bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contemporary fire regime risks to key ecological assets and processes in north Australian savannas
Authors: Edwards Andrew , Russell-Smith Jeremy , Meyer Mick
Published: May 2015

Despite the intact appearance of relatively unmodified north Australian savannas, mounting evidence indicates that contemporary fire regimes characterised by frequent, extensive and severe late dry season wildfires are having deleterious effects on a range of regional water, soil erosion, biodiversity conservation and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions values. For the high rainfall (>1000 mm year–1) savannas (426 000 km2), we assessed the spatial effects of contemporary fire regimes within the context of ecosystem response models and three plausible alternative fire management scenarios on ecosystem attributes. Over the 2008–12 assessment period, mean annual fire frequency (0.53) comprised mostly late dry season fires. Although spatially variable, contemporary fire regimes resulted in substantial GHG emissions, hill slope erosion and suspended sediment transport, a slight decline in carbon biomass and slight positive effects on fire-vulnerable vegetation. Based on available climate change models and strategic fire management practice, we show that, relative to business-as-usual, improved fire management involving strategic prescribed burning results in substantial benefits to most ecosystem attributes, including under enhanced climate change conditions, whereas in the absence of improved fire management, climate change results in substantially worse outcomes.
Giant thermal spin-torque–assisted magnetic tunnel junction switching
Authors: Pushp Aakash , Phung Timothy , Rettner Charles , Hughes Brian P. , Yang See-Hun , Parkin Stuart S. P.
Published: May 2015

Significance

One of the most promising emerging memory technologies is magnetic random access memory (MRAM), which promises to be a high-performance, nonvolatile memory. The essential feature of MRAM is the efficient switching of the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory cell between two distinct resistance states associated with the relative magnetic orientation of the ferromagnetic electrodes which sandwich the tunnel barrier by using magnetic fields, charge currents, or pure spin currents. In this paper, a temperature difference of just a few kelvin across an ultrathin (∼1 nm) MgO tunnel barrier is found to generate giant spin currents sufficient to significantly influence the switching of the MTJ. These spin currents get created only in those devices that show a large asymmetry in their tunneling conductance across zero bias voltage.
Effect of sialylation on EGFR phosphorylation and resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibition
Authors: Yen Hsin-Yung , Liu Ying-Chih , Chen Nai-Yu , Tsai Chia-Feng , Wang Yi-Ting , Chen Yu-Ju , Hsu Tsui-Ling , Yang Pan-Chyr , Wong Chi-Huey
Published: May 2015

Significance

This report reveals the influence of sialylation on the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and sensitivity to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) against EGFR phosphorylation. By utilizing biochemical approaches, we demonstrated that EGFR sialylation suppresses EGFR phosphorylation by inhibiting EGF binding and EGFR dimerization. In the TKI-resistant lung cancer cell line with L858R/T790M mutations on EGFR, the levels of phosphorylation at Y1068, Y1086, and Y1173 are upregulated, and sialylation can partially suppress the phosphorylation of EGFR at these sites and enhance EGFR sensitivity to TKI. These findings suggest that sialylation has an important role in tumorigenesis and sensitivity to TKIs by modulating EGFR phosphorylation and the associated signaling network and provide insights for therapeutic intervention.
The rod domain is not essential for the function of plectin in maintaining tissue integrity
Authors: Ketema Mirjam , Secades Pablo , Kreft Maaike , Nahidiazar Leila , Janssen Hans , Jalink Kees , Pereda Jose M. de , Sonnenberg Arnoud
Published: May 2015

Epidermolysis bullosa simplex associated with late-onset muscular dystrophy (EBS-MD) is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting from mutations in the plectin gene. The majority of these mutations occur within the large exon 31 encoding the central rod domain and leave the production of a low-level rodless plectin splice variant unaffected. To investigate the function of the rod domain, we generated rodless plectin mice through conditional deletion of exon 31. Rodless plectin mice develop normally without signs of skin blistering or muscular dystrophy. Plectin localization and hemidesmosome organization are unaffected in rodless plectin mice. However, superresolution microscopy revealed a closer juxtaposition of the C-terminus of plectin to the integrin β4 subunit in rodless plectin keratinocytes. Wound healing occurred slightly faster in rodless plectin mice than in wild-type mice, and keratinocytes migration was increased in the absence of the rod domain. The faster migration of rodless plectin keratinocytes is not due to altered biochemical properties because, like full-length plectin, rodless plectin is a dimeric protein. Our data demonstrate that rodless plectin can functionally compensate for the loss of full-length plectin in mice. Thus the low expression level of plectin rather than the absence of the rod domain dictates the development of EBS-MD.
Identification of a Rab GTPase-activating protein cascade that controls recycling of the Rab5 GTPase Vps21 from the vacuole
Authors: Rana Meenakshi , Lachmann Jens , Ungermann Christian
Published: May 2015

