bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collective repacking reveals that the structures of protein cores are
uniquely specified by steric repulsive interactions
Authors: Gaines J.C. , Virrueta A. , Buch D.A. , Fleishman S.J. , O'Hern C.S. , Regan L.
Published: January 2017

Protein core repacking is a standard test of protein modeling software. A recent study of six different modeling software packages showed that they are more successful at predicting side chain conformations of core compared to surface residues. All the modeling software tested have multicomponent energy functions, typically including contributions from solvation, electrostatics, hydrogen bonding and Lennard–Jones interactions in addition to statistical terms based on observed protein structures. We investigated to what extent a simplified energy function that includes only stereochemical constraints and repulsive hard-sphere interactions can correctly repack protein cores. For single residue and collective repacking, the hard-sphere model accurately recapitulates the observed side chain conformations for Ile, Leu, Phe, Thr, Trp, Tyr and Val. This result shows that there are no alternative, sterically allowed side chain conformations of core residues. Analysis of the same set of protein cores using the Rosetta software suite revealed that the hard-sphere model and Rosetta perform equally well on Ile, Leu, Phe, Thr and Val; the hard-sphere model performs better on Trp and Tyr and Rosetta performs better on Ser. We conclude that the high prediction accuracy in protein cores obtained by protein modeling software and our simplified hard-sphere approach reflects the high density of protein cores and dominance of steric repulsion.
The Paradox of the Legislative Drafting Process in Tanzania
Authors: Majamba Hamudi Ismail
Published: January 2017

This article provides a critical analysis of the procedure for drafting laws provided for under the legal framework of Tanzania. It is premised on the general perception that the law making function in Tanzania, like other jurisdictions in the Commonwealth, is vested in Parliament, through the doctrine of supremacy of Parliament. The analysis focuses on the Standing Orders of the Parliament of the United Republic. The Orders provide for the main legal regulatory regime governing the conduct of business in the august House, including the drafting of legislation. In the process, the article brings to the fore other salient features of the provisions of the Standing Orders, previously unknown to many. The article’s focus is on Tanzania Mainland. It does not address the legislative drafting process in Zanzibar, the other part of the Union. Under the framework of Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977, Zanzibar has a separate and distinct regime governing legislative drafting. The main conclusions drawn from the analysis point out that contrary to popular belief, in practice, the overall framework law governing the legislative drafting process and its underlying policy vests the power of law making almost entirely in the Executive and not the Parliament.
The phylogenetics of the global population of potato virus Y and its necrogenic recombinants
Authors: Gibbs Adrian J. , Ohshima Kazusato , Yasaka Ryosuke , Mohammadi Musa , Gibbs Mark J. , Jones Roger A. C.
Published: January 2017

Potato virus Y (PVY) is a major pathogen of potatoes and other solanaceous crops worldwide. It is most closely related to potyviruses first or only found in the Americas, and it almost certainly originated in the Andes, where its hosts were domesticated. We have inferred the phylogeny of the published genomic sequences of 240 PVY isolates collected since 1938 worldwide, but not the Andes. All fall into five groupings, which mostly, but not exclusively, correspond with groupings already devised using biological and taxonomic data. Only 42 percent of the sequences are not recombinant, and all these fall into one or other of three phylogroups; the previously named C (common), O (ordinary), and N (necrotic) groups. There are also two other distinct groups of isolates all of which are recombinant; the R-1 isolates have N (5′ terminal minor) and O (major) parents, and the R-2 isolates have R-1 (major) and N (3′ terminal minor) parents. Many isolates also have additional minor intra- and inter-group recombinant genomic regions. The complex interrelationships between the genomes were resolved by progressively identifying and removing recombinants using partitioned sequences of synonymous codons. Least squared dating and BEAST analyses of two datasets of gene sequences from non-recombinant heterochronously-sampled isolates (seventy-three non-recombinant major ORFs and 166 partial ORFs) found the 95% confidence intervals of the TMRCA estimates overlap around 1,000 CE (Common Era; AD). We attempted to identify the most accurate datings by comparing the estimated phylogenetic dates with historical events in the worldwide adoption of potato and other PVY hosts as crops, but found that more evidence from gene sequences of non-potato isolates, especially from South America, was required.
Evaluation of Models for Alternaria Brown Spot of Mandarin Under Mediterranean Conditions by Partial Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve Analysis
Authors: Bassimba Daniel D. M. , Mira Jose L. , Vicent Antonio
Published: January 2017

