bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Segmentation Of The Off-Peak Wine Tourist In Canadas Niagara Region
Authors: Cullen Carman W. , Kaciak Eugene , Bramble Linda
Published: March 2016

This paper segments the off-peak wine tourist in Canadas Niagara region. Three factors, Wine Knowledge (cognition), Winery Enjoyment (affect), and Winery Behaviour (behavioural intention), grounded in attitude theory, were discovered.
Tariff At Risk: Can The Florida Citrus Industry Survive?
Authors: Kolva Judith L. , Heinzman, Jr. Joseph , Puente Yvonne
Published: March 2016

For over 70 years, the Florida citrus industry has been protected from foreign competition by a tariff on orange juice. The orange juice tariff is currently being threatened by negotiations over the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) agreement and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Brazil is the leading foreign competitor to the Florida citrus industry. The tariff prevents Brazil from becoming a large citrus cartel that could take control of the worlds orange juice market. The Florida citrus industry contributes $9.1 billion to Floridas economy and provides jobs for 90,000 Florida citizens. Orange juice production is a key to the strength of Floridas economy. Florida citrus growers argue that the tariff is the most important issue facing the industrys survival. Without the tariff, Florida citrus growers are in danger of going out of business. This could devastate Floridas economy. It is important that Florida citrus growers and FTAA negotiators unite and intensify efforts to protect the citrus tariff and ensure the survival of Floridas citrus industry.
he Global Impact Of Chinas Currency Policy: U.S. And Beyond
Authors: Crawford Peggy J. , Young Terry
Published: March 2016

Since the yuan is pegged to the dollar, the U.S. and Chinese economies have become inter-connected in a myriad of ways. This study examines the global implications of this relationship.
Student Perceptions Of The Online Classroom: An Update
Authors: Tanner John R. , Noser Thomas C. , Totaro Michael W. , Birch Rachelle
Published: March 2016

In this paper, the authors compare perceptions of 2001-2002 undergraduate students toward online courses, with the attitudes of undergraduate students matriculating in 2005. Specifically, a questionnaire developed and used in a study during the period 2001-2002, in which there were eight hundred ninety-six (896) undergraduate students at two medium-sized southern universities, was again given to six hundred twenty-six (626) undergraduate students at these same two universities in 2005. The results suggest that students continue to have questions about the overall appeal of online courses, despite the fact that three to four years have elapsed. The results of this study should be of interest to university administrators, faculty members, and students who plan to offer, teach, or take online courses in the future. This information may be helpful to university administrators in deciding which types of courses at their universities might be offered online. Faculty who are considering teaching one or more online courses may find the results of this study helpful in structuring these online offerings. This research is also intended to give students a realistic expectation of what to anticipate from online courses, based upon information we have found and studies we have done.
Teaching Across Disciplines: The Christmas Bell
Authors: Taylor Virginia Anne
Published: March 2016

The primary focus of this teaching case is a demonstration of the interdisciplinary nature of business production decisions. The issues involved show students how to think outside the single function box of management and consider accounting, finance, and economics.
Development And Validation Of A Diagnosis And Evaluation Instrument For Non-Governmental Organizations: Indicators To Determine Strengths, Weaknesses, And Areas Of Opportunity As A Means To Improve NGOs Performance
Authors: Guerrero Adriana Martínez
Published: March 2016

Currently, there are many effectiveness and efficiency theories, models and indicators in the companies worldwide. These theories, models, and indicators are more frequently applied to increase productivity and improve product and/or service quality. However, most non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Mexico lack the necessary administrative structure to achieve a correct performance. NGOs help, to a large extent, improve the quality of life of many people in the developing countries, but the lack of tools has prevented NGOs from achieving their best performance (regarding productivity, efficiency, and transparency). The former can diminish reliability from the potential donors. A little has been done regarding NGOs administrative management in Mexico. The little existing research is mainly based on aspects such as NGOs history, experience, and current situation. Experts still expect other people, through formal studies, to complete this research to provide NGOs with the necessary tools to achieve the sector expected growth. The purpose of this research is to provide the tools that this type of organizations need to increase their performance level and improve credibility to attain their social objectives.
The Diminishing Benefits Of Nae International Portfolio Diversification Following The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis
Authors: Krause David S. , Kutner George W.
Published: March 2016

Nae international diversification has been fundamental to portfolio management over the past 30 years, but the benefits appear to be significantly diminished following the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Using monthly return data covering the period from 1970 through 2004, we found rising correlations between U.S. and international equity markets exceeding 0.85 since July 1997. Even the return correlation of emerging countries recently has reached almost 0.80. We also found a significant reduction in the variance of the international return correlation after the financial crisis. Portfolio managers should not expect to receive the same benefits from international portfolio diversification as that obtained prior to the Asian financial crisis.
Determining Factors Of Bank Performance Based On Return On Solvency And Efficiency: A Study Of Turkish Banks
Authors: Ozdincer Begumhan , Ozyildirim Cenktan
Published: March 2016