Transport within the endocytic pathway depends on a consecutive function of the endosomal Rab5 and the late endosomal/lysosomal Rab7 GTPases to promote membrane recycling and fusion in the context of endosomal maturation. We previously identified the hexameric BLOC-1 complex as an effector of the yeast Rab5 Vps21, which also recruits the GTPase-activating protein (GAP) Msb3. This raises the question of when Vps21 is inactivated on endosomes. We provide evidence for a Rab cascade in which activation of the Rab7 homologue Ypt7 triggers inactivation of Vps21. We find that the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) of Ypt7 (the Mon1-Ccz1 complex) and BLOC-1 both localize to the same endosomes. Overexpression of Mon1-Ccz1, which generates additional Ypt7-GTP, or overexpression of activated Ypt7 promotes relocalization of Vps21 from endosomes to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is indicative of Vps21 inactivation. This ER relocalization is prevented by loss of either BLOC-1 or Msb3, but it also occurs in mutants lacking endosome–vacuole fusion machinery such as the HOPS tethering complex, an effector of Ypt7. Importantly, BLOC-1 interacts with the HOPS on vacuoles, suggesting a direct Ypt7-dependent cross-talk. These data indicate that efficient Vps21 recycling requires both Ypt7 and endosome–vacuole fusion, thus suggesting extended control of a GAP cascade beyond Rab interactions.
Bedaquiline susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in an automated liquid culture system
Authors: Torrea Gabriela , Coeck Nele , Desmaretz Christel , Van De Parre Tim , Van Poucke Tijs , Lounis Nacer , de Jong Bouke C. , Rigouts Leen
Published: May 2015

Objectives

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the BACTEC MGIT960 system to test the susceptibility to bedaquiline for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex.

Methods

We determined the quality control (QC) range of bedaquiline using the M. tuberculosis H37Rv reference strain and the epidemiological cut-off (ECOFF) in MGIT960 and on Middlebrook 7H11 agar (M7H11) using 47 strains from bedaquiline treatment-naive patients. The accuracy of MGIT960 was evaluated versus M7H11 using 74 ‘probably susceptible to bedaquiline’ and 18 ‘probably resistant to bedaquiline’ strains. Repeatability and reproducibility of MGIT960 were assessed using five strains showing different resistance levels.

Results

The QC range for the H37Rv strain was between 0.125 and 0.50 mg/L. The WT MIC distribution ranged from ≤0.03 to 1.00 mg/L in MGIT960 and from ≤0.008 to 0.25 mg/L on M7H11 with suggested ECOFFs of 1.00 and 0.25 mg/L, respectively. Applying these ECOFFs, the probably susceptible and probably resistant strains were distinguishable by both methods, albeit with only a 2-fold increased MIC for one of the resistant strains compared with the ECOFF. Intermethod agreement to classify the isolates was excellent (100%). All replicates in the repeatability and reproducibility experiments fell within the normal range.

Conclusions

The MGIT960 system proved to be highly stable, reproducible and accurate relative to the M7H11 agar method for determining the bedaquiline MIC. The small margin between the suggested ECOFF and the lowest MIC for the mutant strains risks making both methods prone to discordant results. Further validation in clinical settings linked to treatment outcome data is needed.
Comparative genetic structure of sympatric leporids in southern Illinois
Authors: Berkman Leah K. , Nielsen Clayton K. , Roy Charlotte L. , Heist Edward J.
Published: May 2015

Many leporid species have overlapping ranges, but ecological differences may make for profoundly different population structure in the same area. In southern Illinois, swamp rabbits (Sylvilagus aquaticus) and eastern cottontails (S. floridanus) co-exist, but swamp rabbits are habitat specialists associated with floodplain forests and eastern cottontails exhibit more general habitat preferences. Additionally, swamp rabbits exist at the northern edge of their range in southern Illinois, whereas eastern cottontails are well within the core of their range. To determine whether these differences resulted in differences in genetic structure, we assessed the population differentiation of these 2 sympatric species in southern Illinois using polymorphic microsatellite markers. We employed a combination of sampling techniques including tissue sampling from trapped rabbits and collection of fecal pellets from swamp rabbit latrine logs. Swamp rabbits appeared to be differentiated within 50 km of Illinois’ Cache River watershed (K = 4 populations) suggesting that local populations are relatively isolated, whereas eastern cottontails exhibited no discernable genetic structure (K = 1). Such a result confirms the expected relationship of greater genetic structure in a habitat specialist (i.e., swamp rabbits) versus a habitat generalist (i.e., eastern cottontails). Unlike eastern cottontails, our results suggest that swamp rabbits experience low genetic connectivity in southern Illinois likely due to restricted dispersal, linear distribution of habitat, and smaller effective population size as mediated by habitat fragmentation.
Looting and the Antiquities Market
Authors: Gerstenblith Patty , Smith Corinne R.
Published: May 2015

