bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do government administered financial rewards undermine firms’ internal whistle-blowing systems?
Authors: Lee Gladys , Turner Michael J.
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a discussion of the application of the research pitch template developed by Faff (2015, 2016b) to a research topic on whistle-blowing. Specifically, the template was used to develop a research proposal that investigates whether government administered financial rewards undermine a firm’s internal whistle-blowing system. This letter provides a brief commentary on using the pitch template and then discusses personal reflections on the pitch exercise.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper applies the template of Faff (2015) and provides a narrative of the pitching exercise.

Findings

As a first-time user of Faff’s (2015) pitching template, I have found the template very helpful in articulating the essence of this research project and mapping out the fundamentals for the project.

Originality/value

This is a new research idea that is not a pitch retrofitted from published papers or theses. The pitch template was used for the purposes of developing and refining the research idea.
Infrastructure reporting by New Zealand local authorities – perceptions and expectations
Authors: Chatterjee Bikram , Mir Monir Zaman , Eddie Ian A. , Wise Victoria
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the contextual factors affecting infrastructure reporting by New Zealand local authorities.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper includes a survey and interview of Annual Report Recipients (ARRs) and Infrastructure Information Preparers (IIPs), together with an assessment of the extent of infrastructure information disclosure in the annual reports of New Zealand local authorities.

Findings

This study finds that contrary to the expectations of Lüder’s contingency model (1992), there is an information dissemination gap between the perceptions of ARRs and IIPs regarding infrastructure information reporting in the annual reports of New Zealand local authorities. This finding is consistent with decades of concern about the application of private sector Generally Accepted Accounting Principles to the public sector and the Controller and Auditor General’s (CAG, 2009) concern about the inadequacy of private sector General Purpose Financial Reports in meeting public sector accountability. On the other hand, the study reports that the perceptions of the two groups, ARRs and IIPs, are similar with regard to the importance of infrastructure information items, which is consistent with the expectations of Lüder’s model.

Originality/value

The paper contributes towards theoretical development by adopting Lüder’s (1992) contingency model in the context of infrastructure reporting by New Zealand local authorities and proposing a model of contextual factors by extending Lüder’s model. The practical contribution of the study is in the area of accounting practice and public policy.
Expectations, loss aversion and retirement decisions in the context of the 2009 crisis in Europe
Authors: Sirven Nicolas , Barnay Thomas
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to estimate a reduced form model of expectations-based reference-dependent preferences to explain job retention of older workers in Europe in the context of the 2009 economic crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

Using individual micro-economic longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe between 2006 and 2011, the authors derive a measure of “good, bad or no surprise” from workers’ anticipated evolution of their standard of living five years from 2006 (reference point) and from a comparison of their capacity to make ends meet between 2006 and 2011.

Findings

The authors find that the probability to remain on the labour market in 2011 is significantly higher for individuals who experienced a lower than expected standard of living. The effect of a “bad surprise” on job retention is larger than the effect of a “good surprise” once netted out from the effects of expectations at baseline, change in consumption utility, and the usual life-cycle determinants on job retention of older workers.

Originality/value

The authors interpret this result as an evidence of loss aversion in the case the reference point is based on individuals’ expectations. The authors also find that loss aversion is more common among men, risk-averse individuals and those with a higher perceived life expectancy.
Scar on my heart: effects of unemployment experiences on coronary heart disease
Authors: Ardito Chiara , Leombruni Roberto , Mosca Michele , Giraudo Massimiliano , d’Errico Angelo
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of unemployment on coronary heart diseases (CHD) in Italy on a sample of male manual workers in the private sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors investigate the association between CHD and different unemployment experiences (ever unemployed; short, mid and long cumulative unemployment), exploiting a large Italian administrative database on careers and health. The study design is based on the balancing of individuals' characteristics during a 12-year pre-treatment period; the measurement of unemployment occurrence during a seven-year treatment period; the observation of CHD occurrence during a five-year follow up. The workers characteristics and the probability of receiving the treatment are balanced by means of propensity score matching. Standard diagnostics on the balancing assumption are discussed and satisfied, while the robustness to violations of the unconfoundedness assumption is evaluated by a simulation-based sensitivity analysis.

Findings

The authors find a significant increase of CHD probability was found among workers who experience more than three years of unemployment (relative risks (RR)=1.91,p<0.1), and among those who exit unemployment starting a self-employment activity (RR=1.70,p<0.1). Using different selections of the study population, a clear pattern emerges: the healthier and more labour market attached are workers during pre-treatment, the greater is the negative impact of long-term unemployment on health (RR=2.79,p<0.01).

