bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydrogen bonds, interfacial stiffness moduli, and the interlaminar shear strength of carbon fiber-epoxy matrix composites
Authors: Cantrell John H.
Published: March 2015

The chemical treatment of carbon fibers used in carbon fiber-epoxy matrix composites greatly affects the fraction of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) formed at the fiber-matrix interface. The H-bonds are major contributors to the fiber-matrix interfacial shear strength and play a direct role in the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of the composite. The H-bond contributions τ to the ILSS and magnitudes KN of the fiber-matrix interfacial stiffness moduli of seven carbon fiber-epoxy matrix composites, subjected to different fiber surface treatments, are calculated from the Morse potential for the interactions of hydroxyl and carboxyl acid groups formed on the carbon fiber surfaces with epoxy receptors. The τ calculations range from 7.7 MPa to 18.4 MPa in magnitude, depending on fiber treatment. The KN calculations fall in the range (2.01 – 4.67) ×1017 N m−3. The average ratio KN/|τ| is calculated to be (2.59 ± 0.043) × 1010 m−1 for the seven composites, suggesting a nearly linear connection between ILSS and H-bonding at the fiber-matrix interfaces. The linear connection indicates that τ may be assessable nondestructively from measurements of KN via a technique such as angle beam ultrasonic spectroscopy.
Biomonitoring of the environmental contamination by organotins in the Gulf of Tunis: occurrence of imposex in Stramonita haemastoma (Linnaeus, 1767)
Authors: Boulajfene Wafa , Boukhicha Jihen , Deidun Alan , Berto Daniela , Romeo Teresa , Ben Hassine Oum Kalthoum , Tlig-Zouari Sabiha
Published: March 2015

Imposex has been observed in several regions of the world to affect many species of prosobranch gastropods such as Stramonita haemastoma (Linnaeus, 1767). This irreversible sexual anomaly is caused mainly by the accumulation of organotin compounds in tissues. The present study aimed to confirm the existence of imposex and to determine the different levels of infection in individuals of Stramonita haemastoma collected from different stations along the rocky coastline of the Gulf of Tunis. To do this, 10 stations covering the entire rocky coastline of the gulf were sampled during March–May 2012. Rates of occurrence of imposex suggest that sexual modifications occur to different degrees in this species in all sampled stations of the gulf. The most contaminated sites were harbour areas (Sidi Bou Said and La Goulette). In addition, an inverse relationship between the distances from potential sources of pollution and the occurrence of this sexual anomaly was observed. It should be noted that toxic effects induced by marine xenobiotics could cause the loss of biodiversity and the disruption of this ecosystem stability.
Estimating the insurance rates for loss of annual production of grass herbage associated with natural disasters in China
Authors: Liu Xing-peng , Zhang Ji-quan , Cai Wei-ying , Bao Yu-long
Published: March 2015

Grasslands in many parts of China are vulnerable to natural disasters which can bring large economic losses to pastoralists. As an effective method to manage the risk, insurance has gradually become an important means used in the management of grassland disasters. Because of insufficient statistical data on annual production of grass herbage, insurance-rate-making has become the core challenge in grassland insurance programs in China. Taking Xilingol League in Inner Mongolia as the study area, by analysing the correlations of different vegetation indices with annual production of grass herbage, a spatial Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) based insurance rate was estimated for the loss of annual production of grass herbage in three steps: (i) the annual NDVIs in mid-to-late August were obtained using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) products and, applying a relationship developed between remote-sensing data and measured grass herbage mass, annual production of grass herbage was estimated, (ii) the Relative Fluctuation Production (RFP) was estimated from trend and fluctuating data on the annual production of grass herbage, and (iii) applying kernel density estimation, the insurance rate of loss of annual production of grass herbage was calculated based on the RFP in each cell of the study area. This approach to estimating the insurance rate for loss of annual production of grass herbage associated with natural disasters can improve the ability of pastoralists to manage their grasslands more effectively.
Survival and cause-specific mortality of the female eastern wild turkey at its northern range edge
Authors: Niedzielski Britney , Bowman Jeff
Published: March 2015