The performance of the banking industry is analyzed by applying a panel regression on Turkish Bank data. Profitability is measured as revenues per unit of risk and efficiency as revenues per unit of cost. Return on solvency is used to measure the profitability using risk weighted assets as defined in the current Basel Accord. Both measures take into account the effect of the cost of capital to arrive at the real performance of the banks. The analysis is made using a panel regression between 2003:1 and 2005:2 analyzing 18 banks offering full-fledged services. The analysis of the short-term data leads to some striking results. The performance of banks is mainly driven by macroeconomic factors; banks rely on income from securities business to compensate for their poor results from their core activities which seems to be a result of the highly competitive environment. The analysis of efficiency reveals that market share is the most significant determinant. This result supports the idea that banks will be profiting from economies of scale and as they increase their market share they will be able to better utilize their excess capacity. The negative relationship between commission income and efficiency also strengthens our view that excess capacity is a problem of the industry and results in negligible commission income as opposed to high fixed costs for the service oriented banks.
Who Defines Excellence? An Intercultural Study Of Perceptions Of Excellence And The Effects Of These Interpretations In Global Higher Education
Authors: Velo Veronica
Published: March 2016

This article questions the perception of excellence in three different and geographically distant locations: Buenos Aires (Argentina), Coventry (UK) and Shanghai (China) and inquires about the capacity of educational systems to generalize globally the appreciation of student and university staff work. The main issue on which this article focuses is whether what higher education institutions consider as bad, good or excellent is culturally sensitive, and if so, how to agree on objectives and procedures that are universally applicable. Current environmental conditions in the higher education landscape are pushing towards the development of international links between universities under different forms, such as franchised degrees, joint programs, mutual faculty and student exchanges, etc. As this new reality demands the homogenization of the curricula delivered as well as a compatible process of evaluation across borders, how could we achieve global excellence if what we understand by this term is culturally sensitive?
Female Directors And Firm Characteristics: A USA UK Comparison
Authors: Hebble Annette
Published: March 2016

Shareholders and other stakeholders are placing an increasing emphasis on corporate governance. The composition of a board is an important aspect of corporate governance. There is some evidence that gender diversity in the boardroom has an impact on the operations of a company. Both U.S. and UK corporations are increasing female representation on their boards. The purpose of this particular study is to compare gender diversity on U.S. and UK boards, and investigate some firm characteristics that may be associated with above or below average female representation.
The Informational Content Of The VaR Measures Associated With The Trading Activities Of Canadian Banks
Authors: Houde Dominique , Desrochers Jean , Martel Denis , Préfontaine Jacques
Published: March 2016

This paper examines the informational content and the usefulness of Canadian banks' market risk public disclosures. Risk managers use Value at Risk (VAR) as a measure of the dollar amount of a large potential loss to a bank's trading income and common shareholders' equity as a result of extreme and low-probability market price changes. Five different VAR metrics (high, low, range of estimates, average and end-of-period values) are now published and recognized benchmarks for measuring market risk exposure, and its potential impact on a bank's financial position. At the explicit request of regulators, financial analysts and competitive pressures, most large commercial banks in North America are now reporting the five forms of VAR numbers described above in their quarterly and annual financial reports. To examine preliminary evidence on the informational content of such public financial disclosures, we composed a sample of seven of Canada's largest commercial banks. In particular, we investigate if "ex ante" VAR numbers help financial analysts, investors, and regulators to explain the subsequent variability of commercial banks' trading income and of their ratio of market value to book value of common shareholders' equity over time.
The Validity Of Advanced TMS: A Strategic Development Marketing System - Toyotas Scientific Customer Creative Model Utilizing New JIT
Authors: Amasaka Kakuro
Published: March 2016

A future successful global marketer must develop an excellent quality marketing system that impresses users and continuously provides excellent, quality products in a timely manner through corporate management. In this paper, the author discusses the validity of Advanced TMS as a core technology Total Marketing System, TMS of New JIT, which contributes to constructing a Strategic Development Marketing System, SDMS. This paper aims to create a Scientific Customer Creative Model, SCCM, a form of strategic marketing utilizing Advanced TMS. Concretely, the author will also introduce the effectiveness of Advanced TMS that reflects latent customer needs through scientific marketing application examples via Toyotas Intelligent Customer Information Marketing System, T-ICIMS.
Ethics In A Globalized World What Have We Wrought?!
Authors: Usrey Kyle B.
Published: March 2016

Globalization and recent corporate scandals all presage increased ethics scrutiny of personal behaviors among corporate officials. Boeings ethics code precludingconduct that causes embarrassment to the company is the pacesetter.
The GARCH (1, 1) Model As A Risk Predictor For International Portfolios
Authors: Laplante Jean-François , Desrochers Jean , Préfontaine, Jacques
Published: March 2016