Originality/value

The very large representative sample (n=69,937) and the deep longitudinal dimension of the data (1985-2008) allowed the authors to minimize the risks of health selection and unemployment misclassification. Moreover, the adopted definition of unemployment corrected some undercoverage and misclassification issues that affect studies based on a purely administrative definition and that treat unemployment as a unique career event disregarding the duration of the experience.
The human factor in SCM
Authors: Schorsch Timm , Wallenburg Carl Marcus , Wieland Andreas
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to advance supply chain management by describing the current state of behavioral supply chain management (BSCM) research and paving the way for future contributions by developing a meta-theory for this important field.

Design/methodology/approach

The results are generated by applying the systematic literature review methodology and an iterative theory-building approach involving a panel of academics.

Findings

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the BSCM research landscape. Additionally, a meta-theory of BSCM is presented that encompasses all central elements of the research field and introduces the concept of emergence to the field of BSCM. Furthermore, five promising future research opportunities are formulated.

Research limitations/implications

The critical discussions and the formulated research opportunities will help scholars in positioning their research to enhance its contribution.

Practical implications

Results from this research indicate that supply chain decisions benefit from explicit consideration for cognitive and social phenomena.

Originality/value

This review is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of the field of BSCM research and facilitates BSCM in advancing further.
Country of origin effects on brand image, brand evaluation, and purchase intention
Authors: Kim Namhoon , Chun Eunha , Ko Eunju
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how national stereotype, country of origin (COO), and fashion brand’s images influence consumers’ brand evaluations and purchase intentions regarding fashion collections. Korea (Seoul) and overseas (New York and Paris) collections are compared and analyzed.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct a structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis using data collected from Seoul, New York, and Paris.

Findings

Consumers make higher brand evaluations and ultimately have stronger purchase intentions toward fashion collections from countries that have stronger COO and fashion brand images. In the context of fashion collections, COO image is greatly influenced by a nation’s political economic and cultural artistic images. In addition, comparing the domestic Seoul fashion collection with New York and Paris collections reveals that a national stereotype images, COO images of fashion collection, and fashion brand’s images cause different brand evaluation and purchase intention.

Originality/value

The overarching value of the study is that it expands COO research, which has been limited to actual products. Also, the results provide a basic foundation for establishing marketing strategy based on COO image as a way to enhance the development and image of fashion collection.
The extent of voluntary corporate disclosure in the Egyptian Stock Exchange
Authors: Kamel Hany , Awadallah Emad
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current level of voluntary corporate disclosure in the Egyptian Stock Exchange. In addition, it explores the factors influencing the extensiveness of voluntary disclosure and examines the potential consequences of such disclosure in regards to the phenomenon of earnings management.

Design/methodology/approach

A relevant disclosure index to the Egyptian context was adopted to assess the level of voluntary disclosure in the 2010 annual reports of the most actively traded companies listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange. The relationship between the extent of voluntary disclosure and each specific-related factor was examined using unranked and ranked OLS regression models. Meanwhile, a system of simultaneous equations was performed using a two-stage least squares regression model in order to investigate whether companies with higher levels of voluntary disclosure exhibit lower levels of earnings management practices.

Findings

The results indicate that the level of voluntary disclosure is positively responsive to specific corporate attributes, namely, the type of auditing firm and the two industries of Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, and Chemicals. However, no significant indications were found that firm size, leverage, profitability and liquidity are important determinants of corporate disclosure. Also, the results show no evidence to support the prior anticipation that a higher level of voluntary disclosure reduces the ability of managers to make use of earnings management. On the contrary, it was found that leverage and the tendency of firms to avoid reporting declines in earnings are the main drivers of the phenomenon of earnings management in Egypt.

Practical implications

This paper has important implications for both domestic and overseas investors in Egypt as well as the regulatory authorities in the developing economies.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper is its focus on the extent of voluntary disclosure in a developing country such as Egypt, which has a high potential for economic growth in the near future. Besides, this paper is the first to examine the relationship between the level of voluntary disclosure and the phenomenon of earnings management in the Egyptian context.
Cash transfers to the elderly and its spillover effects
Authors: Oliveira Pedro Rodrigues de , Kassouf Ana Lúcia , Aquino Juliana Maria de
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present evidences on the spillover effects of a cash transfer addressed to poor elders in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Brazilian National Households Survey (PNAD) the authors assess the effects of an income transfer to the elders on household composition and the labor supply of elders and co-residing relatives, under a regression discontinuity design.