The looting of archaeological sites became a significant problem after the Second World War. Archaeological sites had been exploited from the 18th century with varying degrees of emphasis on scientific recovery of artifacts. However, demand created by the postwar growth of the international art market provided an impetus to supply more archaeological artifacts for the market, often through looting of sites, just as advances in scientific methodologies expanded the amount of contextual knowledge that could be recovered about the past through controlled excavation. As the losses inflicted on our ability to reconstruct all facets of the past became better understood, legal mechanisms developed to deter the trade in undocumented archaeological artifacts and the looting of archaeological sites. These legal mechanisms crystallized around the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. The 1970 UNESCO Convention fostered a series of national actions, including ratification and implementation of the convention through domestic legislation. In the early 2000s, several market nations ratified the 1970 convention, ushering in an era in which this convention has served as the basic international legal instrument that attempts to curtail the trade in illegally obtained antiquities. The study of the trade in looted antiquities is prevalent in several disciplines, in addition to legal studies. Ethnographers and anthropologists study the mechanisms of the trade from the looting of the object from the ground to the desires of museums and private collectors to acquire such objects. Criminologists study the motivations of the criminal actors and the best methods for deterring criminal activity. Ethicists explore the ethical dimensions of acquisitions of undocumented archaeological artifacts, particularly by public institutions, and the morality of restitution. Economists theorize about ways that archaeological heritage can become an economically sustainable resource for local populations, thereby reducing the motivation to loot sites. Finally, the international restitution of looted archaeological objects has become a central issue in cultural diplomacy among nations and in relationships among the world’s museums and educational institutions. The contemporary trade in undocumented artifacts is not entirely divorced from the historical scourge brought about through armed conflict and military occupation. The looting of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad during the 2003 Gulf War, followed by the large-scale looting of sites throughout southern Iraq, the looting of sites in Syria and Egypt during the ongoing conflicts to obtain funds, and the dismemberment of Khmer temples in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge period all attest to the pervasive nature of looting to supply archaeological artifacts for sale on the international art market.
Epicurus
Authors: O'Keefe Tim
Published: May 2015

Epicurus (b. c. 341–d. 271 bce) was one of the most influential philosophers of the Hellenistic period, the two centuries or so following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 bce. Epicureanism, alongside Stoicism and Academic Skepticism, was one of the predominant systems of thought competing for the allegiance of people in the Greek- and Latin-speaking world, and communities of Epicureans flourished for centuries following Epicurus’s death. Epicurus revived the atomism of the pre-Socratics Leucippus and Democritus, where everything is ultimately the result of indivisible particles interacting in empty space. However, he modified their atomism by adding weight as a property of atoms as well as a tiny, indeterministic “swerve” to the side that is supposed to account for atomic collisions and to allow for human freedom. Epicurus said that the workings of the world are not due to any divine purpose or plan and that we can explain why organisms operate as they do without recourse to biological functions. Excluding the gods from meddling with the world liberates us from fearing them. Furthermore, the mind is a bodily organ that allows us to think and live, instead of being some immaterial animating principle that can move from body to body. And so, death is annihilation. The realization that death is annihilation should free us from the fear of death: annihilation is simply nothingness, and because after our deaths we do not exist, our death cannot be good or bad for us. Epicurus thought that skepticism about the reliability of the senses was self-refuting and practically disastrous. To avoid such skepticism, he affirmed (contra Democritus) that sensible qualities such as color and taste are genuine properties of bodies, and he even said that all sensations are true. On the basis of these sensations, we can come to a correct understanding of how the world works. In ethics, Epicurus affirmed egoistic hedonism (contra Plato and Aristotle); thus, he affirmed that only my own pleasure is intrinsically good for me. However, this does not license reckless dissipation. Freedom from bodily distress and mental turmoil is by itself pleasant—in fact, the limits of pleasure for us. To attain a trouble-free and tranquil life, we must moderate our desires, cultivate the virtues, live justly, and acquire a circle of trustworthy friends. The wise person will even worship the gods, correctly conceived—not as meddling and jealous world-managers but as exemplars of human blessedness whom we need not fear.
Mexican Cinema
Authors: Thornton Niamh
Published: May 2015

