Preparation of ordered TiO2 macroporous membrane using PBMA colloid crystal as template

Poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) colloidal crystal templates were assembled orderly on the clean substrates of monocrystalline silicon by dip-drawing technique and titanium dioxide (TiO2) macroporous membranes were prepared by using sol-dipping template method to fill the interstices among the PBMA templates, followed by calcination to remove the templates at 550℃. Calcination of the PBMA templates was carried out according to the following procedure: the rate of rising temperature was 5℃/min from room temperature to 150℃, 2℃/min from 150℃ to 270℃, 1℃ /min from 270℃ to 430℃, 2℃/min from 430℃ to 550℃ and maintained it at 550℃ for 2h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra indicated the macroporous materials were anatase structure. The polymerization mechanism of BMA with Fenton reagent as a new initiator was discussed, and the removal process of the PBMA templates and the formation of TiO2 pore size were investigated, respectively. The results showed that the new method of polymerization overcomes many problems associated with the conventional emulsion polymerization techniques such as long reaction time, necessary deoxygenation, and complicated operation

Clinical significance of S100B protein in pregnant woman with early- onset severe preeclampsia

Objectives: Preeclampsia is one of the most feared complications of pregnancy, which can progress rapidly to serious complications such as death of both mother and fetus. To present, the leading cause of preeclampsia is still debated. The purpose of this article was to explore the clinical significance of S100B protein, a kind of Ca2+ -sensor protein, in the early-onset severe preeclampsia. Material and methods: Nine pregnant women with early-onset severe preeclampsia (the study group) and 13 healthy pregnant women (the control group) were included in this study. The level of S100B in the amniotic fluid, maternal blood, and umbilical cord blood were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) methods. Diagnostic values of S100B for early-onset severe preeclampsia were assessed by Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: The levels of S100B in maternal blood and amniotic fluid in the study group were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that S100B detected by SPRi method (SPRi-S100B) showed a cut-off level of 181 ng/mL with sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 84.6%, and a Youden index of 0.846 in the maternal blood, which had better clinical significance and diagnostic value (at than that detected by ELISA (ELISA-S100B).   Conclusions: The levels of S100B detected by SPRi in maternal blood can indicate early-onset severe preeclampsia and perinatal brain injury

ABO genotype alters the gut microbiota by regulating GalNAc levels in pigs.

peer reviewedThe composition of the intestinal microbiome varies considerably between individuals and is correlated with health1. Understanding to what extend and how host genetics contributes to this variation is paramount yet has proven difficult as few associations have been replicated, particularly in humans2. We herein study the effect of host genotype on the composition of the intestinal microbiota in a large mosaic pig population. We show that, under conditions of exacerbated genetic diversity and environmental uniformity, microbiota composition and abundance of specific taxa are heritable. We map a quantitative trait locus affecting the abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae species and show that it is caused by a 2.3-Kb deletion in the N-acetyl-galactosaminyl-transferase gene underpinning the ABO blood group in humans. We show that this deletion is a ≥3.5 million years old trans-species polymorphism under balancing selection. We demonstrate that it decreases the concentrations of N-acetyl-galactosamine in the gut thereby reducing the abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae that can import and catabolize N-acetyl-galactosamine. Our results provide very strong evidence for an effect of host genotype on the abundance of specific bacteria in the intestine combined with insights in the molecular mechanisms that underpin this association. They pave the way towards identifying the same effect in human rural populations

The effects of absorptive and joint learning on the instability of international joint ventures in emerging economies

The objective of this study is to advance a theoretical framework pertaining to how interpartner learning in international joint ventures (IJV) may affect IJV instability in emerging economies. The proposed framework expands the interpartner learning theory of IJV instability in the current literature, which is focused on absorptive learning of IJV partners, by incorporating IJV partners joint learning. Using longitudinal dyadic data from IJVs in China, we found that local and foreign IJV parties absorptive learning capacity decreases one party's dependence on the other, while joint learning capacity in IJV increases both parties dependence on each other. In addition, an IJV partner's absorptive learning capacity positively moderates the effect of joint learning capacity on its dependence on another partner. These findings lend support to the expanded interpartner learning perspective of IJV instability, and have important theoretical and managerial implications for IJVs in emerging economies. The results underscore the importance of the IJV actively developing organizational rules, procedures, and structures to create and embed new knowledge in order to maintain the stability of the IJV. Finally, we found that IJV partners dependence asymmetry increases IJV instability, whereas their total dependence decreases IJV instability. © 2010 Academy of International Business All rights reserved.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Antecedents and consequences of marketing dynamic capabilities in international joint ventures