Findings

The authors do not find strong evidences of changes in the household composition due to the program. However the authors found reductions in the elders’ labor force participation, indicating that the program allow elders to retire. Moreover, the transfer yields a decrease in the labor force participation of co-residents, depending on their age. The authors also observe decreases in child labor.

Originality/value

Along with the cash comes context-dependent effects, showing there are many latent aspects of these transfers yet to be uncovered.
South Africa’s economic response to monetary policy uncertainty
Authors: Balcilar Mehmet , Gupta Rangan , Jooste Charl
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the evolution of monetary policy uncertainty and its impact on the South African economy.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a sign restricted SVAR with an endogenous feedback of stochastic volatility to evaluate the sign and size of uncertainty shocks. The authors use a nonlinear DSGE model to gain deeper insights about the transmission mechanism of monetary policy uncertainty.

Findings

The authors show that monetary policy volatility is high and constant. Both inflation and interest rates decline in response to uncertainty. Output rebounds quickly after a contemporaneous decrease. The DSGE model shows that the size of the uncertainty shock matters – high uncertainty can lead to a severe contraction in output, inflation and interest rates.

Research limitations/implications

The authors model only a few variables in the SVAR – thus missing perhaps other possible channels of shock transmission.

Practical implications

There is a lesson for monetary policy: monetary policy uncertainty, in isolation from general macroeconomic uncertainty, often creates unintended adverse consequences and can perpetuate a weak economic environment. The tasks of central bankers are incredibly difficult. Their models project output and inflation with relatively large uncertainty based on many shocks emanating from various sources. It matters how central bankers react to these expectations and how they communicate the underlying risks associated with setting interest rates.

Originality/value

This is the first study that looks into monetary policy uncertainty into South Africa using a stochastic volatility model and a nonlinear DSGE model. The results should be very useful for the Central Bank as it highlights how uncertainty, that they create, can have adverse economic consequences.
The political roots of health insurance benefit mandates
Authors: Bailey James , Webber Douglas
Published: March 2017

Purpose

As of 2011, the average US state had 37 health insurance benefit mandates, laws requiring health insurance plans to cover a specific treatment, condition, provider, or person. This number is a massive increase from less than one mandate per state in 1965, and the topic takes on a new significance now, when the federal government is considering many new mandates as part of the “essential health benefits” required by the Affordable Care Act. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use fixed effects estimation on 1996-2010 data to determine why some states pass more mandates than others.

Findings

The authors find that the political strength of health care providers is the strongest determinant of mandates.

Originality/value

A large body of literature has attempted to evaluate the effect of mandates on health, health insurance, and the labor market. However, previous papers did not consider the political processes behind the passage of mandates. In fact, when they estimate the laws’ effect, almost all papers on the subject assume that mandates are passed at random. The paper opens the way to estimating the causal effect of mandates on health insurance and the labor market using an instrumental variables strategy that incorporates political information about why mandates get passed.
The bridge between macro and micro banking regulation
Authors: De Moraes Claudio Oliveira , de Mendonça Helder Ferreira
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss more efficient mechanisms of regulation in the financial system.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors developed a theoretical two-period model of financial flows (FFs) that considers households, banks, and a social planner.

Findings

It is important to highlight that different from other studies that do not distinguish between financial crisis and financial instability, the authors assume financial instability does not mean crisis, but represents a deviation in the behavior of the aggregate financial intermediation and in the financial operations of each bank from the equilibrium.

Practical implications

The practical implication of the model is the proposition of an efficient policy for financial stability based on forward-looking financial regulations.

Social implications

An important result is that bank failures occur when banks do not maintain sufficient resources to support the liquidity constraint from the interbank market. Another result is that the central bank reacts, via exchange of reserves with the market, to financial instability. This behavior on the part of the central bank is inefficient because the banks will assume that in the case of failure they will be “saved;” thus it creates an adverse incentive (moral hazard) that can amplify the risk over the entire financial system.