This study pertains to forecasting portfolio risk using a GARCH (Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity) approach. Three models are compared to the GARCH model (1,1) i.e., random walk (RW), historical mean (HMM) and J.P. Morgans exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA). In recent years, many volatility forecasting models have been presented in the financial literature. Using the historical average of stock returns to determine the optimal portfolio is current practice in academic circles. However, we doubt the ability of this method to provide the best estimated portfolio variance. Moreover, an error in the estimated covariance matrix could result in a completely different portfolio mix. Consequently, we believe it would be relevant to examine the volatility forecasting model proposed in different studies to estimate the standard deviation of an efficient portfolio. With a view to building an efficient portfolio in an international context, we will analyze the forecasting models mentioned above. The purpose of this research is to determine whether a GARCH approach to forecasting the covariance matrix makes it possible to obtain a risk that most resembles the actual observed risk for a given return than the model traditionally used by practitioners and academic researchers. To this end, we selected six international stock indices. The study was conducted in a Canadian context and consequently, each stock index is converted into Canadian dollars. Initially, we estimate the covariance matrix for each forecasting model mentioned above. Then, we determine the proportions to invest in the portfolio and calculate the standard deviation of a minimum variance portfolio. Finally, the best model is selected based on the variances between estimated and actual risk by minimizing the root mean squared error (RMSE) for each forecasting model. Our results show that the GARCH (1,1) model is good for estimating risk in a minimum variance portfolio. As well, we find that it is statistically impossible to make a distinction between the accuracy of this model and the RW model. Lastly, our results show that based on the four statistical error measures used, the HMM is the least accurate for estimating portfolio risk. We therefore decided not to use this model and to rely instead on the GARCH approach or the RW, the simplest of all the models.
Emotional Intelligence And Its Impact On Service Quality Empirical Evidence From The Pakistani Banking Sector
Authors: Naeem Hummayoun , Saif M. Iqbal , Khalil Wajeeha
Published: March 2016

Emotional intelligence and service quality--this study was designed to examine the relationship between the said two variables. While using teacher made tools from the body of knowledge, data was collected through a self administered questionnaire from the officers of two leading banks in Pakistan; one was foreign bank that paid more attention to the improvement of service quality and the other one was well reputed, fastest growing local bank, did not spend much on quality issues as was the practice in foreign bank. SPSS version 12 was used for data analysis. The empirical analysis revealed that emotional intelligence is a strong predictor of service quality in case of foreign banking in Pakistan.
Health And Convergence Of Health Care Expenditure In EU
Authors: Kerem Kaie , Puss Tiia , Viies Mare , Maldre Reet
Published: March 2016

The objective of the paper is to review and analyze the health of population and health care expenditure and to examine the trends of convergence of health care expenditure in EU countries. One of the most often used indicators characterizing a populations health is life expectancy at birth. Comparative analyses show that the life expectancy at birth in EU-12 countries is much lower than in EU-15 countries. Although in 1992-2004 the life expectancy increased both in EU-15 countries and in EU-12 countries, the differences in the life expectancy have still remained more or less the same. Besides the low life expectancy in EU-12 countries, also the resources used in health care are below the EU-15 average level. In our paper we test the ?-, ?- and ?-convergence of the health care expenditure. For testing ?-, ?- and ?-convergence the authors have used cross-sectional data over the period 1992-2004 for health care expenditure as share of GDP and per capita health care expenditure. Data of the World Health Organization (WHO) were used for the research. The study demonstrates that although usually the increase of economic integration facilitates economic growth, the mere fact of the European Union enlargement does not bring along an automatic homogenization of health care expenditure and health policy in the EU-12 countries.
US Businesses Code Of Ethics As An Instrument To Comply With The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
Authors: De La Pena Paulina Diosdado , Neidermeyer Presha
Published: March 2016

The Foreign Corruption Practices Act (FCPA) makes illegal bribing foreign officials by any US issuer, domestic concern, any type of organization with major place of business in the US and any US citizens. This paper will focus on the extent to which the FCPA is included in the Code of Ethics of Fortune 500 companies as a method of showing the importance of compliance with the Act. The following sections analyze the scope and limitations of this Act, the official compliance mechanisms and internal policies and training developed by five Fortune 500 companies in order to abide by the FCPA.
Reluctance Towards Older Workers In Slovenia
Authors: Znidarsic Jana , Dimovski Vlado
Published: March 2016