Mexico has had a successful national film industry since its inception, with some peaks and troughs. One of the peaks generally labeled as the Golden Age (edad de oro) of Mexican cinema lasted approximately from the 1930s to the 1950s. While the precise dates are subject to debate, there is general agreement that it was highly productive. Studios modeled after those in the United States and supported by generous government funding through a film bank, made hundreds of films. The short turnover in production frequently led to repetition in narrative, wardrobe, character, set, and technical style. This means of production was cheap and, because film was a popular form of entertainment in Mexico and elsewhere, it was lucrative. The studios went into decline in the 1960s with the arrival of television, changes in audience tastes, diminishing government support, and the opening of the first film schools and their associated film societies. During this period, B-movies flourished while art cinema had a strong run in production terms and critical praise, if not in audience attendance figures. The 1980s saw an overall decline in filmmaking in volume and was variable in quality, and this pattern continued for many years. Mexican film criticism as it evolved inside and outside of the academy grew out of a period of change in the 1960s and has remained consistently and primarily focused on historical and contextual analysis. The year 1992 was a major turning point for the attention given to Mexican cinema, most particularly outside of Mexico. The considerable box office success of Como agua para chocolate/Like Water for Chocolate (Alfonso Arau) in that year led to more focused academic interest from abroad. This attention has subsequently multiplied exponentially with Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Amores perros (2000) breakthrough hit, his move to transnational filmmaking, and the international successes of others such as Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón, and Carlos Reygadas. The field has grown globally with critics both inside and outside of Mexico energized by this international and transnational focus. In the early twenty-first century, there is a curious confluence of apparently contradictory elements at play whereby Mexican filmmaking has gone from one of its lowest points of production in terms of volume, while it is garnering significant international scholarly and popular attention through the film festival and awards circuit and strong local audiences for popular genre films that get limited distribution outside of the Americas. This annotated bibliography cannot prove to be exhaustive but should provide pointers to useful exemplary texts for those wanting to gain an understanding of Mexican film.
Prevalence, Incidence, and Clearance of Anogenital Warts in Kenyan Men Reporting High-Risk Sexual Behavior, Including Men Who Have Sex With Men
Authors: Neme Santiago , Wahome Elizabeth , Mwashigadi Grace , Thiong'o Alexander N. , Stekler Joanne D. , Wald Anna , Sanders Eduard J. , Graham Susan M.
Published: May 2015

Background.  Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes a spectrum of disease, ranging from warts to cancer. Prevalence, incidence, and factors associated with anogenital warts in East African men are unknown.

Methods.  Kenyan men reporting high-risk sexual behavior were inspected for anogenital warts at enrollment and follow-up visits. Logistic regression was performed to identify associations with anogenital warts at baseline. Cox regression was performed to analyze predictors of incident anogenital warts, and Kaplan–Meier curves were used to estimate clearance.

Results.  Baseline anogenital wart prevalence in 1137 men was 2.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0%–4.0%) overall, 2.0% in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-uninfected men, and 9.4% in HIV-1-infected men (adjusted odds ratio, 5.43; 95% CI, 2.03–11.29). Over a median of 1.4 years, anogenital wart incidence among 1104 men was 5.3 (95% CI, 4.3–6.5) per 100 person-years. Having HIV-1 infection at baseline (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.66; 95% CI, 1.01–2.72) or a genital syndrome during follow-up (aHR, 4.78; 95% CI, 3.03–7.56) was associated with increased wart incidence. Wart clearance was lower in HIV-1-infected men (log-rank P<.001).

Conclusions.  Anogenital wart prevalence and incidence were increased in HIV-1-infected men, and anogenital warts co-occurred with other genital syndromes. Quadrivalent HPV vaccination should be recommended for young men in settings with high HIV-1 prevalence.
Decision Aid for Cigarette Smokers Scheduled for Elective Surgery
Authors: Warner David O. , LeBlanc Annie , Kadimpati Sandeep , Vickers Kristin S. , Shi Yu , Montori Victor M.
Published: May 2015

AbstractAbstract

In a randomized trial of 130 surgical patients, use of a decision aid consisting of laminated cards with pros and cons of continuing smoking, attempting temporary abstinence, or attempting to quit smoking improved measures of decisional quality but did not change perioperative tobacco use behavior.

Background:

Decision aids can increase patient involvement in decision-making about health care. The study goal was to develop and test a decision aid for use by clinicians in discussion options for changing smoking behavior before and after elective surgery.

Methods:

In formative work, a decision aid was designed to facilitate patient–clinician discussion regarding three options: continue smoking, attempt a period of temporary abstinence, and attempt to quit smoking for good. A randomized, two-group pilot study was then conducted in smokers evaluated in preparation for elective surgery in a preoperative clinic to test the hypothesis that the decision aid would improve measures of decisional quality compared with usual care.

Results:

The final decision aid consisted of three laminated cards. The front of each card included a colorful graphic describing each choice; the reverse including two to three pros and cons for each decision, a simple graphic illustrating the effects of smoking on the body, and a motivational phrase. In the randomized trial of 130 patients, the decision aid significantly (P < 0.05) improved measures of decisional quality and patient involvement in decision making (Cohen’s d effect sizes of 0.76 and 1.20 for the Decisional Conflict Scale and Observing PatienT involvement In decisiON-making scale, respectively). However, the decision aid did not affect any aspect of perioperative smoking behavior, including the distribution of or adherence to choices.

