Board gender diversity and sustainable growth rate: Chinese evidence

This study investigates the impact of women directors on a firm’s sustainable growth rate. Using data from 2003 to 2017 for Chinese listed firms, we found a positive relationship between women directors and a sustainable growth rate. Our study also contributes to institutional theory by providing evidence that this positive relationship is more effective in legal-person-controlled firms than state-controlled firms. In comparison, women independent directors have a stronger influence than women executive directors on sustainable growth. Similarly, board gender diversity with three or more female directors substantially affects firms’ sustainable growth, consistent with critical mass theory. Our study’s findings are robust in terms of alternative estimations techniques, variable specifications, and different identification strategies, such as two-stage least squares and propensity score matching. Our study provides novel evidence on women directors’ role in increasing firms’ sustainable growth rate by adding a new dimension to the ongoing debate in the gender diversity literature

Models and Algorithms for Tracking Target with Coordinated Turn Motion

Tracking target with coordinated turn (CT) motion is highly dependent on the models and algorithms. First, the widely used models are compared in this paper—coordinated turn (CT) model with known turn rate, augmented coordinated turn (ACT) model with Cartesian velocity, ACT model with polar velocity, CT model using a kinematic constraint, and maneuver centered circular motion model. Then, in the single model tracking framework, the tracking algorithms for the last four models are compared and the suggestions on the choice of models for different practical target tracking problems are given. Finally, in the multiple models (MM) framework, the algorithm based on expectation maximization (EM) algorithm is derived, including both the batch form and the recursive form. Compared with the widely used interacting multiple model (IMM) algorithm, the EM algorithm shows its effectiveness

HfB2-SiC-MoSi2 oxidation resistance coating fabricated through in-situ synthesis for SiC coated C/C composites

A brand new HfB2-SiC-MoSi2 coating was fabricated to protect carbon/carbon (C/C) composites with inner SiC coating from oxidation, which was prepared by in-situ synthesis. In this paper, the C/C substrate with the protection of the HfB2-SiC-MoSi2/SiC coating could resist oxidation in 1773 K air for 408 h. The double coating also presented expected oxidation protection performance at dynamic oxidation environment. In the test process, the surface coating was oxidized to form a self-sealing silicate glass layer containing HfO2 and HfSiO4, which could hinder crack propagation in coating

Preparation of ZrB2-ZrC-SiC-ZrO2 nanopowders with in-situ grown homogeneously dispersed SiC nanowires

To explore the application of SiC nanowires (SiCnws) in ZrB2 based ceramic materials, a facile approach is reported to in situ synthesize homogeneously dispersed SiCnws in ZrB2-ZrC-SiC-ZrO2 nanopowders by pyrolyzing a B-Si-Zr containing sol precursor impregnated in polyurethane sponge. The sponge was used to provide porous skeletons for the growth of SiC nanowires and facilitate their uniform distribution in the powders. After heat-treatment of the precursor with a Si/Zr atomic ratio of 10 at 1500 °C for 2 h, ZrB2-ZrC-SiC-ZrO2 ceramic powders were obtained with an even and fine particle size of ~100 nm. The SiCnws were in a diameter of ~100 nm with a controllable length varying from tens to hundreds of microns by increasing the silicon content in the precursor. Moreover, the produced SiCnws were in high purity, and homogeneously dispersed in the hybrid nanopowders. The study can open up a feasible route to overcome the critical fabrication process in SiCnws reinforced ceramic matrix composites

Diethyl 4,6-diacetamido­isophthalate

In the title compound, C16H20N2O6, two intra­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds occur, in which the carbonyl O atoms of the ethyl acetate groups serve as the acceptor atoms; both motifs generate S(6) rings. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by weak C—H⋯O links (with the acceptor O atoms part of the amide groups), generating [001] chains

An optically pumped atomic clock based on a continuous slow cesium beam

Herein, we report the scheme of an optically pumped atomic clock based on a cold cesium atomic beam source. We propose the laser system and physical mechanism of this atomic clock, wherein the atomic beam travels in an upper parabolic trajectory, thereby eliminating the light shift effect. In the experiments, when the length of the free evolution region was 167 mm, the line width of the Ramsey fringe was 37 Hz. When the expected signal-to-noise ratio of the Ramsey fringe that can be achieved is 36,000, the expected short-term frequency stability is about 3.6 × 10–14/√τ, which is significantly higher than that of a conventional optically pumped cesium clock of similar volume

GWAS Analysis and QTL Identification of Fiber Quality Traits and Yield Components in Upland Cotton Using Enriched High-Density SNP Markers

It is of great importance to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling fiber quality traits and yield components for future marker-assisted selection (MAS) and candidate gene function identifications. In this study, two kinds of traits in 231 F6:8 recombinant inbred lines (RILs), derived from an intraspecific cross between Xinluzao24, a cultivar with elite fiber quality, and Lumianyan28, a cultivar with wide adaptability and high yield potential, were measured in nine environments. This RIL population was genotyped by 122 SSR and 4729 SNP markers, which were also used to construct the genetic map. The map covered 2477.99 cM of hirsutum genome, with an average marker interval of 0.51 cM between adjacent markers. As a result, a total of 134 QTLs for fiber quality traits and 122 QTLs for yield components were detected, with 2.18–24.45 and 1.68–28.27% proportions of the phenotypic variance explained by each QTL, respectively. Among these QTLs, 57 were detected in at least two environments, named stable QTLs. A total of 209 and 139 quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) were associated with fiber quality traits and yield components by four multilocus genome-wide association studies methods, respectively. Among these QTNs, 74 were detected by at least two algorithms or in two environments. The candidate genes harbored by 57 stable QTLs were compared with the ones associated with QTN, and 35 common candidate genes were found. Among these common candidate genes, four were possibly “pleiotropic.” This study provided important information for MAS and candidate gene functional studies