Alternaria brown spot (ABS) is a serious fungal disease of mandarin in the Mediterranean Basin. Due to the rigorous fruit quality standards, models for ABS should avoid false negatives. Experiments were conducted with susceptible ‘Fortune’ and ‘Nova’ inoculated at different temperatures and leaf wetness durations, including interrupted periods. Effects of temperature and time elapsed after inoculation were also studied. Disease incidence data were fitted to generalized additive models and a generic infection model. Exposure of trap plants in affected orchards was used for model evaluation, including the Alter-Rater and a simple rule system (SRS). The predictive ability of the models was analyzed using the partial area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in the high-sensitivity range between 0.9 and 1. Postinoculation temperature had a significant effect on disease incidence, with maximum symptom expression after 30 h on Fortune and 60 h on Nova. ABS incidence did not increase after a leaf wetness interruption of 1 h on Nova and 2 h on Fortune. All the models evaluated had high false-positive rates on Fortune. Only the SRS showed a substantial strength of agreement in Nova, with a true-positive rate of 0.93 and false-positive rate of 0.16.
Agrobacteria Enhance Plant Defense Against Root-Knot Nematodes on Tomato
Authors: Lamovšek Janja , Stare Barbara Gerič , Pleško Irena Mavrič , Širca Saša , Urek Gregor
Published: January 2017

The increased incidence of the crown gall disease caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens has long been associated with activities of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). Pot experiments on tomato were designed to assess plant vitality, nematode reproduction, and crown gall incidence in combined infection with Agrobacterium and Meloidogyne spp. on tomato roots. Results suggest that tomato plants infected with pathogenic A. tumefaciens 2 days before the nematodes show enhanced plant defense against M. ethiopica resulting in lower egg and gall counts on roots 45 and 90 days postinoculation (dpi); no significantly enhanced defense was observed when the plant was inoculated with bacteria and nematodes at the same time. Split-root experiments also showed that the observed interaction was systemic. Reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis that targeted several genes under plant hormonal control suggests that the suppression was mediated via systemic acquired resistance by the pathogenesis-related protein 1 and that M. ethiopica did not enhance the defense reaction of tomato against Agrobacterium spp. Nematodes completely inhibited tumor growth in a 45-day experiment if inoculated onto the roots before the pathogenic bacteria. We conclude that the observed antagonism in the tested pathosystem was the result of initially strong plant defense that was later suppressed by the invading pathogen and pest.
A Global Perspective on the Population Structure and Reproductive System ofPhyllosticta citricarpa
Authors: Carstens E. , Linde C. C. , Slabbert R. , Miles A. K. , Donovan N. J. , Li H. , Zhang K. , Dewdney M. M. , Rollins J. A. , Glienke C. , Schutte G. C. , Fourie P. H. , McLeod A.
Published: January 2017

The citrus pathogen Phyllosticta citricarpa was first described 117 years ago in Australia; subsequently, from the summer rainfall citrus-growing regions in China, Africa, and South America; and, recently, the United States. Limited information is available on the pathogen’s population structure, mode of reproduction, and introduction pathways, which were investigated by genotyping 383 isolates representing 12 populations from South Africa, the United States, Australia, China, and Brazil. Populations were genotyped using seven published and eight newly developed polymorphic simple-sequence repeat markers. The Chinese and Australian populations had the highest genetic diversities, whereas populations from Brazil, the United States, and South Africa exhibited characteristics of founder populations. The U.S. population was clonal. Based on principal coordinate and minimum spanning network analyses, the Chinese populations were distinct from the other populations. Population differentiation and clustering analyses revealed high connectivity and possibly linked introduction pathways between South Africa, Australia, and Brazil. With the exception of the clonal U.S. populations that only contained one mating type, all the other populations contained both mating types in a ratio that did not deviate significantly from 1:1. Although most populations exhibited sexual reproduction, linkage disequilibrium analyses indicated that asexual reproduction is important in the pathogen’s life cycle.
Brachypodium: A Potential Model Host for Fungal Pathogens of Turfgrasses
Authors: Rioux Renee A. , Van Ryzin Benjamin J. , Kerns James P.
Published: January 2017

Brachypodium distachyon is a C3 grass that is an attractive model host system for studying pathogenicity of major turfgrass pathogens due to its genetic similarity to many cool-season turfgrasses. Infection assays with two or more isolates of the casual agents of dollar spot, brown patch, and Microdochium patch resulted in compatible interactions with B. distachyon inbred line Bd21-3. The symptoms produced by these pathogens on Bd21-3 closely resembled those observed on the natural turfgrass host (creeping bentgrass), demonstrating that B. distachyon is susceptible to the fungal pathogens that cause dollar spot, brown patch, and Microdochium patch on turfgrasses. The interaction between Sclerotinia homoeocarpa isolates and Brachypodium ecotypes was also investigated. Interestingly, differential responses of these ecotypes to S. homoeocarpa isolates was found, particularly when comparing B. distachyon to B. hybridum ecotypes. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that B. distachyon can be used as a model host system for these turfgrass diseases and leveraged for studies of molecular mechanisms contributing to host resistance.
Computer-assisted area detector masking
Authors: Wright Christopher J. , Zhou Xiao-Dong
Published: January 2017

