Intellectual capital and firm performance in the context of venture-capital syndication background in China

This paper is intended to investigate the role of Venture-Capital Syndication (VCS) background in the relationship between intellectual capital (IC) and portfolio firm performance (PFP); specifically, this article examines the moderating effect of VCS’s leading firm background and member heterogeneity on the effect of IC on PFP. This study used a modified VAIC model to measure IC to compose a 4-component variable including human capital, structural capital, relational capital, and innovation capital. The data were collected from VCS-backed and listed firms in China during 2014 to 2018 applying the pooled OLS model for hypotheses test, Generalized Method of Moments (GMMs) to reduce endogeneity and unobserved factor control, and also return on equity (ROE) instead of ROA for the robustness test. Empirical results showed that IC and its components can improve PFP for VCS-backed firms in China; in detail, IC showed greater impact on performance of firms invested by foreign lead investors than in private or government VCS, specially reflected in the impact of innovation capital on PFP. Furthermore, IC showed weaker impact on PFP of mixed VCS-backed firms compared to pure VCS-backed firms and showed diminished effect on higher VCS member heterogeneity mainly reflected in the impact of relational capital on firm performance. These findings propose a new way of combining IC and VC to improve firm performance and are beneficial to theoretical development of IC and VC as well as a perspective for VC firm managers to choose suitable partners prior to join a VCS

Regulation of autophagy by AMP-activated protein kinase/ sirtuin 1 pathway reduces spinal cord neurons damage

Objective(s): AMP-activated protein kinase/sirtuin 1 (AMPK/SIRT1) signaling pathway has been proved to be involved in the regulation of autophagy in various models. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of AMPK/SIRT1 pathway on autophagy after spinal cord injury (SCI). Materials and Methods:The SCI model was established in rats in vivo and the primary spinal cord neurons were subjected to mechanical injury (MI) in vitro. The apoptosis in spinal cord tissue and neurons was assessed by TUNEL staining and Hoechst 33342 staining, respectively. The autophagy-related proteins levels were detected by Western blot. The activation of AMPK/SIRT1 pathway was determined by Western blot and immunohistochemical staining. Results: We found that the apoptosis of spinal cord tissue and cell damage of spinal cord neurons was obvious after the trauma. The ratio of LC3II/LC3I and level of p62 were first increased significantly and then decreased after the trauma in vivo and in vitro, indicating the defect in autophagy. The levels of p-AMPK and SIRT1 were increased obviously after the trauma in vivo and in vitro. Further activation of the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway by pretreatment with resveratrol, a confirmed activator of the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway, alleviated the cell damage and promoted the autophagy flux via downregulation of p62 in spinal cord neurons at 24 hr after MI. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that regulation of autophagy by AMPK/SIRT1 pathway can restrain spinal cord neurons damage, which may be a potential intervention of SCI

Skilled Migration and Economic Growth: A Cross-National Analysis

While the contemporary literature has generally favored an optimistic view of skilled emigration as being beneficial to economic growth, empirical analysis that directly tests the thesis is relatively scarce; and what exists in often ambiguous with respect to its findings. This paper takes a step towards filling this void. A seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) preformed on a panel of 155 countries with data taken quinquennially over the period 1975-2000 allows us to identify two channels of impact of brain drain on economic growth. In the first \u27indirect\u27 channel, we found a strong positive correlation between levels of brain drain and human capital formation. It is then the case that brain drain benefits the sending countries since human capital is positively related to growth. In the second \u27direct\u27 channel, we, however, found a negative impact of brain drain on economic growth

Anisotropic Aerogels with Excellent Mechanical Resilience and Thermal Insulation from Pleurotus eryngii Fungus

Abstract Biomass aerogels with superior sustainability, high compressibility, and resilience are highly attractive for diverse technological applications. Anisotropic fungus aerogels derived from natural Pleurotus eryngii with excellent compressibility and resilience are obtained through a facile and environmentally friendly top‐down approach. The preserved alignment of polysaccharide fibers inside fungus aerogels leads to remarkable anisotropic mechanical and thermal insulation properties. The cross‐links generated via facile chemical modification endow fungus aerogels with excellent compressibility and resilience (deformation recovery rate of ≥96% even when the compression strain is ≥90%). Moreover, via a facile hydrophobic silanization treatment, the elastic aerogels can be endowed with excellent superhydrophobicity and water resistance. It is anticipated that this facile and sustainable strategy will provide technical support for scalable production of fungus‐based aerogels with excellent compressibility and resilience, unique thermal anisotropy, and superior renewability. Meanwhile, the newly developed fungus aerogels will have broad applications in durable thermal insulation and acoustic absorption materials