Originality/value

The originality of the model is the proposition of an efficient policy for financial stability based on a forward-looking financial regulation. In this strategy the regulator acts in advance (ex ante) to minimize the mismatch of FFs in relation to the flow balance. This manner of acting is a counterpoint to the financial regulation based on capital requirement.
Identifying risks and mitigation strategies in private sector participation (PSP) in power generation projects in Ghana
Authors: Ameyaw Collins , Alfen Hans Wilhelm
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the risks associated with private sector participation (PSP) in power generation (PG) projects, how they were allocated and the strategies used to mitigate their likely adverse effects.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts case study research method and cross-case analyses to unearth the key risks and the contractual instruments used to manage them.

Findings

The paper identified 30 risk factors associated with four major private sector PG projects in Ghana. The allocation and mitigation strategies of these risks are also reported.

Originality/value

This is the first study to create a risk register of PSP PG projects. Private investors and government have been provided with a comprehensive list of risks associated with PG infrastructure. Would-be investors have also been armed with some potential risk management strategies for proper project structuring.
Ambidexterity drivers of value-creation and appropriation in business models
Authors: Pal Rudrajeet , Aneja Arun Pal
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how different trajectories can be detected and classified in business models (BMs) at the level of their underlying product development value-structure (value-creation and appropriation), and what are the drivers. Such BMs are run by multinational firms to accommodate various technologies and innovations; however, this is stressful because of inherent incompatibilities and conflicts.

Design/methodology/approach

An explorative study of six product cases from Du Pont’s Textiles Fiber Division (DTFD), namely, nylon yarns, knits and wovens, DTFD blockbusters, Coolmax®, MicroMattique™, filling materials and Supriva™, is conducted.

Findings

In value-creation, technology push or market pull yields resultant technology-forward or market-back trajectories. For value appropriation, new growth opportunities or continuous market expectations lead to breakthrough or continuous innovations. Consistent and inconsistent combinations of these trajectories yield four differential drivers: technological breakthrough, market-back technology, continuous technology and continuous market-back. This is supported by relevant supply chain strategies, either focused through joint ventures and licensees for commodities or vertically integrated for specialty products.

Research limitations/implications

The paper adds to the analysis of ambidexterity in the value structure of BMs along constituent value-creation and appropriation, thus providing a logical lens to understand various complementarities that exist in terms of opposing technology trajectories and product innovation repertoire.

Practical implications

This study contributes to the knowledge of product innovation management in the textile industry, where both large-scale innovation and operational excellence are challenged over the past few decades.

Originality/value

The lessons learnt address the fundamental issue of higher value generation through configuration of multiple contrasting value-structure elements.
Rank‐based permutation approaches for non‐parametric factorial designs
Authors: Umlauft Maria , Konietschke Frank , Pauly Markus
Published: March 2017

Inference methods for null hypotheses formulated in terms of distribution functions in general non‐parametric factorial designs are studied. The methods can be applied to continuous, ordinal or even ordered categorical data in a unified way, and are based only on ranks. In this set‐up Wald‐type statistics and ANOVA‐type statistics are the current state of the art. The first method is asymptotically exact but a rather liberal statistical testing procedure for small to moderate sample size, while the latter is only an approximation which does not possess the correct asymptotic α level under the null. To bridge these gaps, a novel permutation approach is proposed which can be seen as a flexible generalization of the Kruskal–Wallis test to all kinds of factorial designs with independent observations. It is proven that the permutation principle is asymptotically correct while keeping its finite exactness property when data are exchangeable. The results of extensive simulation studies foster these theoretical findings. A real data set exemplifies its applicability.
cIAP2 promotes gallbladder cancer invasion and lymphangiogenesis by activating the NF‐κB pathway
Authors: Jiang Xiaojie , Li Chengzong , Lin Bin , Hong Haijie , Jiang Lei , Zhu Siyuan , Wang Xiaoqian , Tang Nanhong , Li Xiujin , She Feifei , Chen Yanling
Published: March 2017