Area detectors have become the predominant type of detector for the rapid acquisition of X-ray diffraction, small-angle scattering and total scattering. These detectors record the scattering for a large area, giving each shot good statistical significance to the resulting scattered intensity I(Q) pattern. However, many of these detectors have pixel level defects, which cause error in the resulting one-dimensional patterns. In this work, new software to automatically find and mask these dead pixels and other defects is presented. This algorithm is benchmarked with both ideal simulated and experimental datasets.
Dynamic quantum crystallography: lattice-dynamical models refined against diffraction data. II. Applications to L-alanine, naphthalene and xylitol
Authors: Hoser Anna A. , Madsen Anders Ø.
Published: January 2017

In the first paper of this series [Hoser & Madsen (2016). Acta Cryst. A72, 206–214], a new approach was introduced which enables the refinement of frequencies of normal modes obtained from ab initio periodic computations against single-crystal diffraction data. In this contribution, the performance of this approach is tested by refinement against data in the temperature range from 23 to 205 K on the molecular crystals of L-alanine, naphthalene and xylitol. The models, which are lattice-dynamical models derived at the Γ point of the Brillouin zone, are able to describe the atomic vibrations of L-alanine and naphthalene to a level where the residual densities are similar to those obtained from the independent atom model. For the more flexible molecule xylitol, larger deviations are found. Hydrogen ADPs (anisotropic displacement parameters) derived from the models are in similar or better agreement with neutron diffraction results than ADPs obtained by other procedures. The heat capacity calculated after normal mode refinement for naphthalene is in reasonable agreement with the heat capacity obtained from calorimetric measurements (to less than 1 cal mol−1 K−1 below 300 K), with deviations at higher temperatures indicating anharmonicity. Standard uncertainties and correlation of the refined parameters have been derived based on a Monte Carlo procedure. The uncertainties are quite small and probably underestimated.
Consumers’ self-congruence with a “Liked” brand
Authors: Wallace Elaine , Buil Isabel , de Chernatony Leslie
Published: January 2017

Purpose

Brand “Likes” on Facebook facilitate self-expression, forming part of consumers’ virtual selves. Yet, consumers’ brand “Likes” may bear little resemblance to their material realities. This paper aims to test similarities of brand image with self-image for Facebook “Likes” to determine whether self-congruence with a “Liked” brand leads to positive offline brand outcomes. It also investigates whether consumers’ perceptions about their Facebook social relations influence self-congruent brand “Likes”.

Design/methodology/approach

A large-scale survey was conducted of regular Facebook users who “Liked” brands. Data from 438 respondents was analysed and hypotheses tested using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Empirical results show that the perceived self-congruence with a “Liked” brand increases with social tie strength. Perceived social tie strength is informed by perceived attitude homophily. When the perceived self-congruence with a “Liked” brand is higher, brand love and word of mouth (WOM) are enhanced. Consumers also have greater brand loyalty and offer more WOM when brands are loved.

Research limitations/implications

Findings demonstrate the influence of consumers’ cognitive network on “Likes” and brand outcomes. Further replication would enhance generalisability. Future research should use a wider sample and investigate other variables.

Practical implications

Findings support managers seeking to grow and analyse Facebook “Likes” by providing insights into brand loyalty, brand love and WOM for “Liked” brands.

Originality/value

The paper addresses the dearth of research exploring how consumers’ perceptions of their Facebook network influence their online brand behaviour and how perceived self-congruence with a “Liked” brand relates to brand outcomes.
Consumers’ brand identity complexity: conceptualization and predictive ability
Authors: Orth Ulrich R. , Rose Gregory M.
Published: January 2017

Purpose

This study aims to integrate Roccas and Brewer’s (2002) social identity complexity theory with the brand symbolism literature to propose a new construct: brand identity complexity (BIC). Different than previous conceptualizations of identity complexity which focus on the degree of internal differentiation of the personal self, BIC focuses on the degree of complexity in the social self and is defined as a consumer’s subjective representation and psychological state of belongingness to multiple identity-constructing brand ingroups. BIC impacts the adoption of new brands as they relate to the social self.