The influence of firms' dynamic capabilities on performance has been well articulated in the strategy literature. Yet conceptualization and operationalization of dynamic capabilities in marketing function have not been attempted, and empirical evidence substantiating the effect of dynamic capabilities is scarce. This research develops a conceptualization of marketing dynamic capabilities (MDCs), investigates their development in international joint ventures (IJVs), and explores their effect on IJVs' performance and competitive advantage. Using a dyadic dataset collected from top managers of IJVs in China, as well as objective performance data collected separately, the study found empirical support for the effect of MDCs on IJVs' competitive advantage and performance. In addition, MDCs are found to be influenced by IJV resource magnitude, resource complementarity, organizational culture, and organizational structure. The theoretical implications of our findings and future research directions are also discussed. © 2009 Academy of International Business All rights reserved.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

The effects of absorptive and joint learning on the instability of international joint ventures in emerging economies

The objective of this study is to advance a theoretical framework pertaining to how interpartner learning in international joint ventures (IJV) may affect IJV instability in emerging economies. The proposed framework expands the interpartner learning theory of IJV instability in the current literature, which is focused on absorptive learning of IJV partners, by incorporating IJV partners’ joint learning. Using longitudinal dyadic data from IJVs in China, we found that local and foreign IJV parties’ absorptive learning capacity decreases one party's dependence on the other, while joint learning capacity in IJV increases both parties’ dependence on each other. In addition, an IJV partner's absorptive learning capacity positively moderates the effect of joint learning capacity on its dependence on another partner. These findings lend support to the expanded interpartner learning perspective of IJV instability, and have important theoretical and managerial implications for IJVs in emerging economies. The results underscore the importance of the IJV actively developing organizational rules, procedures, and structures to create and embed new knowledge in order to maintain the stability of the IJV. Finally, we found that IJV partners’ dependence asymmetry increases IJV instability, whereas their total dependence decreases IJV instability.

The Effect of Export Marketing Capabilities on Export Performance: An Investigation of Chinese Exporters

The primary purpose of this article is to investigate the effect of export marketing capabilities on export performance. Drawing on the resource-based view, the authors develop a model that links an exporter's product development capability, distribution capability, communication capability, and pricing capability with its positional advantages (low-cost advantage and branding advantage) and its performance in the export market. On the basis of a survey of Chinese export ventures, the authors find general support for their proposed model. The authors discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of their findings.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

The moderating effect of goal-setting characteristics on the sales control systems-job performance relationship

There have been no consistent findings with regard to the relationships between sales control systems and job performance. The authors propose a contingency model in which the effects of sales control systems on job performance are moderated by goal-setting characteristics (goal difficulty, goal specificity, and goal participation). They empirically test the model using two studies conducted in the United States and China, respectively. The findings suggest the need for considering goal-setting characteristics when one attempts to link sales control systems to salesperson's job performance. Managerial and research implications are offered at the conclusion of the paper. © 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

MNC CONTROL OVER FOREIGN MARKET VENTURES: DO HOST GOVERNMENTS STILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE?

While it is widely acknowledged that host governments play some role in framing the governance structure that is available to multinational corporations, some argue that in recent years the influence of host governments on MNCs in terms of the level of ownership and control over their foreign ventures has diminished. The authors examine the degree of MNC's control in foreign investment by presenting and testing a model of government influences on MNC's control over its foreign market venture. Based on a survey of U.S. MNCs, the authors find that host government preference does influence MNC's ownership control over its foreign market venture, which in turn influences its management control over the venture. © 2003.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Systematic evaluation of the gut microbiome of swamp eel (Monopterus albus) by 16S rRNA gene sequencing

Background The swamp eel (Monopterus albus) is a commercially important farmed species in China. The dysbiosis and homeostasis of gut microbiota has been suggested to be associated with the swamp eel’s disease pathogenesis and food digestion. Although the contributions of gut microbiome in fish growth and health has been increasingly recognized, little is known about the microbial community in the intestine of the swamp eel (Monopterus albus). Methods The intestinal microbiomes of the five distinct gut sections (midgut content and mucosa, hindgut content and mucosa, and stools) of swamp eel were compared using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequence and statistical analysis. Results The results showed that the number of observed OTUs in the intestine decreased proximally to distally. Principal coordinate analysis revealed significant separations among samples from different gut sections. There were 54 core OTUs shared by all gut sections and 36 of these core OTUs varied significantly in their abundances. Additionally, we discovered 66 section-specific enriched KEGG pathways. These section-specific enriched microbial taxa (e.g., Bacillus, Lactobacillus) and potential function capacities (e.g., amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism) might play vital roles in nutrient metabolism, immune modulation and host-microbe interactions of the swamp eel. Conclusions Our results showed that microbial diversity, composition and function capacity varied substantially across different gut sections. The gut section-specific enriched core microbial taxa and function capacities may perform important roles in swamp eel’s nutrient metabolism, immune modulation, and host-microbe interactions. This study should provide insights into the gut microbiome of the swamp eel