Virtual Space Ontologies for Scripting Agents

Abstract. Interactive multi-agent system improves reusability of agents by separating application design from agent design. However, it remains difficult for application designers (usually non-computer professionals) to script massive multi-agents. This is especially true for scripting hundreds of NPCs (Non Player Characters, agents) hosted by hostile, dynamic and complex 3D (threedimensional) environments in military simulation. Out of perspective of interaction between agents and environments, namely virtual spaces, we introduce virtual space ontologies to facilitate interaction between humans and agents. Three advantages are obtained by using virtual space ontologies: 1) A hybrid approach of integrating qualitative and quantitative spatial reasoning is achieved so that application designers can specify arguments of actions (scenario primitives) qualitatively. 2) Primitive actions of agents are abstracted hierarchically so that application designers can sketch scenarios for units of agents. 3) Better intent communication between humans and agents is realized so that application users can control agents easily in real time

Dynamicview: Distribution, evolution and visualization of research areas in computer science

Abstract. It is tedious and error-prone to query search engines manually in order to accumulate a large body of factual information. Search engines retrieve and rank potentially relevant documents for human perusal, but do not extract facts, or fuse information from multiple documents. This paper introduces DynamicView, a Semantic Web application for researchers to query, browse and visualize distribution and evolution of research areas in computer science. Present and historical web pages of top 20 universities in USA and China are analyzed, and research areas of faculties in computer science are extracted automatically by segmentation based algorithm. Different ontologies of ACM and MST classification systems are combined by SKOS vocabularies, and the classification of research areas is learned from the ACM Digital Library. Query results including numbers of researchers and their locations are visualized in SVG map and animation. Interestingly, great differences of hot topics do exist between the two countries, and the number of researchers in certain areas changed greatly from the year 2000 to 2005.

Modeling of the furfural refining process for lubricating oils

The effect of operation temperature and furfural/oil ratio on a single-stage furfural refining process for two distillates was studied. The acid number, basic nitrogen, refractive index and aniline point of each of the distillates and the refined oils were measured. They were assumed as four oil components, and the liquid-liquid equilibrium data and corresponding partition coefficients of the pseudo-components could be determined through mass conservation equations and simulated based on the artificial neural networks method. A multistage mathematical model for the refining process was established and solved numerically to give the refined oil quality and recovery under various furfural/oil ratios, temperatures, and stages, which showed a good agreement with those obtained from a pilot plant and the separatory funnel experiments under similar operation conditions. This paper may provide a useful way to assist in determining the optimum conditions and designing plant for the furfural refining process

Permafrost Hydrology of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau : A Review of Processes and Modeling

Permafrost extends 40% of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), a region which contains the headwaters of numerous major rivers in Asia. As an aquiclude, permafrost substantially controls surface runoff and its hydraulic connection with groundwater. The freeze–thaw cycle in the active layer significantly impacts soil water movement direction, velocity, storage capacity, and hydraulic conductivity. Under the accelerating warming on the QTP, permafrost degradation is drastically altering regional and even continental hydrological regimes, attracting the attention of hydrologists, climatologists, ecologists, engineers, and decision-makers. A systematic review of permafrost hydrological processes and modeling on the QTP is still lacking, however, leaving a number of knowledge gaps. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of permafrost hydrological processes and applications of some permafrost hydrological models of varying complexity at different scales on the QTP. We then discuss the current challenges and future opportunities, including observations and data, the understanding of processes, and model realism. The goal of this review is to provide a clear picture of where we are now and to describe future challenges and opportunities. We concluded that more efforts are needed to conduct long-term field measurements, employ more advanced observation technologies, and develop flexible and modular models to deepen our understanding of permafrost hydrological processes and to improve our ability to predict the future responses of permafrost hydrology to climate changes