Design/methodology/approach

Three experiments were performed to test BIC’s predictive power. Study 1 measures BIC and tests its influence on the adoption of new brands positioned as unique. Study 2 manipulates BIC through priming and tests its influence on the adoption of new brands that appeal to independence. Study 3 also manipulates BIC and examines its influence on the adoption of brand extensions.

Findings

Study 1 demonstrates that high BIC consumers are more likely to adopt a new brand that appeals to a unique social self. Study 2 shows that high BIC individuals are more likely to adopt a new brand that appeals to an independent self. Study 3 shows that high BIC consumers are more likely to adopt a brand extension with a low fit to the parent category. All three studies offer evidence of the mediating role of identity-driven payoffs.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that individuals perceive their multiple brand ingroups to be more or less complex. This outcome merges the social identity theory with consumer–brand relationship research and adds to an emerging stream of research that explores personal, situational and cultural differences in the social self and its relation to commercial offers.

Practical implications

Marketers can benefit from the findings by better understanding which brand appeals will be more effective with target consumers and under what conditions.

Originality/value

This research develops a conceptual framework for understanding the development of brand ingroup-based identity complexity.
Assessing information on food packages
Authors: Clement Jesper , Smith Viktor , Zlatev Jordan , Gidlöf Kerstin , van de Weijer Joost
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an experimental study which aims at assessing the potentially misleading effect of graphic elements on food packaging. The authors call these elements potentially misleading elements (PMEs) as they can give customers false expectations. They are either highlighted numerical information (30 per cent fibre, 8 per cent fat, 100 per cent natural […]) or pictorial information with no relation to the product (e.g. images of happy people).

Design/methodology/approach

In a combined decision task monitored by eye-tracking and a subsequence survey, the authors tested the impact of PMEs on common products. Combining different pairs of products, where one product had a PME, whereas the other did not, the authors could evaluate if preference correlated with the presence of a PME.

Findings

The authors found both types of PMEs to have analogous effects on participants’ preferences and correlate with participants’ visual attention. The authors also found evidence for a positive influence on a later explicit justification for the specific choice.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted in a lab environment and solely related to health-related decisions. The authors still need to know if these findings are transferable to real in-store decisions and other needs such as high quality or low price. This calls for further research.

Practical implications

The topic is important for food companies, and it might become a priority in managing brand equity, combining consumer preferences, loyalty and communicative fairness.

Originality/value

Using eye-tracking and retrospective interviews brings new insights to consumer’s decision-making and how misleading potentially occurs.
Social learning and network externalities in decision making
Authors: Huang Dongling , Markovitch Dmitri G. , Ying Yuanping
Published: January 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the effects of social learning and network externalities by conditioning on product quality and early sales momentum. This approach is demonstrated using film sales data.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used econometric modeling approach.

Findings

It was found that both social learning and network externalities have significant and comparable impacts on film choice. We show that the relative effects of network externalities and social learning in the film market are robust to different momentum and quality definitions and to alternative estimation methods.

Originality/value

Scholars have long argued that social learning plays a key role in new product diffusion. In some product categories, consumer choice may also be influenced by network externalities, meaning that purchasing popular products may provide the consumer utility above and beyond that derived from product usage directly. We propose a novel identification approach to help quantify the relative magnitude of these two effects on new product sales.
Analysis of the key influencing factors of haze information dissemination behavior and motivation in WeChat
Authors: Shan Siqing , Liu Mengni , Xu Xiaobo
Published: January 2017

Purpose

With the development of mobile internet, instant messaging (IM) applications have gradually changed the way to receive information and communicate with friends. Considered as one of the important social media platforms, WeChat is the most popular IM application in China. This paper aims to examine the influence factors of haze information’s dissemination in WeChat.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the theory of information dissemination and the theory of motivation, three information dissemination elements including information source, information and information receiver were proposed in the structural equation model. The model was tested using data collected from both online and offline questionnaire survey results. The data analysis from 170 valid responses confirmed the path effects that emotional motivation, social motivation of information receiver and the credibility of information source positively influenced WeChat users’ re-transmission intention and information emotional tendency negatively influenced their re-transmission intention.

Findings

The research model revealed these key factors that affected dissemination of haze information in WeChat. More importantly, it provided a decision-making framework to release the public emergency information in WeChat. Hence, the paper made an important contribution to practical guidance to relevant decision makers.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on examining factors affecting the haze information transmission in WeChat. A framework was proposed to describe the information dissemination process which comprises information source, information and information receiver.
Impact of social network heterogeneity and knowledge heterogeneity on the innovation performance of new ventures
Authors: Yang Junping , Wang Feng-Kwei
Published: January 2017

Purpose

Few studies investigated the influence of heterogeneous knowledge and social networks on the innovation performance of new ventures in emerging economics. Particularly, as the focus of global economic development is paying more attention to emerging economics such as China, Indonesia and India, innovation research in these countries becomes more and more important. As such, this paper aims to propose a theoretical model and designed a survey based on the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ).