Conclusions:

Although the use of a decision aid to facilitate clinician–patient discussions regarding tobacco use around the time of surgery substantially improved measures of decisional quality, it alone did not change perioperative tobacco use behavior.
Rapid nectar-meal effects on a predator's capacity to kill mosquitoes
Authors: Carvell Georgina E. , Kuja Josiah O. , Jackson Robert R.
Published: May 2015

UsingEvarcha culicivora, an East African jumping spider (Salticidae), we investigate how nectar meals function in concert with predation specifically at the juvenile stage between emerging from the egg sac and the first encounter with prey. Using plants and using artificial nectar consisting of sugar alone or sugar plus amino acids, we show that the plant species (Lantana camara,Ricinus communis,Parthenium hysterophorus), the particular sugars in the artificial nectar (sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose), the concentration of sugar (20%, 5%, 1%) and the duration of pre-feeding fasts (3 days, 6 days) influence the spider's prey-capture proficiency on the next day after the nectar meal. However, there were no significant effects of amino acids. Our findings suggest that benefits from nectar feeding are derived primarily from access to particular sugars, with fructose and sucrose being the most beneficial, glucose being intermediate and maltose being no better than a water-only control.
Changes in the quality characteristics of cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus) under various processing conditions
Authors: Kim Eun-Mi , Lim Jeong-Ho , Chang Yoon-Je , An Seong-Hwan , Ahn Mi-Young
Published: May 2015

Crickets have been used as crude drug for treating fever and hypertension in East Asia. This study was carried out to investigate the quality characteristics such as the microbial and nutrient contents of crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus) prepared with various processing conditions for use as food. These conditions included the lyophilization process (LP), hot-air process (HP, 90°C for 7 hr), roasting process (RP, 160°C for 40 min), and frying process (FP, 180°C for 30 sec). The total bacterial population of the crickets was 5~7 log CFU/g, but Coliform and E. coli were not detected. The major fatty acids in all the samples were palmitic acid (C16:0), oleic acid (C18:1), and linoleic acid (C18:2). The level of polyunsaturated fatty acids was highest (63.55 g/100 g) in the LP-processed crickets. As for the amino acid content, the glutamic acid level was highest in all the samples, and the RP and FP decreased by 12.01% and 53.88%, respectively, compared to that of the LP. The mineral contents were highest in the LP-processed crickets. Hg was detected at about 1.0 ppb in all the samples, but its level was lower than the residue tolerance level in the Korean Food Code. Such conditions should be considered to better understand the quality characteristics of crickets in food processing.
Comparison of the microbial and nutritional quality characteristics
in radish sprouts by purchasing time
Authors: Park Jin Ju , Yang Hye Jeong , Han Kyu-Jai , Lim Jeong-Ho
Published: May 2015

This study investigated the microbiological and nutritional characteristics of
bimonthly radish sprouts purchased at a local market. The total bacteria and
coliform measurements were highest in summer (June and August) and lowest in
winter (February and December). The total phenol content was 16.82±0.69
GAE mg/g, and it did not significantly differ during the investigation period.
The total carotenoid contents were highest in February (about 12.81±0.49
β-carotene mg/g) and lowest in April (about 8.09±1.01
β-carotene mg/g). However although total glucosinolates content differ
between the total crude glucosinolate and the sum of the individual
glucosinolates, it was highest in December. The individual glucosinolates were
found to have been gucoraphenin, glucoerucin, glucobrassicin and gluconasturtiin
in radish sprouts via HPLC analysis. The purchasing time of the glucoraphenin
content did not significantly differ. The measured glucoerucin was highest in
February and lowest in October. The gucobrassicin and gluconasturtiin were
higher in summer than in winter, but did not significantly differ. The
antioxidant activity (i.e., the IC50 values of the DPPH radical
scavenging) was highest in February. In conclusion, the microbial contamination,
total carotenoids, and antioxidant activity changed according to the purchasing
season, but the total phenolic compounds and total glucosinolates were
maintained regardless of the time in the radish sprouts.
Physiological activities of Agrimonia pilosa extract
Authors: Kim Hyun-Soo
Published: May 2015