Context In an era of rapid environmental change, many species are shifting their distributions. As temperate-zone species’ expand their ranges north, different and potentially severe limiting factors may begin to affect their ability to survive and reproduce. The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is one example of a species undergoing rapid northern expansion. Aims An improved understanding of wild turkey demography at the species’ northern range periphery would facilitate effective management of this important game species. Therefore, we undertook a study to evaluate survival, causes of mortality, and behavioural strategies that may govern survival of female wild turkeys. Methods We captured 53 female wild turkeys, and used backpack transmitters to monitor their individual fates during 2012–13. Key results The annual survival estimate was 0.37 (95% CI: 0.25–0.55), with the lowest seasonal survival in the winter. The most frequent cause of mortality was mammalian predation, predominately by coyotes (Canis latrans). Age, proximity to supplemental food, and habitat use did not affect risk of mortality. Conclusions Northern wild turkeys in our study exhibited lower survival and suffered higher predation than did populations in the species’ historic range. Despite our findings, the wild turkey has expanded its range northwards and continues to exist in these peripheral areas. This may be due to high productivity or a source–sink dynamic, whereby high mortality is offset by immigration from the south. Implications The low survival and high predation of wild turkeys in the north must be considered when developing management strategies, particularly if interest exists in translocating turkeys farther north. Further research is needed to better understand whether northern turkey populations persist as sinks.
Agricultural Production under Climate Change: The Potential Impacts of Shifting Regional Water Balances in the United States
Authors: Marshall Elizabeth , Aillery Marcel , Malcolm Scott , Williams Ryan
Published: March 2015

General circulation models predict significant and accelerating changes in local patterns of precipitation and temperature during the twenty‐first century. Agriculture's vulnerability to climate change will depend on both the biophysical impacts of climate change on crop yields and on the agricultural system's ability to adapt to changing production conditions. Shifts in the extent and distribution of irrigated and dryland production are a potentially important adaptation response. Farmer flexibility to adapt may be limited, however, by changes in the availability of irrigation water under future climate conditions. This study uses a suite of models to explore the biophysical and economic impacts of climate change on U.S. fieldcrop production under several potential future climate projections, and to explore the potential limits and opportunities for adaptation arising from shifting regional water balances. The study findings suggest that, while irrigation shortages attributable to climate change have varying effects on cropland use, the aggregate impacts on national production are small relative to the direct biophysical impacts of climate change on yield.
A generalized model for longitudinal short- and long-term mortality data for commercial fishery discards and recreational fishery catch-and-releases
Authors: Benoît Hugues P. , Capizzano Connor W. , Knotek Ryan J. , Rudders David B. , Sulikowski James A. , Dean Micah J. , Hoffman William , Zemeckis Douglas R. , Mandelman John W.
Published: March 2015

Conservation concerns and new management policies such as the implementation of ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management are motivating an increasing need for estimates of mortality associated with commercial fishery discards and released fish from recreational fisheries. Traditional containment studies and emerging techniques using electronic tags on fish released to the wild are producing longitudinal mortality-time data from which discard or release mortalities can be estimated, but where there may also be a need to account analytically for other sources of mortality. In this study, we present theoretical and empirical arguments for a parametric mixture-distribution model for discard mortality data. We show, analytically and using case studies for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides), and winter skate (Leucoraja ocellata), how this model can easily be generalized to incorporate different characteristics of discard mortality data such as distinct capture, post-release and natural mortalities, and delayed mortality onset. In simulations over a range of conditions, the model provided reliable parameter estimates for cases involving both discard and natural mortality. These results support this modelling approach, indicating that it is well suited for data from studies in which fish are released to their natural environment. The model was found to be less reliable in simulations when there was a delay in discard mortality onset, though such an effect appears only in a minority of existing discard mortality studies. Overall, the model provides a flexible framework in which to analyse discard mortality data and to produce reliable scientific advice on discard mortality rates and possibilities for mitigation.
Estimating Voter Registration Deadline Effects with Web Search Data
Authors: Street Alex , Murray Thomas A. , Blitzer John , Patel Rajan S.
Published: March 2015

Electoral rules have the potential to affect the size and composition of the voting public. Yet scholars disagree over whether requiring voters to register well in advance of Election Day reduces turnout. We present a new approach, using web searches for “voter registration” to measure interest in registering, both before and after registration deadlines for the 2012 U.S. presidential election. Many Americans sought information on “voter registration” even after the deadline in their state had passed. Combining web search data with evidence on the timing of registration for 80 million Americans, we model the relationship between search and registration. Extrapolating this relationship to the post-deadline period, we estimate that an additional 3–4 million Americans would have registered in time to vote, if deadlines had been extended to Election Day. We test our approach by predicting out of sample and with historical data. Web search data provide new opportunities to measure and study information-seeking behavior.
On the oxygen abundances of M 67 stars from the turn-off point through the red giant branch
Authors: Takeda Yoichi , Honda Satoshi
Published: March 2015

With an aim to examine whether the surface oxygen composition suffers any appreciable change due to evolution-induced mixing of nuclear-processed material in the envelope of red giants, abundance determinations for O/Fe/Ni based on the synthetic spectrum-fitting method were performed by using the moderate-dispersion spectra in the 7770–7792 Å region (comprising O i 7771–5, Fe i 7780, and Ni i 7788 lines) for 16 stars of the old open cluster M 67 in various evolutionary stages from the turn-off point through the red giant branch. We could not find any meaningful difference in the oxygen abundances between the non-giant group (Teff > 5000 K) and the red-giant group (Teff < 5000 K), which are almost consistent with each other on average (despite that both have rather large dispersions of a few tenths dex caused by insufficient data quality), though only one giant star (S 1054) appears to show an exceptionally low O abundance and thus needs a more detailed study. This result may suggest that oxygen content in the stellar envelope is hardly affected (or any changes are insignificant) by the mixing of H-burning products in the red giant phase, as far as M 67 stars of low mass (∼ 1.3 M⊙) are concerned, which is consistent with the prediction from the conventional stellar evolution theory of first dredge-up.
Safety and Efficacy of Rocuronium With Sugammadex Reversal Versus Succinylcholine in Outpatient Surgery—A Multicenter, Randomized, Safety Assessor–Blinded Trial
Authors: Soto Roy , Jahr Jonathan S. , Pavlin Janet , Sabo Daniel , Philip Beverly K. , Egan Talmage D. , Rowe Everton , de Bie Joris , Woo Tiffany
Published: March 2015

Complex surgical procedures are increasingly performed in an outpatient setting, with emphasis on rapid recovery and case turnover. In this study, the combination of rocuronium for neuromuscular blockade (NMB) reversed by single-dose sugammadex was compared with succinylcholine followed by spontaneous recovery in outpatient surgery. This multicenter, randomized, safety assessor–blinded study enrolled adults undergoing a short elective outpatient surgical procedure requiring NMB and tracheal intubation. Patients were randomized to NMB with either rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg for tracheal intubation with incremental doses of rocuronium 0.15 mg/kg and subsequent reversal with sugammadex 4.0 mg/kg at 1–2 posttetanic counts or succinylcholine 1.0 mg/kg for intubation with spontaneous recovery. The primary efficacy end point was the time from sugammadex administration to recovery of the train-of-four ratio to 0.9; for succinylcholine, time from administration to recovery of the first twitch (T1) to 90% was assessed. From 167 patients enrolled, 150 received treatment. The all-subjects-treated population comprised 70 patients in the rocuronium–sugammadex group and 80 in the succinylcholine group. Geometric mean (95% confidence interval) time from the start of sugammadex administration to recovery of the train-of-four ratio to 0.9 was 1.8 (1.6–2.0) minutes. Geometric mean (95% confidence interval) time from succinylcholine administration to recovery of T1 to 90% was 10.8 (10.1–11.5) minutes. Health outcome variables were similar between the groups. Adverse events were reported in 87.1% and 93.8% of patients for rocuronium–sugammadex and succinylcholine, respectively. In conclusion, rocuronium for intubation followed by sugammadex for reversal of NMB offers a viable treatment option in outpatient surgery without prolonging recovery duration or jeopardizing safety.
Crystal structure of aquabis[2-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl-κN3)aniline-κN]zinc dinitrate
Authors: Kim Yongtae , Kang Sung Kwon
Published: March 2015

The cation of the complex title salt, [Zn(C13H11N3)2(H2O)](NO3)2, lies about a twofold rotation axis, which passes through the ZnIIatom and the O atom of the aqua ligand. The ZnIIatom adopts a distorted trigonal–bipyramidal geometry defined by two N atoms in axial positions [angle = 166.24 (7)°], and two N and one O atom in the equatorial plane [range of angles: 115.17 (7)–122.42 (3)°]. The dihedral angle between the imidazole and aniline rings is 23.86 (5)°. In the crystal, N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds link the components into a three-dimensional network.
Serendipitous preparation offac-(acetonitrile-κN)trichlorido[(1,2,5,6-η)-cycloocta-1,5-diene]iridium(III)
Authors: Morris David M. , Merola Joseph S.
Published: March 2015

A reaction between [(COD)IrCl]2(COD is cycloocta-1,5-diene), HCl and indene failed to provide the hoped for chloridoindenyliridium dimer, but instead produced the title compound, [IrCl3(CH3CN)(C8H12)], which is an octahedral complex of iridium(III) with a chelating cycloocta-1,5-diene ligand, three chloride ligands in afacarrangement, and one acetonitrile ligand. Attempts to devise a rational synthesis for the title compound were unsuccessful.
Process improvement through economically driven routing of instances
Authors: Bolsinger Manuel , Elsäßer Anna , Helm Caroline , Röglinger Maximilian
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– Process improvement is a fundamental activity of the business process management (BPM) lifecycle. However, practitioners still lack concrete guidance and adequate objectives for process improvement. Moreover, improvement projects typically tie up considerable amounts of capital and are very risky. Thus, more guidance is needed on how to derive concrete recommendations for process improvement in a goal-oriented manner. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors propose a decision model that determines along which paths the instances of a process should be routed to maximize the value contribution of the process. To do so, the decision model requires a process model and a set of historical process instances as inputs.

Findings

– The decision model builds on the idea that only the parameters of the process, i.e., the values according to which it is decided on which path an instance traverses the process, can be modified, without altering the structure of the process. The decision model determines the parameter setting that maximizes the value contribution of the process, which is measured in terms of the expected cash flow of the process. When determining the optimal parameter setting, the decision model considers that different instances and paths have different cash flow effects.

Practical implications

– The authors prototypically implemented the decision model and report on the insights from a demonstration example that is based on the order verification process of an IT distributor.

Originality/value

– The decision model complements existing approaches to process improvement as it reveals additional improvement potential by focussing on the decision points in a process without altering the structure of the process. The decision model also enables identifying an optimal parameter setting, as a concrete recommendation for process improvement, in line with the principles of value-based BPM.
Process performance measurement system – towards a customer-oriented solution
Authors: Wieland Uwe , Fischer Marco , Pfitzner Marcus , Hilbert Andreas
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– Based on a systematic literature review, requirements on a PPMS are identified in order to derive concrete demands and design features for such a system by using quality function deployment (QFD). The purpose of this paper is to formulate a proposal for design recommendations toward a holistic, customer-oriented Process Performance Measurement System (PPMS).

Design/methodology/approach

– A literature review is used to identify customer demands and design features that characterize a PPMS. To determine the critical design features of a customer-oriented solution, the QFD method is applied.

Findings

– The paper confirms that there is currently no published concept for an integrated, holistic PPMS. Therefore it provides a first approach to the formulation of a design recommendation based on the customer requirements and design features. A literature-based weighting facilitates a first identification of critical design features. The identified conditions specify the context which can be regarded as a prerequisite for the application of the system.

Research limitations/implications

– As a result of the investigation, two main issues were identified, which restrict the complete development of a House-of-Quality matrix and therefore require further research: First, no reliable relationships between the customer requirements and design features could be derived from the conducted content analysis and second, no correlations between the identified design features could be detected.

Practical implications

– The paper provides a design basis for specific application systems and their information requirement analyses. It can also serve as an evaluation basis for existing software products in the market.

Originality/value

– The connection of a literature review with the QFD procedure transfers a consolidated state of PPMS research into an applicable design recommendation and therefore supports rigor and relevance of the research.
Linking operations strategy to the corporate strategy process: a practice perspective
Authors: Adamides Emmanuel D.
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide a micro-level, human-activity-centred interpretative framework for the way operations strategy is formed, linked and aligned with corporate-level strategies, and to apply it to gain insights on these processes.

Design/methodology/approach

– Relying on the theoretical foundations of social practice theory and actor-network theory, as well as on the analysis of the organisational realities of the operations strategy formation process embedded in pluralistic organisational contexts, a conceptual framework for analysing the production and alignment of operations strategy is developed. The framework is then used to guide field research for the analysis of an operations-led strategic initiative in a medium-sized agro-food company.

Findings

– Operations strategy formation can be interpreted as an ongoing practical, distributed social activity of network (re)formation. Specific initiatives, or events, act as catalysts for the association of operations strategy formation practices with corporate-level ones, facilitating thus the current and future alignment of strategic content. Artefacts play an active role in the linking process.

Research limitations/implications

– The research presented in this paper is pioneering as it is the first explicit consideration of operations strategy formation (process) as practical social activity (practices are the focus of analysis, not individuals’ choices), in which non-human agency (informational artefacts, etc.) is explicitly taken into account. For this purpose, a novel analytic framework was developed, which, however, need to be further tested to determine the exact conditions under which it is valid.

Practical implications

– The framework improves the understanding of the organisational dynamics of operations strategy formation, its linking with, and institutionalisation in, other organisational processes and strategic discourses. Thus, it can assist in the analysis of operations-led strategic initiatives.

Social implications

– Application of the results obtained can provide better workplaces.

Originality/value

– For the first time: operations strategy formation is considered as a social activity by focusing on the strategists and managers’ practices; the role of documents, decision-support tools and other artefacts is surfaced; and the importance of introducing operations strategy formation practices carrying strategy content into corporate and business-level strategy processes and their role in the alignment of the two strategies is emphasised.
Do institutions matter in Latin America?
Authors: Kallas David , Caldeira Carlos A. , Bandeira-de-mello Rodrigo , Marcon Rosilene
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effects of institutional changes on business landscapes and companies performance in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors have developed a multiple empirical strategy, including qualitative and quantitative methods. As a qualitative method, we used business landscapes to describe how clustered firm performance varies across industries. We collected return on equity (ROE) and equity data from Brazilian listed companies in a 24-years range, and compared three different 8-years institutional periods. As a quantitative method, the authors compared variance across periods and developed a panel analysis assuming fixed and random effects models.

Findings

– The main results indicate that ROE differences among institutional periods in Brazil are relevant, indicating that there is an important institutional effect on performance and the impacts of those institutional effects may be different across industries. The impact of institutional changes seems to be considerable in understanding industry and firm performance. In addition, the improvement of the institutional framework increases the variance of firm performance around the mean.

Research limitations/implications

– The limitations are related to the sample, classification treatment for missing values and outliers.

Practical implications

– Managers should consider that institutional settings affect industries in a different manner when developing their strategies.

Originality/value

– Despite the fact that the importance of industry, firm and time effects has been empirically examined, there is still an empirical gap concerning if and how institutional changes affect industries and the configuration of business landscapes.
Cross-market dynamics and optimal portfolio strategies in Latin American equity markets
Authors: Arouri Mohamed El Hédi , Lahiani Amine , Nguyen Duc Khuong
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate the return links and volatility transmission between five major equity markets of the Latin American region and the USA over the period 1993-2012.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors employ a multivariate vector autoregressive moving average – generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (VAR-GARCH) methodology which allows for cross-market transmissions in both return and volatility. Moreover, we show how the obtained results can be used to design internationally diversified portfolios involving the Latin American assets and to analyze the effectiveness of hedging strategies.

Findings

– The results point to the existence of substantial cross-market return and volatility spillovers and are thus crucial for international portfolio management in the Latin American region. However, the intensity of shock and volatility cross effects varies across the studied markets.

Research limitations/implications

– The optimal weights and hedging ratios that we compute from the observed return and volatility spillovers, suggest that adding the Latin American assets helps improve the risk-adjusted return of the internationally diversified portfolios as well as reduce their risk exposure. For policymakers and market authorities, an increase in the level of shock interactions and volatility transmission between the US and Latin American equity markets as well as among these Latin American markets implies that the stability of the financial system in one country can be deeply affected by the disturbances in another country.

Originality/value

– The authors extend the previous works on Latin American emerging markets by examining the extent of shock and volatility transmission as well as portfolio design and management from the point of view of both the US (global) and Latin American investors.
Drivers of LBO operating performance: an empirical investigation in Latin America
Authors: Sannajust Aurélie , Arouri Mohamed , Chevalier Alain
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to extend the research on private equity by studying the drivers of leveraged buyout (LBO) operating performance in Latin America. The authors consider a large set of candidate drivers (financial, governance, macroeconomic and industry variables) and study their effects on performance over short- and long-terms.

Design/methodology/approach

– To conduct this study, the authors used Capital IQ as a database as well as a hand-collected data set covering LBO in Latin America from 2000 to 2008.

Findings

– The empirical results show that macroeconomic variables have an important impact on LBO value creation. Governance variables show also that LBO transactions reduce information asymmetries between existing and new management teams. Consequently, a concentrated shareholder structure has a better impact on performance than diluted stockholders. Financial variables present significant effects after the delisting.

Research limitations/implications

– The characteristics of the debts included in the balance sheets (maturity for example) are not available in the authors' data basis. A test including this information could bring other elements of explanation. The measure of cumulative abnormal returns around going-private announcements and their impacts on shareholder’s value could also be of interest. This last study has been published for the UK (Wrightet al., 2006). Further research should introduce other continents and particularly Asia in the analysis but also comparisons between the Brazil–Russia–India–China–South Africa (BRICS) countries.

Originality/value

– This study makes five main contributions. First, the authors construct an LBO sample with emerging markets and specially Latin America. It is the first time that an academic article has been realized. Data are very difficult to obtain to do empirical tests. Latin America is a part of emerging markets, which is an interesting study subject due to their attractiveness in terms of growth of private equity funds. Second, to understand clearly how LBOs create value, the authors construct a sample control to highlight the key factors. Criteria of size, sector of activity and Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes were strictly enforced. Third, the authors do not focus on the moment where the transaction is realized like many studies but before and after the delisting. Indeed, they observed, on the one hand, the operating performance between year −1 and year +1 and, on the other hand, the operating performance between year −1 and year +3. Generally, only the market reaction around the acquisition announcement is examined. Post-performance is not considered due to lack of data. Fourth, the authors take into account the macroeconomic effects on performance of LBOs. It is the first examination of the impact of macroeconomic factors on performance of LBOs in Latin America. And fifth, they analyze the impact of going-private decisions on employees.
Cash holdings, political connections, and earnings quality
Authors: Al-dhamari Redhwan , Ku Ismail Ku Nor Izah
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of cash holding, political connection and their interaction effect on earnings quality in the Malaysian environment, where political influence plays a vital role in many aspects of business dealings and resources allocation is seriously affected by politics.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper uses ordinary least square and seemingly unrelated regressions upon a sample of the Malaysian top 100 listed firms.

Findings

– This paper finds that earnings of firms with excess cash reserves are of high quality. Consistent with previous research, the study finds that investors perceive earnings numbers of politically connected firms as being of low quality. However, this research fails to support an expectation that the adverse consequences of holding a large amount of cash to earnings quality would be more pronounced when political extraction is high. The findings of this study suggest that policy makers should encourage or mandate firms to disclose information in relation to their connections with government, political party, or politicians so that investors and all interested parties can use the information to better assess the firms’ earnings quality.

Originality/value

– This research is considered as the first attempt to examine the relationships between cash holdings, political connections, and earnings quality in a developing country such as Malaysia.
The Global Financial Crisis: what have we learned so far?
Authors: Neuhauser Karyn L.
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide a cohesive review of the major findings in the literature concerning the Global Financial Crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

– Papers published in top-rated finance and economics journal since the crisis up to the present were reviewed. A large number of these were selected for inclusion, primarily based on the number of citations they had received adjusted for the amount of time elapsed since their publication, but also partly based on how well they fit in with the narrative.

Findings

– Much has been done to investigate the causes of the Global Financial Crisis, its effects on various aspects of the financial system, and the effectiveness of regulatory measures undertaken to restore the financial system. While more remains to be done, the existing body of research paints an interesting picture of what happened and why it happened, describes the interrelationships between the mortgage markets and financial markets created by the large scale securitization of financial assets, identifies the problems created by these inter-linkages and offers possible solutions, and assesses the effectiveness of the regulatory response to the crisis.

Originality/value

– This study summarizes a vast amount of literature using a framework that allows the reader to quickly absorb a large amount of information as well as identify specific works that they may wish to examine more closely. By providing a picture of what has been done, it may also assist the reader in identifying areas that should be the subject of future research.
Agency behavior and corporate restructuring choices during performance decline in an emerging economy
Authors: Pandey I. M. , Ongpipattanakul Visit
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– Restructuring strategies are complicated processes and choices are influenced by and interact with the agreements and conflicts of interest among stakeholders. Firms in the emerging economies are characterized by high growth, high leverage, less effective corporate governance and different legal and institution context as compared to the firms in the developed economies. The purpose of this paper is to explain the agency monitoring variables that influence decisions to select and/or avoid restructuring strategies of the firms that have experienced a performance decline in an emerging economy. The authors have chosen Thailand as an example of an emerging economy as it was believed as the center of the major Asian economic crisis in mid-1997.

Design/methodology/approach

– The sample of the study comprises 120 Thai non-financial firms listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, all of which experienced a performance decline for two consecutive years during 1997-2008; the years 1997 and 1998 coinciding with financial crisis. The study uses panel logistic regressions to examine the likelihood of the choices of restructuring strategies given the agency variables after controlling for other possible influences.

Findings

– The results show that restructuring strategy choices are significantly influenced by both agency factors and control variables. The results show both similarities to and differences from earlier studies of the developed economies. The similarities are found in leverage agency behaviors. The differences in the results are found in the types and the details of the agency factors, in particular the management ownership and governance factors. The authors also explore the effects of the agency variables interactions on the choices of restructuring strategies of the performance-declining firms.

Research limitations/implications

– Emerging economies have many similarities, but they also demonstrate some country specific differences. This study is confined to one single country, and thus, may not be comparable with other emerging economies due to differences in factors such as regulatory, institutional, tax environments etc. However, it does show a way to conduct such studies in the context of other countries.

Originality/value

– To the knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study of corporate restructuring in an emerging economy, particularly of the South-East Asian economy. The authors also show, for the first time, the agency variables interactions effects on the restructuring strategies of the firms. Thus, the study contributes to the growing literature of the corporate restructuring in terms of the contextual knowledge of the emerging economies.
An institutional theory of quality outcomes in strategic supply chain partnership
Authors: Mellat-Parast Mahour
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical base for buyer-supplier quality outcomes (in the context of a strategic partnership) from the institutional theory of the firm. It examines quality outcomes within a partnership and demonstrates how the partners’ quality outcomes are related.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper examines quality outcomes within a strategic supply chain partnership (buyer-supplier) and demonstrates how the partners’ quality performance are related. Correlation analysis is used to examine the research hypothesis.

Findings

– Utilizing the institutional theory and stakeholder theory of the firm, it is argued that within a strategic partnership, the quality outcomes of the partners are significantly related. By focusing on a strategic alliance within a strategic group in the US airline industry, it is shown that there is a significant relationship among quality outcomes of the partners within the strategic alliance.

Research limitations/implications

– The analysis was limited to only one strategic partnership. Future research should examine quality outcomes among multiple strategic partnerships in order to validate the findings of this study.

Originality/value

– The study discusses the importance of strategic alliances and networks of firms as determinants of firm quality performance.
An attractiveness index based approach for warranty optimization
Authors: Ambad Prashant M. , Kulkarni Makarand S.
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop an attractiveness index-based warranty cost model considering decision variables as design alternatives, warranty duration and support level.

Design/methodology/approach

– A warranty optimization approach is illustrated using a real life example of an automobile engine with Mean Time Between Failures and Warranty Attractiveness Index as constraints.

Findings

– It will help to improve the customer satisfaction by giving a more attractive warranty compared to that being offered by the competitors.

Practical implications

– Approaches that consider the effect of decision variables on attractiveness of a warranty policy in a quantitative manner have received relatively less attention. The paper attempts to capture the attractiveness of warranty from the manufacturer as well as customer point of view.

Originality/value

– The proposed approach will help manufacturers to take appropriate decisions related to warranty parameters and component selection at the design stage.
BRAF,KIT and NRAS mutations and expression of c‐KIT, phosphorylated extracellular signal‐regulated kinase and phosphorylated AKT in Japanese melanoma patients
Authors: Oyama Satomi , Funasaka Yoko , Watanabe Atsushi , Takizawa Toshihiro , Kawana Seiji , Saeki Hidehisa
Published: March 2015

To clarify the status of gene mutation and activation of growth signal in melanoma of Japanese patients in vivo, we analyzed the mutation of BRAF exon 15, NRAS exon 2, and KIT exons 9, 11, 13, 17 and 18 in melanoma cells obtained by laser capture microdissection, and performed direct sequencing in 20 cases of acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) and 17 cases of superficial spreading melanoma (SSM). In the study of the mutation of BRAF, pyrosequencing was also done. To examine the cell proliferation signaling, immunohistochemistry for phosphorylated extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (pERK), phosphorylated AKT (phosphorylated AKT) and c‐KIT was done. The mutation of BRAF p.V600E was detected in 13 cases of ALM (65.0%) and 12 cases of SSM (70.6%). No NRAS mutation was found in all cases. The mutation in exons 9, 11, and 18 of KIT was detected in nine cases. The mutation of BRAF and KIT showed no correlation with clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, tumor thickness, ulceration and histology. pERK and pAKT was observed in small population of melanoma cells and there was no correlation with gene mutation. Our results indicate that the mutations of BRAF and KIT exist in Japanese melanoma patients, however, the cell growth signaling may be regulated by not only these mutated genes, but by other unknown regulatory factors, which may affect the prognosis of melanoma.
Recurrent gastrointestinal perforation in a patient with Ehlers–Danlos syndrome due to tenascin‐X deficiency
Authors: Sakiyama Tomo , Kubo Akiharu , Sasaki Takashi , Yamada Taketo , Yabe Nobushige , Matsumoto Ken‐ichi , Futei Yuko
Published: March 2015

Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder. Using a customized targeted exome‐sequencing system we identified nonsense mutations in TNXB in a patient who had recurrent gastrointestinal perforation due to tissue fragility. This case highlights the utility of targeted exome sequencing for the diagnosis of congenital diseases showing genetic heterogeneity, and the importance of attention to gastrointestinal perforation in patients with tenascin‐X deficient type EDS.
Ant‐mediated ecosystem functions on a warmer planet: effects on soil movement, decomposition and nutrient cycling
Authors: Del Toro Israel , Ribbons Relena R. , Ellison Aaron M.
Published: March 2015

Direct and indirect consequences of global warming on ecosystem functions and processes mediated by invertebrates remain understudied but are likely to have major impacts on ecosystems in the future. Among animals, invertebrates are taxonomically diverse, responsive to temperature changes, and play major ecological roles which also respond to temperature changes.

We used a mesocosm experiment to evaluate impacts of two warming treatments (+3·5 and +5 °C, set‐points) and the presence and absence of the ant Formica subsericea (a major mediator of processes in north temperate ecosystems) on decomposition rate, soil movement, soil respiration and nitrogen availability.

Replicate 19‐L mesocosms were placed outdoors in lathe houses and continuously warmed for 30 days in 2011 and 85 days in 2012. Warming treatments mimicked expected temperature increases for future climates in eastern North America.

In both years, the amount of soil displaced and soil respiration increased in the warming and ant presence treatments (soil movement: 73–119%; soil respiration: 37–48% relative to the control treatments without ants).

Decomposition rate and nitrogen availability tended to decrease in the warmest treatments (decomposition rate: −26 to −30%; nitrate availability: −11 to −42%).

Path analyses indicated that ants had significant short‐term direct and indirect effects on the studied ecosystem processes. These results suggest that ants may be moving more soil and building deeper nests to escape increasing temperatures, but warming may also influence their direct and indirect effects on soil ecosystem processes.
Characterization of Protein Alterations in Damaged Axons in the Brainstem Following Traumatic Brain Injury Using Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Zhang Ji , Niu Fei , Dong Hongmei , Liu Liang , Li Jie , Li Shangxun
Published: March 2015

Axonal injury contributes greatly to neurological dysfunction following traumatic brain injury (TBI), but current histological diagnostic methods are limited in identifying the pathological profiles of injured axons and unable to provide an objective and accurate quantification. Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRM) has the ability to offer macromolecular bioinformatics of the tissues including biochemical composition and structure by calculating band absorption intensity. In this study, axonal injury in the brainstem of rats with traumatic brain injury at 72 h post‐trauma, which was confirmed with beta‐amyloid precursor protein (β‐APP) immunostaining, was detected with FTIRM technique. The lower intensity of infrared absorbance under the amide I band corresponds strongly to the area of axonal injury, and further analysis of amide I band shows significant differences in protein conformation between injured and normal axons. The findings indicate that using FTIRM technique, the amide I band has potentials to be a infrared spectral marker of axonal injury.
Trends in home enteral nutrition at a tertiary teaching hospital: 2005–2013
Authors: Parker Elizabeth Kumiko , Faruquie Sahrish Sonia , Talbot Peter
Published: March 2015

Aim

There are limited data on home enteral nutrition patients in NSW because of the lack of a state‐wide or national registry in Australia. The present study aimed to report on the trends in home enteral nutrition at a tertiary teaching hospital in NSW Australia, from 2005 to 2013.

Methods

A 9‐year retrospective study (2005–2013) on the trends of home enteral nutrition was performed by retrieving data from a database set up specifically for home enteral nutrition patients at the study hospital.

Results

The number of home enteral nutrition patients at the study hospital is increasing; however, the rate of expansion has slowed down. Mean age ranged from 52.3 to 55.7 years during the study period and the most common primary diagnosis of patients remained cancer, non‐malignant respiratory disease and neurological disorders. Over time there has been a notable increase in patients requiring oral nutrition support, and a corresponding decrease in patients requiring enteral tube feeding. Gastrostomy tubes remained the most common type of enteral access device for tube fed patients; however, an increase in jejunostomy tubes was observed. Death was the principal reason for discharge from the service followed by completion of home enteral nutrition.

Conclusions

The use of home enteral nutrition has increased in the last 9 years at the study hospital. Most patients were registered for oral nutrition support and had an underlying cancer diagnosis, which may have contributed to the high rate of death observed in this patient population.
Sociocultural factors and perceptions associated with type 2 diabetes among sub‐Saharan African migrants in Melbourne, Victoria
Authors: Issaka Ayuba , Lamaro Greer , Renzaho André
Published: March 2015

Aim

To explore how non‐diabetic sub‐Saharan African migrants residing in Melbourne, construct and interpret type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its risk factors and to provide an evidence‐based theoretical framework to inform community‐based prevention programs.

Methods

Seven focus group discussions (two with women only, two with men only and three of mixed gender) were carried out among Ghanaian, Zimbabwean, Sudanese and Burundian migrants living in Melbourne (n = 61; age range: 18 to 61 years).

Results

Three distinct themes emerged: not paying much attention to the threat of T2DM and othering; T2DM being outside the individuals' control; and entrapment within rich industrialised culture and lifestyle. Participants perceived T2DM to be a disease of the wealthy caused by intake of too much sugar and sedentary behaviour, which were particularly compounded by lifestyle‐related changes upon migration to an industrialised country. However, they also perceived T2DM to be associated with bad luck.

Conclusions

Culturally competent prevention and education programs are needed to increase health literacy and dispel religious and cultural myths about T2DM among sub‐Saharan African migrants.