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate the influence of network heterogeneity and knowledge heterogeneity on the innovation performance of new ventures, the authors designed a structured questionnaire based on the TRIZ methodology for innovative problem solving to collect data from new ventures established in the past eight years in eastern China.

Findings

The empirical results verify the assumptions of our theoretical model: network heterogeneity has a positive impact on the innovation performance of new ventures; knowledge heterogeneity has a positive impact on the innovation performance of new ventures; network heterogeneity has a positive impact on knowledge heterogeneity.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper is that the proposed theoretical model determining the relationship of network heterogeneity and knowledge heterogeneity with the innovation performance of new ventures was empirically tested and verified. This study also empirically verified what types and what sources of social network and knowledge are critically linked to new venture innovation.
Public attitudes towards the employment of ex-offenders with a disability
Authors: Darakai Adrian , Day Andrew , Graffam Joe
Published: January 2017

Purpose

Ex-prisoners often face significant challenges in their efforts to find meaningful and stable work, undermining their chances of successful reintegration back into the community. These problems are likely to be compounded for those who have an intellectual disability (ID), given evidence that the disabled generally experience high levels of discrimination when applying for and maintaining jobs. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether members of the public hold different attitudes and expectations towards the employment of ex-offenders who have an ID and a history of criminal offending.

Design/methodology/approach

Samples of 642 participants, recruited via social media, were presented with vignettes, and then completed a short survey designed to measure their attitudes and expectations towards the employment of ex-offenders.

Findings

Whilst the presence of a mild ID did not significantly affect community attitudes towards ex-offender employment, it did change expectations about employment outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

It appears that ex-offenders are perceived as a homogenous group of people, despite actual and substantial differences existing within this population.

Practical implications

There is a need to actively educate the community about differences between subgroups of ex-offenders in relation to the employment needs of those with an ID.

Social implications

The social inclusion of ex-offenders with an ID lies at the heart of any effective and progressive criminal justice policy.

Originality/value

This is one of the only studies that has examined public attitudes towards this group.
Successful management of diverse corporate innovation communities
Authors: Roth Angela , Dumbach Martin , Schliffka Barbara , Möslein Kathrin M.
Published: January 2017

Purpose

Increasing demographic diversity within societies and workforces causes challenges with regard to the innovation performance of companies. By definition, innovation communities nowadays are composed of members with diverse function background and age diversity. The challenging question is how to manage diverse corporate innovation communities. The purpose of this paper is to find out which factors determine the success of corporate innovation communities in times of demographic shifts.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical field to answer the research question are three corporate innovation communities in companies of different industries and size. Multiple case study methodology is applied to gather and analyse the data.

Findings

The study presents an empirically derived framework to structure success factors of diverse corporate innovation communities chronologically in the three phases of preparation, execution and finalization of a community work process. The success factors are described in detail and finally a time sequential guideline for those who are responsible for community management in demographic change is provided.

Research limitations/implications

It is contributed to the literature on innovation communities and it is shown that innovation communities are not only an instrument to solve innovation tasks but are also a promising means to tackle other challenges of recent demographic changes. As limitation must be considered, that the analysed innovation communities only received corporate support for a short period of time and the supporting organizations operate in manufacturing industries in Germany only.

Practical implications

The paper highlights that managers need to be aware that diversity in corporate innovation communitiesper sedoes not lead to success. Furthermore, a guideline of success factors for managers of diverse corporate innovation communities is presented which highlights important aspects that managers need to consider during the community work process.

Social implications

Due to demographic shifts in Germany and other European countries, societies in general and workforces in particular have modified. Most pervasive shifts take place with regard to age structures and diversity. Implications how manager could handle diversity successfully are therefore of high relevance for societies.

Originality/value

This study provides a theoretical understanding of the implications of organizational and age diversity on corporate innovation community management. Extant authors have already focussed on success factors in innovation communities and diverse settings isolated, but have not merged these issues.
Ethnic minority membership and depression in the UK and America
Authors: Holttum Sue
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss two recent studies on depression in members of ethnic minorities, one based in the UK with older people, and one in the USA. The aim was to examine what might lead to depression in these groups, and what might protect people from it.

Design/methodology/approach

The UK-based study examined depression and physical health in older members of the two largest ethnic minority groups in the UK: African Caribbean and South Asian. The US-based study examined whether a sense of belonging to the population group African Americans protected people from depression, as one social theory might predict, or whether racism prevented this protection, as predicted by another theory.