In this study, we investigated the applicability of functional materials by examining various physiological activities with an extract from the Agrimonia pilosa root. The A. pilosa extract showed low cytotoxicity against murine melanoma B16F10 cells. With little or no cytotoxicity at various concentrations, the A. pilosa extract showed high levels of DPPH radical scavenging activity (ID50, 20.70 mg/L) and anti-microbial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. In particular, it had a high level of anti-microbial activities against Gram-positive bacteria. These results suggest that the A. pilosa extract can be used as a natural preservative. It also showed inhibition of tyrosinase activity (ID50, 90.18 mg/L), as does kojic acid (ID50, 89.13 mg/L), and especially, a higher decrease in melanin content (ID50, 62.5 mg/L) than the arbutin level (ID50, 100.7 mg/L) as a positive control. These findings suggest that the A. pilosa extract inhibits melanin synthesis by suppressing the intracellular tyrosinase expression. These results indicate that the A. pilosa extract may be an effective material for functional cosmetics, such as skin whitening materials.
Antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects of ethanolic extract of Ainsliaea acerifolia and organic solvent-soluble fractions
Authors: Lee Eun-Woo , Kim Taewan , Kim Hyun-Seok , Park Youn-Moon , Kim Seong-Ho , Im Moo-Hyeog , Kwak Jae Hoon , Kim Tae Hoon
Published: May 2015

Among the naturally occurring antioxidants, polyphenols are widely distributed in various fruits, vegetables, wines, juices, and plant-based dietary sources and divided into several subclasses that included phenolic acid, flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignans. As part of our continuing search for bioactive food ingredients, the antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the aqueous ethanolic extract from the aerial parts of Ainsliaea acerifolia were investigated in vitro. The antioxidant properties were evaluated via radical scavenging assays using 1,1-diphenyl- 2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS+) radicals. In addition, the anti-diabetic effect of A. acerifolia extracts was tested via α-glucosidase inhibitory assay. Furthermore, the total phenolic contents were determined using a spectrophotometric method. All the tested samples showed dose-dependent radical scavenging and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. In particularly, the α-glucosidase inhibitory and radical scavenging properties of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc)-soluble portion from the aerial parts of the A. acerifolia were higher than those of the other solvent-soluble portions. These results suggest that A. acerifolia could be considered a new potential source of natural antioxidants and antidiabetic ingredients. More systematic investigation of the aerial parts of A. acerifolia will be performed for the further development of anti-oxidative and antidiabetic drugs.
A sterically congestedcis-stilbene and its phosphonium salt precursor
Authors: Shivaprakash Shivanna , Reddy G. Chandrasekara , Jasinski Jerry P. , Millikan Sean P. , Duff Courtney E. , Glidewell Christopher
Published: May 2015

Triphenyl(2,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl)phosphonium chloride is formed in solvent-free form by the reaction under anhydrous conditions between triphenylphosphane and 2,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl chloride, but when it is crystallized from a mixture of ethyl acetate and chloroform in the presence of air it forms a stoichiometric monohydrate, C28H28O3P+·Cl−·H2O, (I). The reactions between the anhydrous phosphonium salt and alkoxy-substituted benzaldehydes, using Wittig reactions in the presence of potassiumtert-butoxide, provide a series of multiply substituted stilbenes, most of which were assigned theZconfiguration on the basis of their NMR spectra. However, no such deduction could be made for the symmetrically substituted (Z)-2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexamethoxystilbene, C20H24O6, (II). Compound (II) does in fact have theZconfiguration and the molecular geometry provides evidence for steric congestion around the central double bond; in particular, the central alkene fragment is nonplanar, with a C—C=C—C torsion angle of 7.8 (4)°. In hydrated salt (I), the chloride anions and water molecules are linked by O—H...Cl hydrogen bonds to formC21(4) chains; each cation is linked by C—H...O hydrogen bonds to two different chains, so forming a sheet structure. There are no direction-specific intermolecular interactions in the structure of (II).
Hotel cleanliness: will guests pay for enhanced disinfection?
Authors: Zemke Dina Marie V. , Neal Jay , Shoemaker Stowe , Kirsch Katie
Published: May 2015

Purpose

This study aims to propose that there may be a marketable segment of guests who are willing to pay a premium for guestrooms that are cleaned using enhanced disinfection techniques beyond the normal room cleaning procedures. Room cleanliness is important to hotel guests. Some hotel brands currently offer allergy-free rooms, charging a premium for this service. However, no hotel brands currently serve the market that is willing to pay more for enhanced disinfection. This exploratory study investigates whether there is such a segment and, if so, what price premium these customers are willing to pay for enhanced disinfection.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey methods were used to determine the consumer’s perceptions of hotel guestroom cleanliness; the effectiveness of traditional and enhanced cleaning methods; and willingness to pay for enhanced guestroom disinfection.

Findings

Younger travelers and female travelers of all ages may be willing to pay a significant price premium for enhanced disinfection of a hotel guestroom.

Research limitations/implications

The survey instrument was administered via the Internet, limiting the sample. The study participants were not asked about hotel brand; thus, the results could not be analyzed by brand or service level.