Several studies have produced contradictory findings about the prognostic implications for inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAP) in different types of cancer. Cellular inhibitor of apoptosis 2 (cIAP2/BIRC) is one of the most extensively characterized human IAP. To date, no studies have focused on the expression level of cIAP2 in human gallbladder cancer (GBC), and the mechanism of cIAP2 in GBC invasion and lymphangiogenesis remains unclear. Therefore, in the present study, cIAP2 expression in GBC was detected using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, and the relationship between cIAP2 levels in cancer tissues and the clinicopathological characteristics of patients was analyzed. The biological effect of cIAP2 in GBC cells was tested using the Cell Counting Kit‐8 Assay, Transwell assays and the ability of human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (HDLEC) to undergo tube formation. The role of cIAP2 in activating the NF‐κB pathway was determined using a dual‐luciferase reporter assay, immunofluorescence staining, western blotting and ELISA. Finally, an animal model was used to further confirm the role of cIAP2 in lymphangiogenesis. We showed that cIAP2 expression was elevated in human GBC tissues and correlated with a negative prognosis for patients. Moreover, cIAP2 was identified as a lymphangiogenic factor of GBC cells and, thus, promoted lymph node metastasis in GBC cells. Our study is the first to suggest that cIAP2 can promote GBC invasion and lymphangiogenesis by activating the NF‐κB pathway.
Relative age effects in the Movement Assessment Battery for Children‐2: age banding and scoring errors
Authors: Veldhuizen S. , Rivard L. , Cairney J.
Published: March 2017

Aim

The Movement Assessment Battery for Children‐2 (MABC‐2) uses age‐grouped scoring, which will result in relative motor functioning being overestimated for some children and underestimated for others. In this paper, we measure these errors and discuss their consequences.

Method

We pool data from two validation studies to obtain a sample of 278 children assessed with the MABC‐2 (mean (SD) age: 5 years, 0 months (9.6 months); 142 female). We used regression to measure the association between standard score and relative age, and used these results to estimate misclassification rates at the MABC‐2's recommended thresholds.

Results

Movement Assessment Battery for Children‐2 scores were distributed as expected (mean (SD) = 10.4 (2.8)). We estimated that the standard score varied by 2.76 units (0.92 SDs) per year of relative age. Depending on threshold and age bandwidth, this implies overall misclassification rates from 9% to 23%.

Interpretation

Relative age differences in MABC‐2 scores led to substantial systematic error for young children. These errors can affect MABC‐2 validity, longitudinal stability and agreement with other tools, which may reduce the appropriateness of care offered to children. Scoring approaches that may reduce or eliminate these errors are outlined.
Simul What? Toward a Grace for the Fearful
Authors: Hughes Krista E.
Published: March 2017

The doctrines of forensic justification and simul iustus et peccator assume a primarily moral theo‐cosmology. However, the former constricts the excessiveness of divine grace, while the latter fails to adequately capture the fullness of the human condition. Freeing divine grace and theological anthropology from the moral requires a shift in emphasis toward suffering and an acknowledgment that a deep root of sin is creaturely vulnerability. In this case, the incurved self might symbolize the fearful, pulling goods toward the self for protection. While accountability for sin remains important, the first response to the fearful, who act from a sense of deep vulnerability, is compassion rather than judgment. In this way grace attends to but ultimately exceeds the moral.
The Perpetuation of Regime Security in Gulf Cooperation Council States: A Multi‐Lens Approach
Authors: Evren Tok M. , McSparren Jason J. , Olender Michael
Published: March 2017

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have been engaging in diversification efforts, yet the types of efforts suggest that the primary interest is regime security. Regional foreign policy is complex; hence we propose a multi‐lens approach to analyze overlapping and complementary political, economic, and social forces. The international political economy of hydrocarbons demonstrates the similarities among GCC states, regional dynamics illustrate interstate relations and similar patterns, while economic diversification suggests individual state trajectories and comparative and competitive patterns. By outlining the contemporary context for GCC states, we argue that low oil prices, regional dependence on hydrocarbons, and trends in economic diversification efforts signal GCC states' preference to reinforce their rentier systems with alternative state revenue streams. GCC states' diversification into new markets and sectors and use of state‐owned enterprises in microcompetitions indicate a new search for alternative revenue streams and prestige, which in turn are used to assure the perpetuation of regime security. This finding sets trajectories and implications for the region, specifically economic stagnation and supplementary diversification processes.
The youngest volcanic eruptions in East‐Central Europe—new findings from the Ciomadul lava dome complex, East Carpathians, Romania
Authors: Karátson D. , Veres D. , Wulf S. , Gertisser R. , Magyari E. , Bormann M.
Published: March 2017