Findings

In London-based older South Asians, depression was explained by their poorer physical health compared to white Europeans. In older people of black Caribbean origin, depression was linked to their social disadvantage. The researchers did not measure people’s experience of discrimination, and other research suggests this can explain both physical illness and depression. The US-based study reported better well-being for people who identified with other African Americans, but not if they also felt negative about African Americans. However, these were weak links, so other things may affect well-being more, such as day-to-day relationships and a range of group memberships.

Originality/value

The London-based study was new in studying depression in older people belonging to the two largest ethnic minority groups in the UK and in white Europeans. The US study tested two competing social theories with different predictions about depression in relation to belonging to an ethnic minority. Both studies highlight the need for more research on discrimination and how to reduce it and its negative effects on both mental and physical health.
A gap in management accounting education: fact or fiction
Authors: Botes Vida Lucia , Sharma Umesh
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to gain insights into the gap that persists between management accounting education (MAE) and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

MAE is examined from four perspectives of the balanced scorecard (BSC), in terms of what is being taught at tertiary level: customer satisfaction, learning and growth, internal business and financial. A survey questionnaire was sent to management accountants selected randomly from a list of practicing management accountants identified by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in South Africa.

Findings

The study finds support for allegations that a gap exists between MAE and practice and indicates that to address this gap, a holistic focus using the four perspectives of the BSC would be useful to investigate the gap.

Research limitations/implications

Previous studies in relation to the gap in management education have focused on the lack of skills provided by tertiary education. As one of the few studies to focus on the overall performance of MAE, this study identifies that the gap is not limited to the provision of adequate skills. The findings show that the gap is significant in terms of customer perspective but is not significant in relation to the internal business, learning and growth and financial perspectives of the BSC. The study provides deeper insights into the gap and will help tertiary education providers to improve their performance.

Practical implications

As one of the few studies on gaps between MAE and practice, the study provides insights to the potential gaps. The findings serve as a basis for further empirical and theoretical enquiries.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the management accounting literature by focusing on the gap in MAE using a BSC approach. Rather than single out the lack of skills provided by MAE as a reason for the gap, this paper provides information on the four areas of the BSC as ways to identify the gap.
The market for sustainability assurance services
Authors: Farooq Muhammad Bilal , de Villiers Charl
Published: January 2017

Purpose

This paper focuses on the market for sustainability assurance (SA) services. The aims of this paper are to review academic efforts in the field, highlighting ground covered, provide a comprehensive understanding of the market for this new form of assurance and identify potential avenues for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

These objectives were met through a review of 50 academic journal articles identified as relevant to the SA field.

Findings

SA is a voluntary exercise in most jurisdictions, and engagements are structured to meet the needs (demands) of the market and the capabilities (supply) of assurance providers. This has given rise to a diverse landscape with engagements of differing scopes and objectives. From a demand side, the literature reveals a number of drivers (both at the macro and micro levels) and inhibitors for SA services. From a supply side, the literature sheds light on the assurance providers operating in the market and the standards they use when undertaking SA services. These practitioners include accountants (the big four) who use ISAE3000 and non-accountants who prefer AA1000AS. The review reveals five broad areas which have been the focus of existing studies. Finally, the study identifies seven avenues for future research in the SA field.

Originality/value

The findings of this paper will prove valuable to practitioners as it will assist them in understanding this new form of assurance. Researchers will benefit from an understanding on ground covered and future avenues for research.
Asia Pacific productivity development determinants
Authors: Ahmed Elsadig Musa , Kialashki Rahim
Published: January 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure the factors determining the productivity development in the Asia Pacific countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Design/methodology/approach

The extensive growth theory that is expressed as the decomposition of the contribution of changes in employment, physical capital, foreign direct investment (FDI), human capital (HC), telecommunications investment and total factor productivity (TFP) growth on the selected Asia-Pacific countries’ output growth is used in this study. In this respect, an annual time series data over the period 1970-2012 for the aforementioned variables are employed.

Findings

The study found that the FDI spillover effects through the TFP are considered as productivity-driven economic growth in which the FDI spillover effects have significant effect on the productivity growth of the majority of these countries. It should be noted that most of these countries showed technological progress through the FDI spillover effects that is translated into a form of technology transfer and HC skills development.

