Expanding to outward foreign direct investment or not? A multi-dimensional analysis of entry mode transformation of Chinese private exporting firms

This research examines the factors determining whether or not exporting firms expand to outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) as part of their internationalisation strategy, using a recent survey of Chinese private-owned enterprises. We carry out a multi-dimensional analysis to investigate the impact of firm productivity, internal resources and the external environment on OFDI decisions, including both the decision to undertake OFDI and the volume of OFDI flows. It is found that productivity, technology-based capability, export experience, industry entry barriers, subnational institutions and intermediary institutional support affect firms’ OFDI decisions. The findings have important policy and managerial implications

Probing the Metal Enrichment of the Intergalactic Medium at z=5−6z=5-6 Using the Hubble Space Telescope

We test the galactic outflow model by probing associated galaxies of four strong intergalactic CIV absorbers at $z=5$--6 using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) ACS ramp narrowband filters. The four strong CIV absorbers reside at $z=5.74$, $5.52$, $4.95$, and $4.87$, with column densities ranging from $N_{\rm{CIV}}=10^{13.8}$ cm$^{-2}$ to $10^{14.8}$ cm$^{-2}$. At $z=5.74$, we detect an i-dropout Ly$\alpha$ emitter (LAE) candidate with a projected impact parameter of 42 physical kpc from the CIV absorber. This LAE candidate has a Ly$\alpha$-based star formation rate (SFR$_{\rm{Ly\alpha}}$) of 2 $M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ and a UV-based SFR of 4 $M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$. Although we cannot completely rule out that this $i$-dropout emitter may be an [OII] interloper, its measured properties are consistent with the CIV powering galaxy at $z=5.74$. For CIV absorbers at $z=4.95$ and $z=4.87$, although we detect two LAE candidates with impact parameters of 160 kpc and 200 kpc, such distances are larger than that predicted from the simulations. Therefore we treat them as non-detections. For the system at $z=5.52$, we do not detect LAE candidates, placing a 3-$\sigma$ upper limit of SFR$_{\rm{Ly\alpha}}\approx 1.5\ M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$. In summary, in these four cases, we only detect one plausible CIV source at $z=5.74$. Combining the modest SFR of the one detection and the three non-detections, our HST observations strongly support that smaller galaxies (SFR$_{\rm{Ly\alpha}} \lesssim 2\ M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$) are main sources of intergalactic CIV absorbers, and such small galaxies play a major role in the metal enrichment of the intergalactic medium at $z\gtrsim5$.Comment: Accepted for Publications in ApJ

HIERARCHICAL MODELLING FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Rapid Determination of Serum Melatonin by ESI–MS–MS with Direct Sample Injection

This paper describes a rapid, simple and sensitive analytical method for the quantitative determination of melatonin in human serum by ESI–MS–MS with direct serum sample injection and on-line extraction. The method uses N-acetyltryptamine as the internal standard. It has high specificity and sensitivity for serum melatonin analysis. The internal calibration curve shows a wide linear range from 0.500 to 200 ng/ml with a correlation coefficient, R2\u3e0.999. The limit of quantitation is 0.500 ng/ml and the limit of detection is 0.100 ng/ml with 10-μl sample injection. The recoveries of serum melatonin at three levels are approximately 70%. The intra-assay precision (n=5) is between 0.8 and 2.0% and the inter-assay precision (n=3) is between 1.5 and 5.9% over the calibration range. This method has a total analysis time of less than 9 min. It can be used for the measurement of melatonin in human blood

Simulation Technology for Hydrodynamic and Water Quality in the Main Canal

The hydrodynamic and water quality simulation technology can be used for predicting the pollutant diffusion process after a sudden water pollution accident, and for analyzing the effect of emergency operation measures. The MRP features a long route, a variety of buildings, etc.; therefore, a set of hydrodynamic and water quality models that are applicable to the main canal of the MRP was independently developed based on 1-D open canal hydrodynamic and water quality theory and with various types of buildings as inner boundaries. Through calibration and verification, these models can be applied to the simulation of hydraulic and water quality response process under any operation conditions in the main canal of the MRP