The population ageing that goes hand in hand with ageing of the workforce is no longer an issue for a distant future, its impact is already felt on European labor markets – including Slovenian – and will manifest itself more prominently in the next years. These profound demographic changes come at a time that developed countries are increasingly involved in globalization processes, accompanied with the trend of becoming knowledge economies, and all these at a time of economic crisis, which puts those challenges into new dimension. Trying to find solutions that would mitigate possible negative consequences of population and workforce ageing – one of the most discussed policy options is to promote that older employees work longer, even after the age of 65. Keeping workers longer in the workforce is an increasingly popular labor market policy in European (developed) countries to combat demographic trends such as the ageing of its workforce. We live longer, we have fewer children, so we have to work longer seems to be the current policy motto. But this scenario is not an easy one. Skepticism can be found on both sides, either between older employees or between employers. The aim of this paper is to highlight the development of age management within Slovenian companies where the practice of age management is still in its early stage. Thus, we also shed light on some relevant reasons for reluctance towards older employees from the viewpoint of employers. However, the main contribution of the paper lies in offering some reasonable suggestion – how the skepticism concerning older employees can be reduced. This can only be done by enabling older workers to remain productive, innovative, flexible, and willing to invest in advancing their knowledge, skills and competences. By implementing active aging policies at workplace, the employers can play an exceptional role in maintaining or even enriching human capital of older employees.
Supply Chain Resilience: Definition Of Concept And Its Formative Elements
Authors: Ponis Stavros T. , Koronis Epaminondas
Published: March 2016

The objective of this paper is to conceptualize Supply Chain Resilience (SCRes) and identify which supply chain capabilities can support the containment of disruptions and how these capabilities affect SCRes. Through a systematic and structured review of literature, this paper provides insights into the conceptualization and research methodological background of the SCM field. A total of one hundred and thirty four carefully selected refereed journal articles were systematically analyzed leading to the introduction of a novel definition for SCRes, which the authors view as the as the ability to proactively plan and design the Supply Chain network for anticipating unexpected disruptive (negative) events, respond adaptively to disruptions while maintaining control over structure and function and transcending to a post-event robust state of operations, if possible, more favorable than the one prior to the event, thus gaining competitive advantage. Finally, a critical examination of existing conceptual frameworks for understanding the relationships between the SCRes concept and its identified formative elements, is taking place.
Financial Regulation, Credit Consumption And Economic Growth An Analysis Of The National Credit Act In South Africa
Authors: Adewale Aregbeshola R.
Published: March 2016

Credit consumptions are as old as human creation. Evidence suggests that more than two third of the consumer population in the developed world lives on credit, and the volume of trade credits have grown steadily over the past decade. The increase in credit consumption has hurled an unprecedented level of economic growth. However, recent strains placed on the macroeconomic fundamentals by credit mismanagement have resulted in a series of policy interventions to ensure a guided process of credit consumption. While credit consumption regulation is not a new phenomenon, the recent spates of interventions are essential to ameliorate opportunistic behaviours (such as moral hazards and adverse selection) not only among major lenders, but also among the entire market participants. This article estimates the effects of changes in regulation as regards the rate of credit consumption and ultimately, economic growth in South Africa. Using quarterly dataset from various sources between 2007 and 2012 in regression analyses, it was found that an increase in credit consumption has precipitated an increase in economic growth. The study also uncovers that the regulatory interventions by the South African government play significant roles in reducing reckless (secured) lending, during the period under consideration at the expense of an increase in unsecured lending.
A Delphi Study Of Web-Enabled Technologies: Identification And Prioritization Of Critical Issues
Authors: Khosrow-Pour Mehdi , Herman Nancy , Subramanian Girish , Dadashzadeh Mohammad
Published: March 2016

The role of the Internet as an enabling technology is critical to the strategic planning of national and local governments, educational institutions, hospitals, manufacturing as well as non-manufacturing companies, and increasingly, for small organizations as much as for larger ones. Like other technologies, the path to effective assimilation of Internet-based technologies has not been free of problems and challenges. This paper presents the results of a Delphi study to identify and rank critical issues for effective deployment of Internet-based technologies in organizations. The critical issues identified in this study provide valuable insights for formulating strategies for the overall utilization and management of Web-enabled technologies in organizations.
Role of Globalisation in Women’s Health: A Key Issue
Authors: Pandey Neelesh
Published: March 2016

The health of Indian women is intrinsically linked to their status in society. Research on women’s status has found that the contributions Indian women make to families often are overlooked, and instead they are viewed as economic burdens. There is a strong son preference in India, as sons are expected to care for parents as they age. This son preference, along with high dowry costs for daughters, sometimes results in the mistreatment of daughters. Further, Indian women have low levels of both education and formal labor force participation. They typically have little autonomy, living under the control of first their fathers, then their husbands, and finally their son. All of these factors exert a negative impact on the health status of Indian women. Poor health has repercussions not only for women but also their families. Women in poor health are more likely to give birth to low weight infants. They also are less likely to be able to provide food and adequate care for their children. Finally, a woman’s health affects the household economic well-being, as a woman in poor health will be less productive in the labor force. While women in India face many serious health concerns, this profile focuses on only five key issues: reproductive health, violence against women, nutritional status, unequal treatment of girls and boys, and HIV/AIDS. Because of the wide variation in cultures, religions, and levels of development among India’s 25 states and 7 union territories, it is not surprising that women’s health also varies greatly from state to state. To give a more detailed picture, data for the major states will be presented whenever possible. The discrimination against the girl child is systematic and pervasive enough to manifest in many demographic measures for the country. For the country as a whole as well as its rural areas, the infant mortality rate is higher for females in comparison to that for males. Usually, though not exclusively, it is in the northern and western states that the female infant mortality rates are higher, a difference of ten points between the two sexes specific rates not being uncommon.
Influence of Pop Culture, Emotional Trust, Inconsistent Reviews and Consumer Purchase Intention on Zalora’s Women Product in Indonesia
Authors: Faeni Ratih Puspitaningtyas
Published: March 2016