Violent explosive eruptions occurred between c. 51 and 29 thousand years ago—during the Last Glacial Maximum in East‐Central Europe—at the picturesque volcano of Ciomadul, located at the southernmost tip of the Inner Carpathian Volcanic Range in Romania. Field volcanology, glass geochemistry of tephra, radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescene dating, along with coring the lacustrine infill of the two explosive craters of Ciomadul (St Ana and Mohos), constrain the last volcanic activity to three subsequent eruptive stages. The explosivity was due to the silicic composition of the magma producing Plinian‐style eruptions, and the interaction of magma with the underlying, water‐rich rocks resulting in violent phreatomagmatic outbursts. Tephra (volcanic ash) from these eruptions are interbedded with contemporaneous loess deposits, which form thick sequences in the vicinity of the volcano. Moreover, tephra layers are also preserved in the older Mohos crater infill, providing an important archive for palaeoclimate studies. Identifying the final phreatomagmatic eruption of Ciomadul at c. 29.6 ka, which shaped the present‐day landform of the 1600‐m‐wide St Ana explosion crater, we were able to correlate related tephra deposits as far as 350 km from the source within a thick loess‐palaeosol sequence at the Dniester Delta in Roxolany, Ukraine. A refined tephrostratigraphy, based on a number of newly found exposures in the Ciomadul surrounding region as well as correlation with the distal terrestrial and marine (e.g. Black Sea) volcano‐sedimentary record, is expected from ongoing studies.
British decorative stones: finding the UK top ten
Authors: Walkden Gordon M.
Published: March 2017

British geology reveals many good looking rocks, both ‘soft’ and ‘hard’, some of which were once highly prized for their polished decorative uses. They were quarried, cut, shaped and finished in a locally‐based British decorative stone industry that flourished twice, first in the Middle Ages, based largely on Purbeck marble from Dorset and also alabaster from Derbyshire, and then again in the nineteenth century when diverse sources of coloured and textured stone were pursued to the far corners of the British Isles. Today only the finished products survive; the pillars, panels and pavement adorning some fine but dusty architecture, but the stones commonly languish unrecognized and unappreciated. This anonymity is quite out of line with the heritage status of their settings and it will take a bit more geological awareness to put that right. A recent project aimed at rediscovering just one regional category of British decorative stones, the Devonshire marbles, has revealed how diverse and extensively‐used the fuller range of British decorative stones actually is. Not only do they embellish buildings from the merely modest to some of our finest, they were latterly chosen, specified, designed and coordinated by some of our greatest architects. Much work needs to be done to recognize British decorative stones in architectural settings and to restore them to their proper place in our national heritage. It is hoped that this article will throw light on the task ahead.
Overview of iron metabolism in health and disease
Authors: Dev Som , Babitt Jodie L.
Published: March 2017

Iron is an essential element for numerous fundamental biologic processes, but excess iron is toxic. Abnormalities in systemic iron balance are common in patients with chronic kidney disease and iron administration is a mainstay of anemia management in many patients. This review provides an overview of the essential role of iron in biology, the regulation of systemic and cellular iron homeostasis, how imbalances in iron homeostasis contribute to disease, and the implications for chronic kidney disease patients.
The “Meta” Level of Integrity: Integrity in the Context of Structural Injustice
Authors: Payson Jessica
Published: March 2017

This essay argues for a new, “meta,” level of integrity that is created by the context of structural injustice. The essay will draw from Margaret Walker to bring out a defining social value of integrity, namely, its ability to facilitate reliable response to harms caused by “moral luck.” The essay will then argue that, when bad luck is caused by complex social‐structural function, traditional advice for maintaining one's integrity fails to provide adequate guidance; following such advice facilitates unjust social‐structural function, and so unreliability in response to harm. The essay will address this problem by arguing that in the context of structural injustice, a “meta‐level” meaning of integrity emerges. This new meta‐level of integrity, unlike the more traditional first‐level integrity, does not instruct an individual to disassociate herself from structural harms; instead, it instructs an individual to manage the way in which she participates in unjust social structures. Meta‐level integrity, unlike first‐level integrity, does not facilitate an end to structural harm, but it does promote a reliable presence of social‐justice movements within unjust structures.
Intracoronary allogeneic cardiosphere‐derived stem cells are safe for use in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Hensley Michael Taylor , Tang Junnan , Woodruff Kathleen , Defrancesco Teresa , Tou Sandra , Williams Christina M. , Breen Mathew , Meurs Kathryn , Keene Bruce , Cheng Ke
Published: March 2017