Originality/value

This study empirically compared the FDI spillover effects on sustainable productivity growth of the most growing countries in the Asia Pacific region by using modified extensive growth theory that closed the gaps in the past studies and addressed the issues of technology transfer, HC development and sustainable productivity growth brought by the technical progress in these countries through the FDI spillover effects on productivity growth.
Knowledge and entrepreneurship creation: what is the connection?
Authors: Fernandes Cristina , Ferreira João , Raposo Mário , Hernández Ricardo , Diaz-Casero Juan Carlos
Published: January 2017

Purpose

With this work, the authors seek to advance knowledge in this field mentioned above. The purpose of this paper is to stress the role of two groups of components related to individuals’ knowledge: the intrinsic base of existing knowledge and exposure to external knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study examined the impact of knowledge in the business creation process. Data came from aggregated panel data at the country level taken from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor over a five-year period (2009-2013).

Findings

Results show that knowledge affects the business creation process. The research identifies the following factors as influential: detection of capabilities, entrepreneurial experience, and experience investing in other firms.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of the research relate to the data aggregation at the country level. Future research should examine disaggregated GEM data for the three economic stages at the classification level.

Practical implications

The perception of self-efficacy appears to be critical in understanding the planning of intentional behavior because of its influence on the formation of intentions through situational perceptions of viability.

Originality/value

Generally, the literature that emphasizes the role of knowledge and entrepreneurship in small firms is theoretically limited and focuses solely on the role of knowledge in the decision to start a business.
Accuracy Rates of Ancestry Estimation by Forensic Anthropologists Using Identified Forensic Cases
Authors: Thomas Richard M. , Parks Connie L. , Richard Adam H.
Published: January 2017

A common task in forensic anthropology involves the estimation of the ancestry of a decedent by comparing their skeletal morphology and measurements to skeletons of individuals from known geographic groups. However, the accuracy rates of ancestry estimation methods in actual forensic casework have rarely been studied. This article uses 99 forensic cases with identified skeletal remains to develop accuracy rates for ancestry estimations conducted by forensic anthropologists. The overall rate of correct ancestry estimation from these cases is 90.9%, which is comparable to most research‐derived rates and those reported by individual practitioners. Statistical tests showed no significant difference in accuracy rates depending on examiner education level or on the estimated or identified ancestry. More recent cases showed a significantly higher accuracy rate. The incorporation of metric analyses into the ancestry estimate in these cases led to a higher accuracy rate.
Purple Sweet Potato Attenuate Weight Gain in High Fat Diet Induced Obese Mice
Authors: Ju Ronghui , Zheng Shujuan , Luo Hongxia , Wang Changgang , Duan Lili , Sheng Yao , Zhao Changhui , Xu Wentao , Huang Kunlun
Published: January 2017

Purple sweet potato (PSP) is widely grown in Asia and considered as a healthy vegetable. The objective of the current study was to determine the anti‐obesity effect of the PSP on high fat diet induced obese C57BL/6J mice. The mice were administrated with high fat diet supplemented with the sweet potato (SP) or PSP at the concentration of 15% and 30% for 12 wk, respectively. The results showed that the supplementation of SP or PSP at 30% significantly ameliorated high fat diet induced obesity and its associated risk factors, including reduction of body weight and fat accumulation, improvement of lipid profile and modulation of energy expenditure. Moreover, PSP also posed beneficial effect on the liver and kidney functions. These results indicate that PSP and SP have anti‐obesity effect and are effective to reduce the metabolic risk.
The Potential Source of B. licheniformis Contamination During Whey Protein Concentrate 80 Manufacture
Authors: Md Zain Siti Norbaizura , Bennett Rod , Flint Steve
Published: January 2017

The objective of this study was to determine the possible source of predominant Bacillus licheniformis contamination in a whey protein concentrate (WPC) 80 manufacturing plant. Traditionally, microbial contaminants of WPC were believed to grow on the membrane surfaces of the ultrafiltration plant as this represents the largest surface area in the plant. Changes from hot to cold ultrafiltration have reduced the growth potential for bacteria on the membrane surfaces. Our recent studies of WPCs have shown the predominant microflora B. licheniformis would not grow in the membrane plant because of the low temperature (10 °C) and must be growing elsewhere. Contamination of dairy products is mostly due to bacteria being released from biofilm in the processing plant rather from the farm itself. Three different reconstituted WPC media at 1%, 5%, and 20% were used for biofilm growth and our results showed that B. licheniformis formed the best biofilm at 1% (low solids). Further investigations were done using 3 different media; tryptic soy broth, 1% reconstituted WPC80, and 1% reconstituted WPC80 enriched with lactose and minerals to examine biofilm growth of B. licheniformis on stainless steel. Thirty‐three B. licheniformis isolates varied in their ability to form biofilm on stainless steel with stronger biofilm in the presence of minerals. The source of biofilms of thermo‐resistant bacteria such as B. licheniformis is believed to be before the ultrafiltration zone represented by the 1% WPC with lactose and minerals where the whey protein concentration is about 0.6%.
Echoendoscopic ablative therapy for solid pancreatic tumors
Authors: Paik Woo Hyun , Seo Dong Wan
Published: January 2017