The paper observed the several variables which impacts on the female consumer purchase intention on Zalora products in Indonesia. Respondents in this study were women aged 18-30 years who have a Facebook account and like the Facebook fanpage of Zalora Indonesia (https://www.facebook.com/ZaloraIndonesia). This study used analysis of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The data were processed with IBM SPSS AMOS 21.The analysis results in this study showed that pop culture, emotional trust and inconsistent reviews impacted on the female consumer purchase intention on the Zalora products in Indonesia.
Manager Characteristics, HR Renewal, Marketing Strategies, Partnership Motivation, Work Orientation, Work Standardization, on SMES Business Resilience in the Competition: A SMES Study in Jakarta Indonesia
Authors: Faeni Dewi
Published: March 2016

In the business competition today, SMEs are required to have a reliable strategy in order to survive. With a good strategy, it is expected that SMEs can boost their performance to gain market share. In order to survive in the fierce competition, SMEs must improve their ability. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of SMEs managers characteristics, HR renewal, marketing strategies, motivation partnership, work orientation, work standardization, and SMEs’ business resilience in the competition. The population in this study was the manager or owner of medium-sized enterprises in Jakarta. The data were obtained through questionnaire from 200 owners or managers of SMEs with purposive sampling in Jakarta. The model is developed from relevant literature to produce seven hypotheses which tested with multiple regression analysis of SPSS 16.0. The study resulted that the variables, e.g., manager characteristics, HR renewal, marketing strategies, partnership motivation, job orientation, work standardization, jointly, have positive and significant impact on SME resilience toward business competition. The empirical findings showed that SMEs ability was improved through product excellence and renovation of shop atmosphere in order to create pleasant, clean, and neat arrangement of goods environment.
Genomic Prediction using Phenotypes from Pedigreed Lines with No Marker Data
Authors: Ashraf Bilal , Edriss Vahid , Akdemir Deniz , Autrique Enrique , Bonnett David , Crossa Jose , Janss Luc , Singh Ravi , Jannink Jean‐Luc
Published: March 2016

Until now, genomic prediction (GP) in plant breeding has only used information from individuals that have been genotyped. Information from nongenotyped relatives of genotyped individuals can also be used. Single‐step GP combines marker and pedigree information into a single relationship matrix to perform GP. The objective of this study was to evaluate single‐step GP in a wheat breeding program. We compared the performance of pedigree‐based, marker‐based, and single‐step models (ABLUP, GBLUP, and HBLUP, respectively). Data consisted of 1176 genotyped (via genotyping‐by‐sequencing) and 11,131 nongenotyped wheat lines replicated in five management environments at the CIMMYT experiment station in Obregon, Mexico. Analyses involved three scenarios: (i) all lines had pedigree information but only some were genotyped, with phenotypes from one or two environments in the 2011–2012 season, (ii) all lines had genotype and pedigree information and phenotypes from four or five environments in the 2012–2013 season, and (iii) the combination of Scenarios 1 and 2. Prediction accuracies were calculated by five‐fold cross validation on plant height, maturity, heading date, and grain yield. The single‐step HBLUP outperformed GBLUP and pedigree‐based ABLUP in all cases. We conclude that the single‐step procedure combining pedigree and genomic marker data should be favored where appropriate data is available for GP in wheat breeding programs.
Evaluation of Vegetative Growth, Yield and Quality Related Traits in Taro (Colocasia esculenta [L.] Schott).
Authors: Soulard Laurent , Letourmy Philippe , Cao Tuong‐Vi , Lawac Floriane , Chaïr Hâna , Lebot Vincent
Published: March 2016

Taro (Colocasia esculenta [L.] Schott) breeders apply heavy selection pressure on yield during the seminal (F1) and first clonal (C1) generations. However, the genetic gain achieved with this practice has never been evaluated and prior accurate assessment of the genetic control of the traits under selection is required. The present study aimed at evaluating broad‐sense heritability, between‐trait and between‐generation correlations, and genetic gain for traits related to vegetative growth, yield, and corm quality. A fully randomized‐block trial consisting of 13 full‐sib families (1890 genotypes) was set up and measured in F1 and C1 generations. ANOVAs were performed with mixed models, considering spatial autocorrelations when necessary. Chi‐square tests revealed the stability of the presence or absence of stolons, suckers, and inflorescences between F1 and C1, suggesting strong genetic control for such organs. Highly fitted models resulted in particularly accurate predicted genetic values. Heritability and genetic gain computations assumed unbalanced data and gave rather high values. The number of stolons, the number of suckers, fresh corm weight, and dry matter content were found to be the most heritable traits. Mass and family selection strategies were tested and revealed moderate to high genetic gain for most heritable traits in both generations. Selection indexes such as the vegetative growth index and future breeding strategies are discussed. Results could be of interest for breeding in other aroid crops.
Establishment and Impact of Cover Crops Intersown into Corn
Authors: Belfry Kimberly D. , Van Eerd Laura L.
Published: March 2016

