Behind film performance in China’s changing institutional context:The impact of signals

Grounded in signaling theory, this paper investigates the signals reflecting product quality, innovativeness, reputation and cultural background which influence film performance, i.e. film survival (duration on cinema screen) and box office success, in China’s changing institutional context. This market has grown substantially and still possesses potential for further development. However, China’s unique institutional context presents challenges. By examining an expanded range of potential signals, two of which have not previously been examined in the literature, namely imported films and enhanced format film formats such as 3D and IMAX, we develop a conceptual framework and argue that signaling theory needs to be combined with institutional context. Similar to findings for film industries in other countries, we find quality and reputational signals including budget, star power, sequels, and online consumer reviews to be important in China. However, unique results are also revealed. Chinese consumers react to an innovativeness signal in that they are specifically attracted to enhanced format films. Film award nominations and prizes are insignificant reputational signals. Once other signals are taken into account, imported films on average do not perform as well as domestic films. We link these findings to China’s unique institutional setting and offer important implications for management, recognizing the challenges to film companies of competing in an increasingly globalized market. The paper is also of relevance to policymakers given their continued efforts in shaping the development of China’s film industry

A New Observer Design for the Joint Estimation of States and Unknown Inputs for a Class of Nonlinear Fractional-Order Systems

This article designs an observer for the joint estimation of the state and the unknown input for a class of nonlinear fractional-order systems (FOSs) such that one portion satisfies the Lipschitz condition and the other does not necessarily satisfy such a condition. Firstly, by reconstructing system dynamics, the observer design is transformed equivalently into the tracking problem between the original nonlinear FOSs and the designed observer. Secondly, the parameterized matrices of the desired observer are derived by use of the property of the generalized inverse matrices and the linear matrix inequality (LMI) technique combined with the Schur complement lemma. Moreover, an algorithm is presented to determine the desired observer for the nonlinear FOSs effectively. Finally, a numerical example is reported to verify the correctness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm

Behind film performance in China’s changing institutional context: the impact of signals

Grounded in signaling theory, this paper investigates the signals reflecting product quality, innovativeness, reputation and cultural background which influence film performance, that is, film survival (duration on cinema screen) and box office success, in China’s changing institutional context. This market has grown substantially and still possesses potential for further development. However, China’s unique institutional context presents challenges. By examining an expanded range of potential signals, two of which have not previously been examined in the literature, namely imported films and enhanced format film formats such as 3D and IMAX, we develop a conceptual framework and argue that signaling theory needs to be combined with institutional context. Similar to findings for film industries in other countries, we find quality and reputational signals including budget, star power, sequels, and online consumer reviews to be important in China. However, unique results are also revealed. Chinese consumers react to an innovativeness signal in that they are specifically attracted to enhanced format films. Film award nominations and prizes are insignificant reputational signals. Once other signals are taken into account, imported films on average do not perform as well as domestic films. We link these findings to China’s unique institutional setting and offer important implications for management, recognizing the challenges to film companies of competing in an increasingly globalized market. This paper is also of relevance to policymakers given their continued efforts in shaping the development of China’s film industry

The improvement of the shear stress and oscillatory shear index of coronary arteries during Enhanced External Counterpulsation in patients with coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND:Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) can chronically relieve ischemic chest pain and improve the prognosis of coronary heart disease (CHD). Despite its role in mitigating heart complications, EECP and the mechanisms behind its therapeutic nature, such as its effects on blood flow hemodynamics, are still not fully understood. This study aims to elucidate the effect of EECP on significant hemodynamic parameters in the coronary arterial tree. METHODS:A finite volume method was used in conjunction with the inlet pressure wave (surrogated by the measured aortic pressure) before and during EECP and outlet flow resistance, assuming the blood as newtonian fluid. The time-average wall shear stress (TAWSS) and oscillatory shear index (OSI) were determined from the flow field. RESULTS:Regardless of the degree of vascular stenosis, hemodynamic conditions and flow patterns could be improved during EECP. In comparison with the original tree, the tree with a severe stenosis (75% area stenosis) demonstrated more significant improvement in hemodynamic conditions and flow patterns during EECP, with surface area ratio of TAWSS risk area (SAR-TAWSS) reduced from 12.3% to 6.7% (vs. SAR-TAWSS reduced from 7.2% to 5.6% in the original tree) and surface area ratio of OSI risk area (SAR-OSI) reduced from 6.8% to 2.5% (vs. SAR-OSI of both 0% before and during EECP in the original tree because of mild stenosis). Moreover, it was also shown that small ratio of diastolic pressure (D) and systolic pressure (S) (D/S) could only improve the hemodynamic condition mildly. The SAR-TAWSS reduction ratio significantly increased as D/S became larger. CONCLUSIONS:A key finding of the study was that the improvement of hemodynamic conditions along the LMCA trees during EECP became more significant with the increase of D/S and the severity degree of stenoses at the bifurcation site. These findings have important implications on EECP as adjuvant therapy before or after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with diffuse atherosclerosis