Initially, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) was developed to inspect the pancreas and other organs adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract. After introduction of curvilinear‐array echoendoscopes, EUS has been used for a variety of interventions in gastroenterology, including fine needle aspiration, pancreatobiliary drainage and tumor ablation. EUS‐guided ablation of pancreatic cystic tumors with ethanol and with or without cytotoxic agents has been studied, showing its potential to become an alternative to surgery. However, only few attempts at using ethanol ablation to treat solid pancreatic tumors have been reported. Recently, EUS‐guided radiofrequency ablation was introduced and has been cautiously applied for pancreatic cancer. This article focuses on the clinical application of EUS for the ablation of solid pancreatic tumors.
Effects of Impervious Area and BMP Implementation and Design on Storm Runoff and Water Quality in Eight Small Watersheds
Authors: Aulenbach Brent T. , Landers Mark N. , Musser Jonathan W. , Painter Jaime A.
Published: January 2017

The effects of increases in effective impervious area (EIA) and the implementation of water quality protection designed detention pond best management practices (BMPs) on storm runoff and stormwater quality were assessed in Gwinnett County, Georgia, for the period 2001‐2008. Trends among eight small watersheds were compared, using a time trend study design. Significant trends were detected in three storm hydrologic metrics and in five water quality constituents that were adjusted for variability in storm characteristics and climate. Trends in EIA ranged from 0.10 to 1.35, and changes in EIA treated by BMPs ranged from 0.19 to 1.32; both expressed in units of percentage of drainage area per year. Trend relations indicated that for every 1% increase in watershed EIA, about 2.6, 1.1, and 1.5% increases in EIA treated by BMPs would be required to counteract the effects of EIA added to the watersheds on peak streamflow, stormwater yield, and storm streamflow runoff, respectively. Relations between trends in EIA, BMP implementation, and water quality were counterintuitive. This may be the result of (1) changes in constituent inputs in the watersheds, especially downstream of areas treated by BMPs; (2) BMPs may have increased the duration of stormflow that results in downstream channel erosion; and/or (3) spurious relationships between increases in EIA, BMP implementation, and constituent inputs with development rates.
The Transition of Care Between Emergency Department and Primary Care: A Scoping Study
Authors: Atzema Clare L. , Maclagan Laura C.
Published: January 2017

Objectives

Patients with chronic diseases are often forced to seek emergency care for exacerbations. In the face of large predicted increases in the prevalence of chronic diseases, there is increased pressure to avoid hospitalizing these patients at the end of the ED visit, if they can obtain the care they need in the outpatient setting. We performed this scoping study to provide a broad overview of the published literature on the transition of care between ED and primary care following ED discharge.

Methods

We performed a MEDLINE search of English‐language articles published between 1990 and March 2015. We created a data‐charting form a priori of the search. Papers were organized into themes, with new themes created when none of the existing themes matched the paper. Papers with multiple themes were assigned preferentially to the theme that was consistent with their primary objectives. We created a descriptive numerical summary of the included studies.

Results

Of 1,138 titles, there were 252 potentially relevant abstracts, and among those 122 met criteria for full paper review. An additional 11 papers were acquired from reference review. From the 133 papers, 85 were included in the study. The papers were categorized into seven themes. These included Follow‐up compliance and its predictors (38 studies), Telephone calls to discharged ED patients (15 studies), ED navigators (14 studies), The current system (nine studies), Ways to alert primary care providers (PCPs) of the ED visit (seven studies), and Patient views and PCP information requirements (one each). In the Follow‐up compliance and predictors theme, the two most frequently identified significant predictors for increasing the frequency of follow‐up care were the provision of a follow‐up appointment time prior to ED departure and the presence of health insurance. Follow‐up telephone calls to patients resulted in better follow‐up rates, but increased ED return visits in some studies. In the current system patients themselves are the conduit, and the barriers to follow‐up care can be high. E‐mail and/or electronic medical record alerts to the PCP are relatively new, and no studies limited the alerts to patients who had a defined need for follow‐up care.

Conclusions

A plethora of work has been published on the transition of care from ED to primary care. To decrease hospitalizations among the upcoming wave of patients with chronic diseases, it appears that the two most efficient areas to target are a primary care follow‐up appointment system and health insurance. Further research is needed in particular to identify the patients who actually need follow‐up care and to develop information technology solutions that can be effectively implemented within the current emergency healthcare system.