In temperate climates, corn (Zea mays L.) is often harvested too late for sufficient cover crop growth to meet grower objectives. This study was conducted to evaluate intersowing into standing corn in terms of cover crop establishment and growth and the impact on corn yield. Three experiments were conducted from 2009 to 2011 in southwestern Ontario sweet and hybrid seed corn production systems to assess timing of cover crop intersowing, utility of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and 17 other cover crops species or multispecies mixes. In all 22 locations over 3 yr, corn yield was not affected in any of the three cover crop experiments. Sweet corn cover crop treatments exhibited poor stands of limited growth (<1% ground coverage) at corn harvest, attributed to sweet corn canopy closure. At seed corn harvest, early‐sown (corn V4–V6) cover crops accumulated 1116 kg ha−1 dry biomass and 42.4 kg N ha−1, which were 33% greater than the late‐sown (V10–V12) treatments. A lack of a cover crop effect compared with the no‐cover‐crop treatment in soil mineral N and corn yield indicates little N competition. Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), oilseed radish (OSR, Raphanus sativus L. var. oleoferus Stokes) and three of six cover crop blends were the only treatments to accumulate dry biomass over 1000 kg ha−1 by corn harvest. Of the cover crops evaluated, interseeding into hybrid seed corn production systems appears to be of little risk to yield and can provide ground cover during postharvest fallow periods.
Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Physiological Traits for Heat Tolerance in Creeping Bentgrass
Authors: Jespersen David , Merewitz Emily , Xu Yan , Honig Joshua , Bonos Stacy , Meyer William , Huang Bingru
Published: March 2016

Identification of heat‐stress‐related quantitative trait loci (QTL) is important for selecting heat‐tolerant germplasm. The aim of this study was to identify QTL markers by associating major physiological traits related to heat tolerance to specific regions of the genome in a population of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) with linkage maps and genetic variability for heat tolerance. Phenotypic variation in visual turf quality (TQ) ratings, leaf chlorophyll content (CHL), leaf membrane stability, and canopy temperature depression (CTD) were evaluated under heat‐stress conditions in 2‐yr field trials (2008 and 2009), greenhouses, and controlled‐environmental growth chambers. Phenotypic assessment demonstrated the segregation and variation of heat tolerance in the population and allowed for the association of traits in specific regions of the genome. Quantitative trait loci for every trait were found across the two parental linkage maps, with a total of 32 QTL for all traits. A number of QTL regions were associated with multiple traits, such as on linkage groups 2.2, 4.1, and 4.2 of the L93‐10 linkage map and linkage groups 3.1 and 5.1 of the 7418‐3 linkage map. Quantitative trait loci identified in this study may be implemented in future studies to identify markers for use in marker‐assisted selection to improve heat tolerance or to help elucidate mechanisms regulating heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass.
Effect of the Gpc‐B1 Allele in Hard Red Winter Wheat in the US Pacific Northwest
Authors: Kuhn John C. , Stubbs Tami L. , Carter Arron H.
Published: March 2016

Grain protein concentration (GPC) influences end‐use quality of products made from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and is therefore a high priority for breeders. Most variation in GPC is due to environmental rather than genetic effects. Because of the negative correlation between yield and GPC, enhancing genetic expression is important for improving GPC in hard wheat varieties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the Gpc‐B1 allele in hard winter wheat cultivars. Near‐isogenic lines (NILs) with and without the Gpc‐B1 allele were created in four populations: ‘Farnum’ hard red winter wheat (HRW) × ‘Lassik’ hard red spring wheat (HRS), WA8061 (HRW; advanced breeding line) × Lassik, Farnum × ‘Hollis’ HRS, and Farnum by ‘Eddy’ HRW. Presence of this allele was validated using diagnostic marker Xuhw89. Results from field trials planted in Pullman and Lind, WA, indicate that inclusion of the Gpc‐B1 allele in HRW increases GPC. A negative correlation with grain yield and GPC was found, showing inclusion of the Gpc‐B1 allele significantly decreased grain yield potential. An exception was the Farnum × Hollis NIL with the Gpc‐B1 allele that showed higher GPC and grain yield potential than the NIL without this allele. End‐use quality of lines was also affected with the inclusion of the Gpc‐B1 allele, with average decreases in milling characteristics and increases in certain baking properties. These data demonstrate that in winter wheat breeding populations, lines can be selected with the Gpc‐B1 allele, resulting in increased GPC and acceptable grain yield and end‐use quality profiles.
Extending the Fall Harvest Window of Switchgrass on the Basis of Phosphorus and Potassium Tissue Concentrations
Authors: Bacon J.L. , Ashworth A.J. , Allen F.L. , Sams C.E. , Tyler D.D. , Hart W.E. , Grant J.F.
Published: March 2016