Originality/value

Past research focuses only on traditional cleaning methods. This article provides a template for the hotel industry to explore the feasibility of offering enhanced cleanliness as a revenue-generating amenity.
Chilli production and adoption of chilli-based agribusiness in Indonesia
Authors: Mariyono Joko , Sumarno Sumarno
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– Chilli plays an important role in the Indonesian economy through its multiplier effect. The recent rapid growth of chilli production in Indonesia can be explained by the development of agricultural and communication technologies and improved market infrastructure. The purpose of this paper is to analyse factors that affect farmers’ decisions to adopt chilli-based agribusinesses. Intensive chilli farming, as a part of agricultural commercialisation, is considered a technological package that is more profitable but also more input- and labour-intensive than the production of rice or other cereal crops.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study used a logit model to estimate the farmers’ decision function. Personal characteristics, technical factors and business environment were hypothesised to influence farmers’ decisions to adopt intensive chilli farming. Data for this study were compiled from surveys conducted during 2009-2011. The surveys interviewed 300 farmer households in three main chilli producing regions of Java, Indonesia.

Findings

– The results indicate that younger farmers, and also farmers with more experience, were more likely to adopt chilli farming. Availability of chilli production technology and the use of mobile phones prompted farmers to adopt chilli farming. Access to vegetable markets, credit, and market information were other factors driving farmers’ decisions to take up chilli production. Most farmers were motivated to grow chilli to increase their incomes. Ecological factors were also the reasons.

Research limitations/implications

– The sample for this research is quite low. However, the sample was drawn from representative potential chilli production areas in Indonesia.

Originality/value

– There is room to increase the number of chilli-based agribusinesses in Indonesia. Intensive chilli farming should be introduced to young farmers and those with experience in vegetable production. Farm credit, market information, and agronomic technologies should be made more available and accessible to farmers. Strengthening communication networks among farmers through the use of mobile phones is the best way to encourage farmers to adopt intensive chilli farming. Vegetable markets should be established in potential chilli producing regions.
Demand for organic produce
Authors: Narine Lendel Kade , Ganpat Wayne , Seepersad Govind
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The differentiation that takes place in the Trinidad market only classifies tomatoes on the basis of its size. Farmers in many countries have been making an effort at agronomic differentiation strategies in order to receive better incomes. The purpose of this paper is to determine Trinidadian consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) and the market potential for organic tomatoes when marketed as a differentiated product.

Design/methodology/approach

– A survey research methodology was used in this study. A total of 405 consumers to be surveyed were randomly chosen using proportionate sampling. A logistic regression was used to estimate the factors affecting consumers’ WTP for organic tomatoes. An ANOVA model was used to determine the mean maximum WTP for organic tomatoes based on selected factors.

Findings

– Most consumers were willing to pay premium prices for organic tomatoes. Results indicated that consumers’ area of residence, educational level, income range, and their perception of the health benefits derived from organic tomatoes significantly influenced their WTP for organic tomatoes.

Research limitations/implications

– Empirical results suggests a differentiated organic market should be implemented in Trinidad.

Originality/value

– Given an informed consumer base, farmers can expect to receive a premium price for their produce. Consumers can benefit from having more choices in the agricultural market.
Guides for value chain development: a comparative review
Authors: Donovan Jason , Franzel Steven , Cunha Marcelo , Gyau Amos , Mithöfer Dagmar
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– In recent years, governments, donors, and NGOs have increasingly embraced value chain development (VCD) for stimulating economic growth and combating rural poverty. In line with the rise in interest, there has been a proliferation of guides for VCD. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a review of 11 guides for value chain along six different dimensions, ranging from objectives and value chain definitions to monitoring impact. The paper concludes with suggestions for the use of guides based on local needs and context, and recommendations for future guide development.

Design/methodology/approach

– The review compares the concepts and methods endorsed and it assesses the strengths and limitations of the guides for steering development practice.

Findings

– Overall, the guides provide a useful framework for understanding markets and engaging with chain stakeholders, with a strong emphasis on strengthening institutions and achieving sustainability of interventions. However, the guides often lack discussions on the conditions necessary at different levels for VCD to advance development objectives and achieve that sustainability. The guides are designed to be implemented largely independently of the specific context, in which the chain is situated, despite the major implications context has for the design of interventions and overall success of the chain. Attention to mutual learning, whether related to tool design or the outcomes and impacts of VCD interventions, is limited.

Research limitations/implications

– More critical reflection and debate is needed on the design of guides for VCD. The authors suggest three areas for this reflection and debate: concepts, methods, and tools for addressing the needs of the poor in value chains; tools for addressing variations in the context; and mechanisms for mutual learning on the design and implementation of VCD.

Originality/value

– The paper concludes with various recommendations for guide authors and donors that support VCD.
To be or not to be – auditors’ ability to signal going concern problems
Authors: Tagesson Torbjörn , Öhman Peter
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to chart Swedish auditors’ likelihood of issuing going concern warnings (GCWs), and to investigate the relationship between formal auditor competence, audit fees and audit firm, respectively, and the likelihood of issuing GCWs.

