition into Si-H binaries and/or the elemental crystals. Structural stability of theP-3 structure is attributed to the electron-deficient multicenter Si-H-Si interactions when neighboring silicon atoms are linked together through a common hydrogen atom. Within the multicenter bonds, electrons are delocalized and this leads to a metallic state, possibly also a superconducting state, for SiH4. An interesting outcome of the present study is that the enthalpy sum of SiH4(P-3 structure) and Si (fcc structure) appears to be lower than the enthalpy of disilane (Si2H6) between 200 and 300 GPa (for all previously predicted crystalline forms of Si2H6), which calls for a revisit of the stability of Si2H6under high pressure.