It is hypothesized that switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) remobilizes phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) to belowground plant organs during maturation and senescence. Consequently, recommended biomass harvests occur after the first killing frost or early November, although field curing conditions at that time may be undesirable. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine i) if harvests can occur earlier based on removal of P and K (in leaves and stems) for two standard (‘Alamo’ and ‘Kanlow’) and eight new upland and lowland cultivars during the fall (i.e., mid‐September, mid‐October, late October, and early November) in Exp. 1, and ii) changes in P and K concentration in aboveground versus belowground biomass (roots, crowns, and shoots) in standard cultivars during mid‐September, late October, and mid‐November in Exp. 2. Both experiments were performed in a randomized complete design with three blocks at Knoxville and Springfield, TN, USA, in 2009 and 2010. Shoot P and K concentrations in cultivars did not decline from mid‐September to late October, nor did P and K in crowns and roots increase from mid‐September to mid‐November (P > 0.05). However, leaf concentrations of P (across locations and years) were greatest for OK NSL‐2001‐1 (lowland cultivar), which did not differ from Blackwell (upland cultivar). Cultivar Kanlow had the lowest P concentrations across all plant parts and cultivars. Similarly, stem P was greatest for the cultivar Blackwell. Harvest timing of upland and lowland switchgrass cultivars may therefore be extended to earlier in the fall (mid‐September) based on lack of attenuating declining trends of P and K in shoots of switchgrass cultivars in the Southeast.
In Vivo Haploid Induction in Maize: Comparison of Different Testing Regimes for Measuring Haploid Induction Rates
Authors: Melchinger Albrecht E. , Brauner Pedro Correa , Böhm Juliane , Schipprack Wolfgang
Published: March 2016

The doubled‐haploid (DH) technology, based on in vivo induction of haploid seeds by pollen from inducer genotypes, has become routine in maize (Zea mays L.) breeding. De novo and maintenance breeding of inducers requires measuring the haploid induction rate (HIR) of numerous plants. We compared five testing regimes in combination with three inducers to find the best method for estimating HIR by discrimination of haploid (H) and crossing (C) seeds or plants with low false discovery rates (FDRs) and false negative rates (FNRs) in two experiments. Three testing regimes were based on tester genotypes LGT, GLT, and UFT equipped with the liguleless (lg2), glossy (gl), and herbicide‐resistance (uf) gene, respectively. One testing regime used classification of H and C seeds in crosses with a high‐oil tester (HOT). Embryo coloration as a result of the R1‐nj marker gene was used as another testing regime. Flow cytometry analysis or phenotyping of adult plants served as gold standard classification (GSC). With HOT, H and C seeds were not clearly distinguishable because of considerable overlapping of their oil content (OC) distribution. Estimates of HIR from LGT and UFT generally agreed well with HIR from GSC and showed acceptable FDR and FNR. The HIR determined with GLT showed a high Matthew correlation with the GSC but lower estimates as a result of higher FNR. The HIR estimated with the R1‐nj marker deviated considerably from HIR of GSC and had high FDR and FNR. Thus, we recommend LGT for determining HIR, but testing regimes UFT and HOT should be revisited.
Urinary Stone Disease: Advancing Knowledge, Patient Care, and Population Health
Authors: Scales Charles D. , Tasian Gregory E. , Schwaderer Andrew L. , Goldfarb David S. , Star Robert A. , Kirkali Ziya
Published: March 2016

Expanding epidemiologic and physiologic data suggest that urinary stone disease is best conceptualized as a chronic metabolic condition punctuated by symptomatic, preventable stone events. These acute events herald substantial future chronic morbidity, including decreased bone mineral density, cardiovascular disease, and CKD. Urinary stone disease imposes a large and growing public health burden. In the United States, 1 in 11 individuals will experience a urinary stone in their lifetime. Given this high incidence and prevalence, urinary stone disease is one of the most expensive urologic conditions, with health care charges exceeding $10 billion annually. Patient care focuses on management of symptomatic stones rather than prevention; after three decades of innovation, procedural interventions are almost exclusively minimally invasive or noninvasive, and mortality is rare. Despite these advances, the prevalence of stone disease has nearly doubled over the past 15 years, likely secondary to dietary and health trends. The NIDDK recently convened a symposium to assess knowledge and treatment gaps to inform future urinary stone disease research. Reducing the public health burden of urinary stone disease will require key advances in understanding environmental, genetic, and other individual disease determinants; improving secondary prevention; and optimal population health strategies in an increasingly cost–conscious care environment.
The significance of the Danube ecological corridor in the proceedings of implementing ecological networks in Serbia
Authors: Filipovic Dejan , Petrovic Ljubica
Published: March 2016