Design/methodology/approach

– The empirical data are based on annual reports and audit reports for 2,547 limited companies that went bankrupt in 2010 in the wake of the financial crisis and had filed a financial statement in the year before the bankruptcy.

Findings

– The findings indicate that Swedish auditors seldom issue GCWs. Moreover, there is a positive relationship between audit fee level and the likelihood of issuing GCWs, and Big 4 auditors being more likely to issue such warnings than other auditors. However, the analyses identify differences between audit firms (within the group of Big 4 firms and within the group of other audit firms) in terms of their predictions of client bankruptcies. This suggests a need for further investigation of firm-specific differences. Contrary to what was predicted, authorized auditors are not more likely to issue GCWs than approved auditors.

Research limitations/implications

– This paper did not investigate the impact of audit experience and tenure or the possibility that auditors may signal survival problems by resigning.

Practical implications

– Levying appropriate audit fees creates opportunities for thorough audits, but auditors’ formal competence based on training and qualification is not a factor that enforces audit quality. Based on the findings, the authors also suggest some clarifications of existing standards to reduce ambiguity regarding the reporting of survival problems.

Originality/value

– The Swedish setting is a context in which most companies are small, creditor interest in accounting and auditing is strong and auditors must issue a modified audit opinion if half of the shareholders’ equity is spent. This setting offers a unique research opportunity because the formal competence differs between Sweden’s two categories of certified auditors, and it allows exploration beyond the dichotomy of Big 4 versus other audit firms.
An integrative model of turnover intention
Authors: Wong Yui-tim , Wong Yui-Woon , Wong Chi-sum
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to attempt to fill a research gap by proposing an integrative model for studying employees’ turnover intention in Chinese joint ventures (JVs). The authors also examine the antecedents of turnover intention and its impact on employees’ performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– A data set consisting of 247 employees in 3 JVs in the Peoples’ Republic of China is used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

– The LISREL results support all hypotheses. The model examines how the contextual experiences of perceived organizational support and affective commitment might affect the turnover intention. It is proposed that employees’ perceived distributive justice, trust in management and job security are related to the organizational experience of perceived organizational support and affective commitment, which will affect turnover intention and, in turn, to job performance. The empirical results show that turnover intention has a significant and negative impact on employees’ performance, and both perceived organisational support (POS) and affective commitment have partial mediation effects between trust in management and employees’ turnover intention.

Research limitations/implications

– The Western POS scale was used in this study. It may not fully capture the meaning of POS in the Chinese setting. Future research may develop indigenous POS measurement. Additionally, the scale on turnover intention only showed employees’ intention to leave, it did not reveal their subsequent actual turnover. Future research should use a longitudinal design to study the actual employee turnover. It contributes to the literature by offering insights on how Chinese human resource management practices in JVs affect employees’ turnover intention and the impact of turnover intention on employees’ performance in Chinese JVs.

Originality/value

– This study enhances the authors' understanding of the relationship among POS, affective commitment and turnover intention of Chinese JV employees.
Volatility and efficiency of the world crude oil market
Authors: Al Fawzan Fawzan Abdul Aziz
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine volatility and the weak-form efficient market hypothesis (random walk) of world spot crude oil market.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study uses the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH-M), exponential generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (EGARCH), and threshold GARCH (TGARCH) models. The data are selected from three markets: Dubai Vetch (DV), West Texas Intermediate, and Europe Brent Spot Price.

Findings

– The weak-form efficient market (random walk) hypothesis was rejected for all estimated GARCH-M, EGARCH, and TGARCH models, indicating that these markets are inefficient and predictable. For daily data, the empirical results showed the presence of asymmetric effects, and the conditional variance process was found to be highly persistent.

Originality/value

– This study is unique in its nature as it examines three markets on three continents. In addition, one of these markets (DV) was not carried out by the previous study. This work takes into account the market location.
Judging the quality of child custody evaluations
Authors: Yohananoff Alberto
Published: May 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper was to assess whether the criteria that have been developed by mental health professionals to judge the quality of child custody reports matches the criteria employed by members of the legal profession.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper reviews the literature on the standards that have been developed to assess the quality of child custody reports and compare it to the criteria used by attorneys and judges.

Findings

– The broad criteria used by mental health professionals in assessing the quality of child custody reports mostly matches those employed by judges and attorneys.

Research limitations/implications

– There is limited research that focusses on a detailed, qualitative analysis of each component of a child custody report.

Practical implications

– Is it essential that a qualitative analysis of child custody reports be performed because it would impact on how professional approach such evaluations.

Originality/value

– Having research focussing on a detailed qualitative analysis of child custody evaluations may enhance the quality of such products.