Cardiosphere‐derived cells (CDCs) have been shown to reduce scar size and increase viable myocardium in human patients with mild/moderate myocardial infarction. Studies in rodent models suggest that CDC therapy may confer therapeutic benefits in patients with non‐ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). We sought to determine the safety and efficacy of allogeneic CDC in a large animal (canine) model of spontaneous DCM. Canine CDCs (cCDCs) were grown from a donor dog heart. Similar to human CDCs, cCDCs express CD105 and are slightly positive for c‐kit and CD90. Thirty million of allogeneic cCDCs was infused into the coronary vessels of Doberman pinscher dogs with spontaneous DCM. Adverse events were closely monitored, and cardiac functions were measured by echocardiography. No adverse events occurred during and after cell infusion. Histology on dog hearts (after natural death) revealed no sign of immune rejection from the transplanted cells.
Does high relatedness promote cheater‐free multicellularity in synthetic lifecycles?
Authors: Inglis R. F. , Ryu E. , Asikhia O. , Strassmann J. E. , Queller D. C.
Published: March 2017

The evolution of multicellularity is one of the key transitions in evolution and requires extreme levels of cooperation between cells. However, even when cells are genetically identical, noncooperative cheating mutants can arise that cause a breakdown in cooperation. How then, do multicellular organisms maintain cooperation between cells? A number of mechanisms that increase relatedness amongst cooperative cells have been implicated in the maintenance of cooperative multicellularity including single‐cell bottlenecks and kin recognition. In this study, we explore how relatively simple biological processes such as growth and dispersal can act to increase relatedness and promote multicellular cooperation. Using experimental populations of pseudo‐organisms, we found that manipulating growth and dispersal of clones of a social amoeba to create high levels of relatedness was sufficient to prevent the spread of cheating mutants. By contrast, cheaters were able to spread under low‐relatedness conditions. Most surprisingly, we saw the largest increase in cheating mutants under an experimental treatment that should create intermediate levels of relatedness. This is because one of the factors raising relatedness, structured growth, also causes high vulnerability to growth rate cheaters.
Phylogenetic relationships and divergence dates of softshell turtles (Testudines: Trionychidae) inferred from complete mitochondrial genomes
Authors: Li H. , Liu J. , Xiong L. , Zhang H. , Zhou H. , Yin H. , Jing W. , Li J. , Shi Q. , Wang Y. , Liu J. , Nie L.
Published: March 2017

The softshell turtles (Trionychidae) are one of the most widely distributed reptile groups in the world, and fossils have been found on all continents except Antarctica. The phylogenetic relationships among members of this group have been previously studied; however, disagreements regarding its taxonomy, its phylogeography and divergence times are still poorly understood as well. Here, we present a comprehensive mitogenomic study of softshell turtles. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of 10 softshell turtles, in addition to the GenBank sequence of Dogania subplana, Lissemys punctata, Trionyx triunguis, which cover all extant genera within Trionychidae except for Cyclanorbis and Cycloderma. These data were combined with other mitogenomes of turtles for phylogenetic analyses. Divergence time calibration and ancestral reconstruction were calculated using BEAST and RASP software, respectively. Our phylogenetic analyses indicate that Trionychidae is the sister taxon of Carettochelyidae, and support the monophyly of Trionychinae and Cyclanorbinae, which is consistent with morphological data and molecular analysis. Our phylogenetic analyses have established a sister taxon relationship between the Asian Rafetus and the Asian Palea + Pelodiscus + Dogania + Nilssonia + Amyda, whereas a previous study grouped the Asian Rafetus with the American Apalone. The results of divergence time estimates and area ancestral reconstruction show that extant Trionychidae originated in Asia at around 108 million years ago (MA), and radiations mainly occurred during two warm periods, namely Late Cretaceous–Early Eocene and Oligocene. By combining the estimated divergence time and the reconstructed ancestral area of softshell turtles, we determined that the dispersal of softshell turtles out of Asia may have taken three routes. Furthermore, the times of dispersal seem to be in agreement with the time of the India–Asia collision and opening of the Bering Strait, which provide evidence for the accuracy of our estimation of divergence time. Overall, the mitogenomes of this group were used to explore the origin and dispersal route of Trionychidae and have provided new insights on the evolution of this group.
Crystalline phases found in rapidly quenched Ni–Nb–Zr alloys
Authors: DEO L.P. , KAUFMAN M.J. , WANG B. , NIKODEMSKI S. , DE OLIVEIRA M.F.
Published: March 2017