With the modern processes for exploiting land people have altered the
original appearance of areas and created cultural environments. The remaining
natural environments, whether protected or not, take up a relatively small
portion of space and represent isolated islands which in itself can not be
sufficient for the preservation of biodiversity or for the fulfillment of
national, regional or international goals and commitments related to their
preservation. In order to secure the preservation of biodiversity, the
strengthening of integrity and the natural processes, such as animal
migrations, succession of vegetation and evolution processes, the
communication between natural habitats is imperative. Ecological corridors,
as integral elements of ecological networks, ensure the preservation of vital
ecological interactions by providing a connection between different habitats
or areas. Depending on a range of factors, from the fulfillment of demands of
different species to the connecting of regions, corridors of local,
sub-regional, regional and international importance are identified. The
Danube ecological corridor is one of the most significant corridors of
international importance which encompasses a large number of habitats which
are part of the natural watercourse of the corridor. There are numerous
protected areas in the Danube coastal area on Serbia's territory which
present themselves as central areas for forming the ecological network, such
as: Gornje Podunavlje, Karadjordjevo, Fruska Gora, Titelski Breg hill, Kovalski
rit marsh, Dunavski loess bluffs, the Sava mouth, Labudovo okno, Deliblato
sands, Djerdap and Mala Vrbica. The diverse and mosaic vegetation of the
floodplain, as well as the consistency of the protected areas within the
Danube corridor have a direct influence on the quality and functionality of
this corridor. The goal of this paper is to show the significance of the
Danube ecological corridor in the process of implementing ecological
networks, the potential of the area in question for forming corridors, but
also to present the limitations which may decrease the functionality of the
corridors as well as the guidelines for a sustainable management of the
corridor on Serbia's territory.
Characteristics of foreign youth tourism in Belgrade
Authors: Todorovic Nikola , Apelic Jelena , Romic Gorana
Published: March 2016

Growth of youth tourism share in overall tourist expenditures and arrivals is
noted on global level. Despite of that, the available data regarding
socio-demographic characteristics of youth tourists, characteristics of their
travel and tourist stay, as well as their motivation for coming to Belgrade
and their satisfaction with their stay in it, is sparse. Aim of this research
is attaining scientific findings on the discussed matter. The results of the
survey conducted at Belgrade Main Railway Station showed that students from
the EU account for the majority of the sample and that the majority of the
indicators corresponds with global trends. The significant difference is
noted regarding the type of used accommodation, where an absolute domination
of hostels is noted. Several figures indicate the transit character of the
visit and the general satisfaction with the stay in Belgrade. In average,
this tourist segment accounts for larger number of overnight stays than
Belgrade's overall average of overnight stays. Differences are also noted
regarding the geographic structure of the respondents, but that may
potentially be explained by methodological limitations which should be
addressed in future research of the subject.
Theoretical bases of ecotourism and examples of potential ecotourism destinations in Serbia
Authors: Gajic Mirjana , Cvetanovic Milica
Published: March 2016

Environmental protection is one of the most pressing issues of today.
Preventing the degradation of ecosystem and the planning of its protection is
made from different spheres and at different ways. Tourism, that is,
ecotourism as a sustainable type contributes and at the same time stimulates
sustainable development through the theoretical bases and practical activity.
Ecotourism aims to promote tourism trends and visits of unique natural areas,
but limited and sustainable. Revenues from ecotourism are used for
appropriate monitoring of space and have a positive effect on the economic
stability of local population. In recent time ecotourism has had a broader
meaning as it is often associated with similar responsible tourism trends.
The authors of the paper have pointed to the theoretical bases, the defining
of concept and origins of ecological and sustainable tourism trends, the
modern development of ecotourism in the world, as well as the regions and
zones in Serbia to which the development of this type of tourism would be
significant in terms of sustainable development.
Astrotourism - possibilities for development in Serbia
Authors: Belij Marija , Tadic Milutin
Published: March 2016

Astrotourism is a specific, new and perspective form of tourism which stands
out from the mass tourist movement with special program that includes visits
to astronomical observatories, with required astronomical observations. his
form of tourism is considered to be "niche tourism" or special form of
tourism which is intended for individuals or small groups, creating a
diversity of offers in destinations. Astrotourism is now a modest, but not
negligible part of the tourist destinations that wish to enrich its tourist
offer. Like other small countries, Serbia has no spectacular planetarium,
giant observatories and telescopes, but there are sufficient resources, with
an interesting history, on the basis of which it can offer to astrotourists
original programs whose carrier should be Astronomical Society "Rudjer
Boskovic" in collaboration with the Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade.