bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LA COLECCIÓN DE NURIA PLA: UNA VIDA DE FASCINACIÓN POR EL MUEBLE

The Nuria Pla’s Collection: a Life of Fastination with Furniture
Authors: Miquel Mónica Piera
Published: February 2018

Poco a poco abren al público salas de la colección de arte de la Sra. Núria Pla, que reúne principalmente muebles españoles de la Edad Moderna. Esta magnífica noticia nos obliga a reflexionar sobre lo que supone dedicar la vida a una pasión que se vive en silencio, pero que ahora, a la vista, revela los ideales, intereses y gustos de su propietaria. Nos interesa adentrarnos en la colección, no sólo porque compartimos el interés por los muebles, sino por la excepcionalidad de la selección que, además, se conserva en un edificio singular, donde ella misma fue colocando las obras. Actualmente, la fundación responsable tiene el reto de restaurar el edificio de A. Florensa, y hacer público las dos facetas que tuvieron lugar en su interior: la colección de arte y el funcionamiento del laboratorio Ravetllat Pla que luchaba contra afecciones pulmonares y la tuberculosis.
LA LÍNEA DE MOBILIARIO DE OFICINA OPENEST DE PATRICIA URQUIOLA Y LA CREACIÓN DE NUEVOS ESPACIOS DE TRABAJO

The Openest Collection by Patricia Urquiola and the Creation of Today’s Work Enviroments
Authors: Menendez Martinez Alicia
Published: February 2018

Con la colección Openest para Haworth Patricia Urquiola abrió en 2014 una nueva línea de investigación sobre el diseño de mobiliario de oficina y la proyección de ambientes laborales en la que aún hoy sigue trabajando. Este encargo supuso para la diseñadora el estudio y reflexión sobre la evolución a lo largo de la historia de los espacios de trabajo y la creación de soluciones para afrontar las necesidades del futuro determinadas por las nuevas tecnologías.
Reseña del libro: España y la Reforma Protestante (1517-2017)
Authors: Caridad Martínez Jacobo Manuel
Published: February 2018

Frances Luttikhuizen: España y la Reforma Protestante (1517-2017). Vigo, Editorial Academia del Hispanismo, 2017.
A representación do xénero na narrativa galega para a primeira infancia (2010-2014): análise cuantitativa e cualitativa
Authors: Martínez Martínez Rosa Mª
Published: February 2018

A literatura infantil axuda as criaturas a iniciarse no acceso ao imaxinario colectivo propio de cada cultura. Deste xeito, como axente socializador que é, transfire modelos femininos e masculinos da sociedade na que viven. Neste estudo realizarase unha análise da representación de xénero que se dá nos álbums e libros ilustrados galegos publicados dende 2010 até 2014, pensados para as criaturas de 0 a 6 anos, dende unha perspectiva cuantitativa e cualitativa.
La hierba de Santiago, Jacobaea vulgaris Gartn., en textos botánicos árabes andalusíes: Observaciones fitonímicas y etimológicas
Authors: Bustamante Costa Joaquín
Published: February 2018

El fitónimo andalusí trāšnah, que Ibn al-Bayṭār citaba tomándolo de al-Ġāfiqī, no había sido aún identificado desde que Lucien Leclerc (1877, 1881, 1883) lo tradujera al francés. Su presencia en la ˁUmdat aṭ-ṭabīb de Abū l-Ḫayr al-ˀIšbīlī, probable fuente de al-Ġāfiqī, con descripciones y sinonimia más extensas, no sólo ha facilitado su identificación como Jacobaea vulgaris Gaertn. [= Senecio jacobaea L.], sino que, además, los datos léxicos nuevos aclaran otras conexiones etimológicas.
Los contenidos francmasónicos en el Diccionario de Roque Bárcia
Authors: Henríquez Salido María do Carmo
Published: February 2018

El objetivo del presente artículo es ampliar la presencia de los contenidos francmasónicos en este Diccionario, elaborado en un periodo de la historia de España especialmente convulso, puesto que en la actualidad está fuera de toda duda que Bárcia fue un conocido francmasón. Para analizar estos contenidos, se toman en consideración las implicaciones del «yo», en los apartados de los artículos destinados a explicar el valor simbólico de las unidades léxicas a partir de determinados trinomios (libertad, igualdad, fraternidad; ignorancia, fanatismo, ambición...) y binomios o dualismos conceptuales (vicio, virtud; verdad, error...). Entre las conclusiones procede destacar que Bárcia informa sobre el significado de las palabras, con el objetivo de transmitir unos valores morales e ilustrar a los individuos, para sacarlos de la ignorancia hasta conseguir una formación integral.
El Diccionario militar de Federico Moretti y su apéndice metrológico: sobre el análisis de la nomenclatura del sistema métrico decimal
Authors: Sánchez Martín Francisco Javier
Published: February 2018

El conocimiento de cualquier disciplina científica es inconcebible sin la tarea de la recopilación de los materiales lexicográficos, dada su utilidad para el estudio histórico de las diversas terminologías. En el caso del sistema metrológico de comienzos del siglo XIX resulta de importancia el Diccionario militar español-francés (1828). El propósito de este trabajo es realizar un examen lexicográfico de este repertorio, así como una descripción del Apéndice anexo, que contiene el Manual alfabético razonado de las monedas, pesos y medidas de todos los tiempos y países, con sus reducciones a las equivalencias españolas y francesas, elaborado por Moretti. Este apéndice lexicográfico constituye uno de los primeros testimonios en español de la nomenclatura relativa al sistema métrico decimal.
Reseña: SANTAMARÍA PÉREZ, ISABEL, coord., Carmen MARIMÓN LLORCA y José Joaquín MARTÍNEZ EGIDO (2015): Diccionario LID del Turrón, Madrid, LID Empresarial, 272 páginas.
Authors: Romero Aguilera Laura
Published: February 2018

Reseña de: SANTAMARÍA PÉREZ, ISABEL, coord., Carmen MARIMÓN LLORCA y José Joaquín MARTÍNEZ EGIDO (2015): Diccionario LID del Turrón, Madrid, LID Empresarial, 272 páginas.
Quality control study of engineered skin tissue
Authors: Nakhod K.V. , Rusanov A.L. , Luzgina E.D. , Druzhilovskiy D.S. , Luzgina N.G. , Lisitsa A.V.
Published: February 2018

OMERO service was used to annotate the cell line HaCaT microscope images by two independent expert groups. The images were obtained in the course of developing tissue-engineered epithelium which consisted of several layers of the keratinocytes. Evaluation of expert opinions was performed by calculation of specificity, sensitivity and accuracy. The best convergence of opinions (91%) was achieved for the confluence of the cell monolayers. Accuracy 70% was observed in determining the extent of cell differentiation after 10 days of incubation. The paper illustrates the usefulness of OMERO service for dynamic cross-validation of quality in the development and standardization of cell preparations.
Exocytosis of myeloperoxidase from activated neutrophils in the presence of heparin
Authors: Grigorieva D.V. , Gorudko I.V. , Kostevich V.A. , Vasilyev V.B. , Cherenkevich S.N. , Panasenko O.M. , Sokolov A.V.
Published: February 2018

Exocytosis of myeloperoxidase (MPO) from activated neutrophils in the presence of the anionic polysaccharide heparin was studied. It was determined that the optimal concentration of heparin (0.1 u/ml), at which there is no additional activation of cells (absence of amplification of exocytosis of lysozyme contained in specific and azurophilic granules). It was found that after preincubation of cells with heparin (0.1 u/ml) the exocytosis of MPO from neutrophils activated by various stimulants (fMLP, PMA, plant lectins CABA and PHA-L) increased compared to that under the action of activators alone. In addition, it was shown that heparin in the range of concentrations 0.1-50 u/ml did not affect on the peroxidase activity of the MPO isolated from leukocytes. Thus, the use of heparin at a concentration of 0.1 u/ml avoids the artifact caused by the “loss” of MPO in a result of its binding to neutrophils, and increases the accuracy of the method of registration the degranulation of azurophilic granules of neutrophils based on determination of the concentration or peroxidase activity of MPO in cell supernatants.
The effect of the biologically active additive epiphamine on antioxidant and NADPH-generating enzymes activity under experimental cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in rats
Authors: Popova T.N. , Safonova O.A. , Stolyarova A.O. , Verevkin A.N.
Published: February 2018

The effect of biologically active additive with immunomodulator properties epiphamine on the activity of antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione transferase) and NADPH-generating (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase) enzymes has been investigated at experimental cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in rats. The results obtained indicate epiphamine-induced changes of these enzymes activities towards control values. Changes in the content of lactate, a marker of the pathology development, have also been found in experimental animals under ischemia and epiphamine administration caused changes similar to those observed in the case of enzyme activities studied. In most cases, the changes were dose-dependent. Thus, epiphamine can be of considerable interest from the point of view of metabolic changes pharmacological correction at the development of the pathology accompanied by oxidative stress.
Representation analysis of miRNA from clarified urine and urine microvesicles in prostate malignancies and non-malignant neoplasms
Authors: Zaporozhchenko I.A. , Bryzgunova O.E. , Lekchnov E.A. , Osipov I.D. , Zaripov M.M. , Yurchenko Yu.B. , Yarmoschuk S.V. , Pashkovskaya O.A. , Rykova E.Yu. , Zheravin A.A. , Laktionov P.P.
Published: February 2018

Urine of prostate cancer patients contains tumor-specific biopolymers, including protein- and microvesiclesassociated miRNAs that can potentially be used as oncomarkers. Previously we have characterized urine extracellular vesicles and demonstrated diagnostic potential of their miRNA cargo. In this study, we have performed a comparative analysis of the expression of 84 miRNA in paired samples of urine microvesicles and clarified urine from healthy men, patients with benign hyperplasia and cancer of the prostate using miRCURY LNA miRNA qPCR Panels. Subsets of miRNAs with differences in expression between the fractions of the urine were found in all three groups. Two groups of miRNA were identified based on the patterns of their differential expression. They regulate several key signaling pathways associated with prostate cancer development.
Comparison of matrix proteinase mRNA expression in morphologically normal, neoplastic, and metastatic colon tissue and colon biopsies from healthy donors
Authors: Bozhenko V.K. , Stanojevic U.S. , Trotsenko I.D. , Zakharenko M.V. , Kiseleva Y.Y. , Solodkiy V.A.
Published: February 2018

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) responsible for the extracellular matrix remodeling, the activation of various growth factors, and angiogenesis play an important role in the colorectal cancer (CRC) development. In the present work the comparative analysis of MMP-7, -8, -9, and -11 mRNA as well mRNA of the Ki-67 proliferation marker in tissue samples obtained from CRC patients and healthy individuals. Employing the real time PCR method the expression levels of several MMPs (MMP-7, -8, -9, and -11) and cell proliferation marker, Ki-67, were simultaneously measured in 256 tissue samples obtained from 112 patients with CRC: 112 samples of the primary tumor (CRC), 112 samples of the most distant border of morphologically normal colonic mucosa (MNT), 16 samples of liver metastases) and from 16 healthy volunteers who underwent colonoscopy and biopsy. The expression of both MMPs studied and Ki-67 was found to be elevated in CRC primary tumors and liver metastases compared with the normal mucosa. CRC tumor and metastatic cells exhibited similar proliferative activity. The metastases are characterized by the highest cross-correlation of MMPs among tissue types tested. For the first time it was shown that normal mucosa from healthy individuals and CRC patients varied in the MMP-8 expression level. They also had dissimilar MMP correlation patterns thus suggesting that epithelial cells adjusted to CRC tumor differ from mucosal epithelial cells of healthy individuals.
Construction and characterization of a recombinant mutant homolog of the CheW protein from Thermotoga petrophila RKU-1
Authors: Grishin D.V. , Zhdanov D.D. , Gladilina Ju.A. , Pokrovsky V.S. , Podobed O.V. , Pokrovskaya M.V. , Aleksandrova S.S. , Milyushkina A.L. , Vigovskiy M.A. , Sokolov N.N.
Published: February 2018

In the work a recombinant chemotaxis protein CheW from Thermotoga petrophila RKU-1 (TpeCheW) and its mutant homolog (TpeCheW-mut) were created. It was shown that, despite the low homology with CheW prototypes from intestinal bacteria, these proteins didn't cause metabolic overload and were well expressed by cells of E. coli laboratory strains. We have discovered a broad spectrum of industrial valuable properties of the TpeCheW-mut protein such as stability in a wide range of temperatures and pH, high expression level, solubility and possibility of the application of a simple low-stage purification methodology with the use of preliminary heat treatment. Possible directions of the scientific and industrial application of this protein were claimed.
Study specificity of isatin interactions with P450 cytochromes
Authors: Ershov P.V. , Mezentsev Yu.V. , Yablokov E.O. , Kalushskiy L.A. , Florinskaya A.V. , Svirid A.V. , Gilep A.A. , Usanov S.A. , Medvedev A.E. , Ivanov A.S.
Published: February 2018

Cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase systems exist basically in all living organisms, where they perform various important functions. The coordinated functioning of these systems involves many proteins participating in different protein-protein interactions (PPI). Previously, we have found that the endogenous non-peptide bioregulator isatin (indoledione-2,3), synthesized from indole by means of certain cytochromes P450 (e.g. P450 2E1, P450 2C19, P450 2A6) regulates affinity of some PPI. In this work, an attempt has been undertaken to register a direct interaction of isatin with a set of different proteins related to the functioning of cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase: five isoforms of cytochromes P450, two isoforms of cytochrome b5, cytochrome P450 reductase, adrenodoxin, adrenodoxin reductase and ferrochelatase. The study has shown that isatin binds specifically only to cytochromes P450 with high affinity (the equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) is about 10-8 M).
Pharmacological targets for dislipidemies correction. Opportunities and prospects of therapeutic usage
Authors: Kudinov V.A. , Zakharova T.S. , Torkhovskaya T.I. , Ipatova O.M. , Archakov A.I.
Published: February 2018

Literature data on influence of existing and new groups of drug preparations for dyslipidemias correction are systemized, and molecular mechanisms of their effects are reviewed. The results of experimental and clinical investigations aimed at revealing of new pharmacological targets of dyslipidemias correction were analyzed. The approaches for activation of high density lipoproteins functionality are described. The implementation of alternative preparations with new alternative mechanisms of action may be suggested to improve the effectiveness of traditional treatment in the future.
Molecular mechanism of amyloid formation by Ab peptide: review of own works
Authors: Selivanova O.M. , Rogachevsky V.V. , Syrin A.K. , Galzitskaya O.V.
Published: February 2018

TA characteristic feature of amyloid structures is polymorphism. The study of amyloid structures and their formation process was carried out for synthetic and recombinant Ab(1-40) and Ab(1-42) peptide preparations. In the study of these peptides, we recognized fibrils of different morphologies. We observed fibrillar formations in the form of single fibrils, ribbons, bundles, bunches, and clusters. Polymorphism of fibrils was observed not only when the environmental conditions changed, but under the same conditions and this was a common characteristics of all amyloid formations. Fibrils of Ab(1-40) peptides tended to form aggregates of fibrils in the form of ribbons, while Ab(1-42) peptide under the same conditions polymerized in the form of rough fibrils of different diameters and tends to branch. We assume that the formation of fibrils of Ab(1-40) and Ab(1-42) peptides occurs according to a simplified scheme: a destabilized monomer ® a ring oligomer ® a mature fibril consisting of ring oligomers. Proceeding from the proposition that the ring oligomer is the main building block of amyloid fibril (similar to the cell in the body), it is easy to explain fibril polymorphism, as well as fragmentation of mature fibrils under various external influences, branching and irregularity of diameter (surface roughness) of fibrils. One aspect of the study of amyloidogenesis is the determination of the regions of the protein chain forming the core of the amyloid fibril. We theoretically predicted amyloidogenic regions for two isoforms of Ab peptides capable of forming an amyloid structure: 16-21 and 32-36 residues. Using the method of tandem mass spectrometry, these regions were determined experimentally. It was shown that the regions of Ab(1-40) peptide from 16 to 22 and from 28 to 40 residues were resistant to the action of proteases, i.e. its formed the core of the amyloid fibril. For Ab(1-42) peptide the whole sequence is not available for the action of proteases, which indicates a different way of associating ring oligomers in the formation of fibrils. Based on electron microscopy and mass spectrometry data we proposed a molecular model of the fibril formed by Ab(1-40) and Ab(1-42) peptides.
Comparative sub-population analysis of exosomes from blood plasma of cancer patients
Authors: Tamkovich S.N. , Yunusova N.V. , Somov A.K. , Kakurina G.V. , Kolegova E.S. , Tugurova E.A. , Laktionov P.P. , Kondakova I.V.
Published: February 2018

To increase the sensitivity and specificity of the developed methods for diagnosis of oncological diseases using exosomes of blood, a stage of pre-selection of tumor exosomes from a common pool of circulating microvesicles is required. In the present work, universal proteins have been identified, their expression has been increased in the exosomes of patients with colorectal cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, and lung cancer. The use of antibodies against major exosomal proteins will further develop a simple and high-performance method of affinity isolation of tumor exosomes.
К вопросу о психологическом аспекте ненаблюдаемого сектора экономики
Authors: Жемерикина Юлия Игоревна
Published: February 2018

В статье представлено понятие неформальная экономика, описаны ее структура и факторы развития с позиций недобросовестной конкурентной борьбы.
Влияние миграционных процессов на формирование теневой занятости
Authors: Калманбетова Гульзат Талимбековна , Гапурбаева Шахнос Розижановна
Published: February 2018

в статье рассматриваются проблемы теневого рынка труда, которые играют немаловажную роль на национальном рынке труда. А так же требования при подборке кадров в России и Казахстане. И влияние миграционных процессов в Кыргызстане на современном этапе.
Apresentação: Direito Colonial no mundo moderno
Authors: Alveal Carmen
Published: February 2018

O dossiê Direito Colonial no Mundo Moderno apresenta um conjunto de artigos da área de História do Direito no período colonial do mundo ibero-americano. Estão presentes textos escritos por pesquisadores brasileiros e estrangeiros, historiadores e juristas. A intenção é fortalecer o diálogo entre essas duas ciências, ainda muito superficial na academia brasileira. A criação do Instituto Brasileiro de História do Direito, com seu congresso anual, tem tentado contribuir para essa aproximação, embora para o período em tela a participação ainda seja pequena. Por isso, a revista Fronteiras e Debates se regozija em oferecer esse dossiê temático, apresentando artigos significativos, que poderão contribuir para ampliarmos nosso conhecimento sobre o Direito no período moderno. Ainda há uma resistência grande por parte dos historiadores em se aprofundar nos textos jurídicos, sobretudo por resumirem estes materiais ao texto da lei. Ainda há que se ampliar essa compreensão para que o entendimento sobre direito não fique restrito às leis, mas inclua a literatura jurídica na sua forma mais ampla (doutrina, tratados, práticas, comentários, decisiones).
A transformação do direito no mundo moderno: um estudo analítico sobre a Lei da Boa Razão (1769)
Authors: Victor Pollig João
Published: February 2018

O artigo visa apresentar uma análise descritiva a respeito da Lei Máxima de 18 de agosto de 1769, conhecida nos estudos jurídicos e históricos como Lei da Boa Razão. Elaborada no contexto reformador de Marquês de Pombal, foi considerada o marco das transformações jurídicas, como um instrumento modernizador do direito tanto em Portugal quanto em seus domínios ultramarinos. Em seu texto, apresentava a necessidade de alinhar o caráter legislativo com a centralização do Estado, a partir das decisões régias, sobretudo ao estabelecer parâmetros sobre a multiplicidade das fontes de direito, as interpretações abusivas e os costumes. Em decorrência dessas perspectivas, nos debruçamos sobre a lei enquanto resultado de um processo social a fim de observar por meio do diálogo entre História e Direito suas características, abordagens e prerrogativas. Salientamos a importância do comentário crítico datado de 1824 realizado pelo jurista José Homem Correia Telles, que foi amplamente utilizado nesse trabalho a fim de discutir as nuances da lei em destaque.
Ensino de História, educação popular e descolonização: apontamentos sobre percursos cruzados
Authors: Bastos Arantes Erika , Maul de Carvalho Costa Rafael
Published: February 2018

A partir de questões iniciais comuns aos profissionais da educação pública no Brasil, procuramos neste artigo refletir sobre o lugar do Ensino de História na construção de uma Educação Popular e transformadora, atenta para o debate atual sobre o ensino das relações étnico-raciais, da África e da cultura afro-brasileira. Apontamos aqui para a necessidade de questionar um ensino com pressupostos eurocêntricos colonizadores, porém, compreendendo este questionamento como parte de um processo longo em que se cruzam as experiências e teorias sobre a pedagogia crítica, a Educação Popular e a questão racial. Desta forma, nos situamos enquanto profissionais que não apenas percebem nos debates acadêmicos os caminhos de amadurecimento destas questões, mas que vivenciam seus conflitos, contradições e urgências na realidade das redes de educação pública do Rio de Janeiro. É a partir daí, que se justifica uma primeira abordagem sobre os sentidos e objetivos de construção do currículo, especialmente em História. Este debate não pode deixar de abordar contemporaneamente as discussões sobre o papel estruturante do racismo em nossas relações sociais. No Brasil, tais discussões, acreditamos, converge para os objetivos históricos de construção de pedagogias críticas, populares e transformadoras.
Por qué fracasan los países: los orígenes del poder, la prosperidade y la pobreza
Authors: Silva Júnior Dinaldo
Published: February 2018

Resenha de: Acemoglu, Daron y Robison, James A. Por qué fracasan los países: los orígenes del poder, la prosperidade y la pobreza. Barcelona – España: Ediciones Deusto, 2015.
INDIAN INITIATIVES FOR ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION
Authors: Prabhu D. V.
Published: February 2018

Society, at large, has to realise the gravity of environmental degradation and participate fully in the mitigation of environmental problems. This article discusses the Indian initiatives and the important milestones in the path of environmental protection and pollution abatement. The commitment of the Indian Government to the cause of public awareness of environmental conservation is reflected in its outreach and educational programmes. It involves ministries, environmental monitoring agencies, NGOs, academic and research institutions.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has played a leading role in the national priority programmes of environmental monitoring, assessment and pollution control. All the stakeholders have succeeded to some extent in creating public interest in environmental issues but much more needs to be done.

National level institutions like NEERI, NIO and TERI are actively involved in research to find feasible solutions to our environmental problems and in the dissemination of relevant information through their publications. In our country, voluntary organisations and NGOs have been contributing immensely to environmental causes.

Following the directive of the Supreme Court in 1991, environmental education is a compulsory component of school and college curricula. India has contributed significantly to the deliberations at COP (Conference of the Parties) fora especially the recently held COP-21 at Paris. Our suggestions for creating a pollution-free world have always been welcomed by the participating countries especially the developing countries.

This article also presents the results of an environmental study carried out in Wilson College, Mumbai in which the effect of salinity on the rate of degradation of effluents released in marine waters, was quantitatively studied using reaction kinetics.
Leadership and the Church: The Impact of Shifting Leadership Constructs
Authors: Gautsch Douglas , Setley David Mathias
Published: February 2018

The idea of leadership has been examined for millennia. Examples of leadership in action go back to Moses from the Bible and Xenophón from Greek history.  One of the key theories in early leadership is that of charismatic leadership. Although most scholars agree that a key concept of charismatic leadership is that of follower attribution, defining boundaries for charismatic is as difficult as defining leadership itself. This difficulty is accentuated in this work because of the shifting organizational structures and follower perceptions. The case details follower attributed charismatic leadership traits, and then provides a robust discussion on the impact of shifting organizational constructs.
The Role of Board Certification as a Cue to Competence of Eye Care Providers: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Maronick Thomas J.
Published: February 2018

Authors have long known of the need for “cues” to assess the competence and training of providers of credence services.  In the case of health care providers such as eye care professionals, one such cue is whether the eye care professional is “board certified.” This study of 500 consumers who had had an eye exam either from an optometrist or an ophthalmologist examines four questions: what factors are important to a consumer seeking an eye-care provider, what is communicated by an eye-care provider’s claim of being board certified, whether there are differences in perception between board certification as applied to an optometrist and an ophthalmologist, and whether there are differences in the perceptions of optometrists who are board certified compared to those who are not board certified. The results show that board certification is an important cue for consumers in assessing the competence and expertise of optometrists and that board certification can be used to distinguish between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist. The results also show that optometrists who are board certified as seen as better trained and more competent than optometrists who are not board certified. The results also raise questions about at the effectiveness of board certification as a cue for competence and expertise since most consumers believe optometrists are board certified when, in fact, board certification is voluntary and a very small percentage of optometrists licensed to practice in any state are actually board certified by either of the major certifying optometric organizations. Policy implications are also discussed, including the need for uniform standards for certification at the Federal and State level and the need for rigorous certification practices by third-party certifying organizations, including additional coursework and periodic assessment of optometrists’ performance to accurately reflect the enhanced quality and competence possessed by optometrists who are board certified.
Investigation of Integrated Reporting As a New Approach of Corporate Reporting
Authors: Erol Ibrahim , Demirel Burcu
Published: February 2018

When the recent history of financial, social, environmental and ethical reporting is examined, the idea that increasing expectations of shareholders and stakeholders on transparency and accountability can be met by a single report has great importance. Therefore, the integrated reporting issue after the sustainability reports is on the agenda. When we look at the development of integrated reporting and Corporate Reporting (CR), since integrated reporting has complicated theoretical background, organizations have difficulties to understand whether their report is an integrated one. So in this study we try to reveal basic principles, theoretical background and development process of integrated reporting. We look at globally the development of integrated reporting between the years 1999-2015 on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) database and prepared visual tables showing the development of Integrated Reporting (IR) aiming to create positive contribute to CR literature.  In the present study; we determine that in 2012 integrated reporting is made the most, large businesses prefer integrated reporting the most, integrated reporting is made in European region the most, and financial services sector is the sector publishing integrated report the most.
Corporate Sustainability Reporting in the BIST Sustainability Index
Authors: Demirel Burcu , Erdogan Murat
Published: February 2018

In recent years, there is a growing focus on corporate operations especially since the publication of the first environmental reports in 1989. Companies have started to publish information about its environmental, social and sustainability policies. The study examines the sustainability reporting elements of Borsa Istanbul Sustainability Index (BIST) in Turkey and to evaluate which elements is most vital in this context. This study will begin with the sustainability reporting that will be examined under the roof of corporation sustainability and end with the examination of sustainability reports of 15 firms, which are included in the BIST Sustainability Index in Turkey, and a content analysis. The reports of companies under study were taken from special web site and GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) database of companies. Being the first study in examining the sustainability report of companies in BIST Sustainability Index, it is expected to contribute in literature about sustainability reporting recently started to gain importance in Turkey. Overall our findings suggest that the sustainability index established in Turkey is still in development stage, but the enterprises in the endeavor are working day by day to develop the sustainability qualities.
Satyam’s Manipulative Accounting Methodology Unveiled: An Experience of an Asian Economy
Authors: BHASIN MADAN LAL
Published: February 2018

Manipulative accounting practices are perennial and such practices have occurred in all eras, in all countries and affected millions of corporations. Unfortunately, there are few loopholes in accounting and auditing standards, which provide leeway and thus motivate accounting professionals to use aggressively manipulation practices. In fact, manipulative accounting (MA) involves the intentional cooking-up of financial records towards a pre-determined target. Every company indeed maneuvers the numbers, to a certain extent, as formally reported in its financial statements (FS) to achieve budgetary targets and generously reward senior managers. From Enron, WorldCom to Satyam, it appeared that window-dressing leading to MA is a serious problem that is increasing both in its frequency and severity, which undermines the integrity of financial reports and eroded investors’ confidence. The responsibility of preventing, detecting and investigating financial frauds rests squarely on Board of Directors and they should adopt preventive steps. Despite the raft of CG, and financial disclosure reforms, corporate accounting still remains murky and companies continue to find ways to play ‘hide-and-seek’ game with the system. Satyam computers were once the crown jewel of Indian IT-industry but were brought to the ground by its founders in 2009 as a result of financial manipulations in FS. The present study provides a snapshot of how Mr. Raju (CEO and Chairman) mastermind this maze of AM practices? Undoubtedly, Satyam scam is illegal and unethical in which computers were cleverly used to manipulate account books by creating fake invoices, inflating revenues, falsifying the cash and bank balances, showing non-existent interest on fixed deposits, showing ghost employees, and so on. Satyam fraud has shattered the dreams of investors, shocked the government and regulators and led to questioning of the accounting practices of auditors and CG norms in India. Finally, we recommend that “All types of MA practices should be legally recognized as a serious crime, and accounting bodies, law courts and regulatory authorities must adopt exemplary punitive measures to prevent such unethical practices.”
The Effects of Oil Price Volatility on the Economic Sectors of Libya
Authors: Aimer Nagmi M. Moftah
Published: February 2018

Fluctuations in oil price and its impact on economic development is an important issue facing a growing number of world economies. A simple changes in oil prices lead to negative or positive effects on all the economic sectors. This paper seeks to investigate the impact of oil price volatility on economic sectors in the Libyan economy context on the basis of annual data spanning from 1968-2012. The Johansen based Co-integration technique is applied to examine the sensitivity of economic sectors to volatility in oil prices in the long-run. And the short-run relationship is tested by Vector Error Correction Model. Through examining the results, that there is a long-term relationship of oil prices on the agriculture, construction, manufacturing and transport sectors. Finally, this study concludes that increases in oil price did not significantly affect the manufacturing sector in aggregate terms. Moreover, the negative impact on the sector of manufacturing and agriculture. Thus, this study has a significant impact in the Libyan economy in policy development on oil prices. The Libyan government needs to control the price to make sure that price volatility will not harm the manufacturing, agriculture, construction and transport sectors.
Financial Support for Civil Society Organisations in Ghana: A Study of Natural Resources and Environmental Governance
Authors: Kwofie Samuel , Yankey Isaac K. , K. Abledu Godfred
Published: February 2018

Civil Society Support Funds (CSSFs) are becoming a common mechanism for providing financial support and capacity building to Civil Society groups in most parts of the world. Management of these funds have become a challenge to the donors with options either to channel it through intermediaries or present it themselves. Multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral approaches were adopted and supported largely with other participatory methodologies that combine social, institutional, political and economic parameters in the information collection, collation, analysis and synthesis, and for reporting. It was found out that an independent funding scheme earmarked for the Environmental Natural Resources (ENR) sector is a preferred funding mechanism for the sector. The name ‘Civil Society – Natural Resource and Environmental Fund’ was recommended. This scheme is perceived to be independent of any existing scheme or institution and presents a mechanism for specific targeting of ENR issues and addresses variations in CS capacities. It was concluded that the use of intermediaries for the management of donor pool funding is an effective way of finding balance between the two horns of a dilemma – the DPs or Government donor funds meant for the development of the CS capacity for accountability.   
Prediction of Consumer Behavior Regarding Purchasing Remanufactured Products: A Logistics Regression Model
Authors: Yilmaz Kadri G , Belbag Sedat
Published: February 2018

Scarce resources, strict take-back legislations, decreasing life cycle of products and increasing competition are compelled original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to collect and reuse their returned products. Remanufacturing is a well-known and widely used environment-friendly manufacturing to evaluate product returns. Moreover, with remanufacturing, OEMs offer environment-friendly products to environmentally concerned consumers, also known as green consumer. This study aims to develop a prediction model to determine consumer purchase behavior of remanufactured products. We investigate the data with a survey of closed-end questions conducted among 400 residents of Ankara, Turkey. We consider several factors that influence consumers’ preferences in purchasing process of remanufactured products. The suggested model predicts consumer behavior of remanufactured products with logistic regression analysis. The results show that some factors have effects on consumer purchase behavior of remanufactured product such as low prices, company reliability and product promotion changes consumer behavior from no purchasing to purchasing remanufactured products.
Vertical Specialization of Production: Critical Review and Empirical Evidence for the Mexican Manufacturing Industries 1994-2014
Authors: Sotomayor Maritza
Published: February 2018

This paper surveys Vertical Specialization (VS) from different empirical approaches, including the various conceptualizations of VS, the problems with its quantification, and a case study. The empirical estimation of this paper refers to the Mexican manufacturing industry and the in-bond industry (also known as maquiladora). The purpose of this paper is to compare VS, through the application of the Vertical Intra-Industry Trade (VIIT) indexes, for maquiladora and non-maquiladora industries and to contrast the degree to which the maquiladora industry is integrated with the global value chain relative to the non-maquiladora activities for the 1994-2006 period. Furthermore, this paper quantifies VIIT for the post-maquiladora period (2007-2014) in order to discuss if there have been changes in the VIIT since the conclusion of the maquiladora program in 2006. In particular, this paper tests if the quality ladder hypothesis applies to Mexico for its bilateral trade with the United States and Canada. The empirical estimations show the remarkable differences between maquiladora and non-maquiladora VS and the impacts that changes in the NAFTA tariff schedule for the automotive industry have had on the bilateral trade pattern.
Decision-Making under Stress and Its Implications for Managerial Decision-Making: A Review of Literature
Authors: Atsan Nuray
Published: February 2018

We examine the main theoretical models of decision making under stress and the effects of decision stress on decision making process to provide a deeper understanding of the decision making phenomenon. The literature review reveals that stress can have an impact on each stage of the decision-making process. The review also finds that decision makers could enhance their decision-making performance and prevent potential decision failures by means of adapting certain coping strategies.
The Moderating Effect of Knowledge Transfer on Satisfaction-Performance Relationship
Authors: Kavak Bahtışen , Ermeç Sertoğlu Ayşegül , Özkan Tektaş Öznur
Published: February 2018

The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of satisfaction, with its basic antecedents of trust and conflict, on firm performance and to test the moderating effect of dyadic knowledge transfer on the satisfaction and performance relationship. A survey was applied to 193 participants working in medium and small-sized firms, operating in an Organized Industrial Region in Ankara- Turkey. Since measurement items were adapted from different studies, CFA was conducted to test discriminant and convergent validity and the hypothesized paths were tested using LISREL 8.3. The findings reveal that conflict and trust explain 76% of the satisfaction; and satisfaction itself explains 44% of the firm performance. As expected, both trust and conflict are proved to be the two indicators of satisfaction. Besides, we found significantly positive effect of satisfaction on firm performance. According to hierarchical moderated regression analysis results, conducted to test moderating effect of knowledge transfer for the whole sample, the interaction of satisfaction and dyadic knowledge transfer imposed negative, insignificant effect on firm performance, hence, hypothesis (H4) is not supported. Further analysis was conducted by dichotomizing the sample according to knowledge transfer, and research model was tested for each group. The effect of satisfaction on firm performance is found to be significant only when the dyadic knowledge transfer between firms is low, while the effect of is still insignificant when the level of knowledge transfer is high, providing a partial support for H4.   
Does the Use of Body Scanners Discriminate Overweight Flight Passengers? The Effect of Body Scanners on Body Image
Authors: Laib Magdalena , Wolkenstein Larissa
Published: February 2018

Whereas the introduction of body scanners at airports has been accompanied by critical voices raising concerns that body scanners might have a negative impact on different minority groups, it has not been investigated thus far whether they might also have negative impacts on the average flight passenger and if the provision of adequate information might attenuate such negative impacts. Using a pre/post-design the current study examines the effect of a body scan in a controlled laboratory setting on the explicit and implicit body image of normal-weight and overweight people as assessed by questionnaires and an Implicit Association Test. Half of the sample received an information sheet concerning body scanners before they were scanned. While there was a negative impact of the body scan on the implicit body image of overweight participants, there was a positive impact on their explicit body image. The negative effect of the body scan was unaffected by receiving information. This study demonstrates that body scans do not only have negative effects on certain minority groups but potentially on a large proportion of the general public which suggests a critical reconsideration of the control procedures at airports, the training of the airport staff who is in charge of these procedures and the information flight passengers get about these procedures.

 
Achieving Efficiency in Gas Pipeline Connection: Evidence from Ghana
Authors: Gborgenu Anthony Kudjo , Twenefour Frank B. K. , Gyamfi Mathias
Published: February 2018

The demand for the use of natural gas is on the increase as an energy source. Natural gas transportation requires a continuous pipeline network from the source of gas across long distance to the various destinations. The main objective involves extending gas pipelines from Takoradi to all the regional capital towns in Ghana to meet the growing demands of its citizenry in order to provide economy and efficiency with regards to cost and environmental sustainability by developing a straight forward method of locating pipeline facilities and designing pipeline networks. The problem is formulated as a network of distances and the solution is presented based on Prim’s Algorithm for minimum connections. Data on distances are obtained from the Ghana Highways Authority. The total distance covered by the pipe line network if the existing road networks were used from Takoradi to all the regional capitals towns in Ghana is 5,094km. After Prim’s Algorithm was used, the total distance covered decreased to 1,590km which is about 68.8% reduction in the distance covered with regards to cost and the environmental damage caused by construction of pipelines (soil, forest, rivers, wetlands, noise from compressor stations during pipeline discharge and risk of pipeline leakage).
The Need-Goal Integration Hypothesis: How to Meet Identified Needs
Authors: Ilesanmi Jayeoba F.
Published: February 2018

The paper highlights the many needs/goals of stake holders in the organisation and closely examines the well-worn believe that the main role of managers is to motivate their subordinates. Argument was proposed as to why this view is not appropriate in today’s organisations. The driving force for most employees, whose mobility and employability has been enhanced by ICT and globalization, is the extent to which the employing organisations is able to articulate their needs and meet them. To motivate and retain the modern day workers with portable skills, and to whom career is more a lattice than a ladder, is to be able to factor their needs into the goals of the organisation. More so, organisation is not about management and employees alone. There are many other stake holders; less visible though, but very important in the need-goal constellations of the organisation. It is posited that all stake holders in the organisation need to be motivated (by identifying and meeting their needs) though in diverse ways, and that the action and inaction of one stake holder provides impetus for adequacy or shortfall in the motivation equation.
Natural Resources and FDI in GCC Countries
Authors: Elheddad Mohamed Mahjoub
Published: February 2018

Natural resources are a blessing for some countries to attract FDI but cursed for others. Existing literature argues the suggestion that resource-rich countries attract less FDI because of resource (oil) price volatility. This study examines that natural resources discourage FDI in GCC countries (the FDI-Natural resources curse hypothesis), using panel data analysis for six oil dependent countries during 1980-2013 and applying several econometrics techniques. The main findings of this paper is that natural resources measured by oil rents have a negative association with FDI inflows; this negative impact is robust even when other FDI determinates of FDI  are included. FDI inflows decreased between 0.15 and 0.92% when oil rents increased by 1%. In addition, the empirical results show that trade openness and labour force are the main factors that encourage FDI, while political instability and corruption deter FDI inflows into GCC countries.
Study on Total Quality Management Activities in Taiwan Tourism Factories
Authors: Chung Yi-Chan
Published: February 2018

As competition becomes increasingly fierce, how to integrate the concept of information technology involvement into total quality management activities and better serve the customers, thus increasing the effectiveness of their services, has become an important focus for many tourism factories in their selection of an appropriate operational strategy. With the tourism factories in Taiwan as the subjects, this study was therefore set out to investigate the impact of operational strategies, information technology involvement and motivation on the executive degree of total quality management (TQM) activities, as well as the correlation between the executive degree of TQM activities and operational performance. This research was conducted from March to April 2016 using 56 effective questionnaires through a questionnaire survey method. According to the research findings, the higher the executive degree of TQM activities was, the more significant a positive impact it would have on operational performance; the execution of differentiation strategies would have a positive impact on the execution of TQM activities; the more a company was involved in information technology, the more significant a positive impact it would have on the execution of TQM activities; the higher the intrinsic motivation was, the more significant a positive impact it would have on the executive degrees of TQM activities. It is therefore advisable for tourism factories to implement TQM activities, adopt differentiation strategies, seek greater information technology involvement and become more strongly motivated toward TQM implementation in order to improve operational performance.  