The properties of metallic alloys can be significantly improved by developing non‐equilibrium phases in the microstructures through rapid solidification techniques, thus the characterisation of these unusual structures is extremely important. In this research, the microstructures of three rapidly quenched alloys, namely Ni65.2Nb33.8Zr1.0, Ni54.8Nb31.1Zr14.1 and Ni54.8Nb21.6Zr23.6 (at. %) were investigated in greater detail in order to determine the structures and compositions of their crystalline phases. These crystalline phases were characterised using a combination of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy, x‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The phases were compared to the crystalline structures reported in the literature. Our results indicate some agreement with the Ni–Nb phase diagram and an isothermal section of the Ni–Nb–Zr phase diagram; however, it is detected zirconium solubility in the Ni3Nb phase, as well as, the absence of expected crystalline phases.
Taxation of firms with unknown mobility
Authors: Becker Johannes , Schneider Andrea
Published: March 2017

We analyze optimal business tax policy when some firms are able to escape taxation by moving abroad. In contrast to the existing literature, we assume that the true number of mobile firms is ex ante unknown. While the government may learn from the firms' location responses to past tax rate changes, firms may anticipate this and adjust their choices accordingly. We find that incomplete information on mobility substantially affects the properties and the implications of equilibrium policy choices. First, the government may find it optimal to set a tax rate that triggers partial firm migration but full revelation of the true number of mobile firms. Second, we show that, if the firms' outside option is attractive (i.e., relocation cost and foreign tax rates are low), expected tax rates and expected firm migration are higher if the degree of mobility is unknown. Third, there is a positive value of learning, i.e., commitment on future tax rates cannot increase the government's expected revenue. However, if the government can commit to a rule‐based learning mechanism, i.e., credibly tie its future tax policy to present policy outcomes, it may obtain a Pareto improvement.
Body Mass Index and Rural Status on Self‐Reported Health in Older Adults: 2004‐2013 Medicare Expenditure Panel Survey
Authors: Batsis John A. , Whiteman Karen L. , Lohman Matthew C. , Scherer Emily A. , Bartels Stephen J.
Published: March 2017

Purpose

To ascertain whether rural status impacts self‐reported health and whether the effect of rural status on self‐reported health differs by obesity status.

Methods

We identified 22,307 subjects aged ≥60 from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2004‐2013. Body mass index (BMI) was categorized as underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. Physical and mental component scores of the Short Form‐12 assessed self‐reported health status. Rural/urban status was defined using metropolitan statistical area. Weighted regression models ascertained the relative contribution of predictors (including rural and BMI) on each subscale.

Findings

Mean age was 70.7 years. Rural settings had higher proportions classified as obese (30.7 vs 27.6%; P < .001), and rural residents had lower physical health status (41.7 ± 0.3) than urban (43.4 ± 0.1; P < .001). Obese or underweight persons had lower physical health status (39.5 ± 0.20 and 37.0 ± 0.82, respectively) than normal (44.7 ± 0.18) or overweight (44.6 ± 0.16) persons (P < .001). BMI category stratification was associated with differences in physical health between rural/urban by BMI. Individuals classified as underweight or obese had lower physical health compared to normal, while the differences were less pronounced for mental health. No differences in mental health existed between rural/urban status. A BMI * rural interaction was significant for physical but not mental health.

Conclusions

Rural residents report lower self‐reported physical health status compared to urban residents, particularly older adults who are obese or underweight. No interaction was observed between BMI and rural status.
End‐product quality characteristics and consumer response of chickpea flour‐based gluten‐free muffins containing corn starch and egg white
Authors: Alvarez María Dolores , Herranz Beatriz , Jiménez María José , Canet Wenceslao
Published: March 2017

The objective of this work was to study changes in technological characteristics and sensory properties of gluten‐free muffins when using chickpea flour (CF) alone and/or with partial CF replacement by corn starch (CS). The effect of partial whole egg replacement by egg white (EW) was also investigated. Four different CF:CS ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, and 25:75) were used in formulations with and without incorporated EW, and compared with wheat flour (WF) muffins (0:0). Muffins prepared from CF alone had lower hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and resilience than control ones. However, reducing protein content by CS addition significantly increased texture profile analysis parameters of muffin crumb. Muffins prepared with 25:75 ratio had a structure with springiness similar to muffins made with WF but were too hard. Reducing whole egg content by partial replacement with EW also significantly increased muffin hardness. Flash profile performed by consumers showed a clear discrimination of muffins according to CF:CS ratio. Muffins containing both CF and CS at 50:50 ratio had the same high overall acceptability and purchase intention as gluten ones. Gluten‐free CF‐based muffins of satisfactory quality can be manufactured by CS incorporation, either with or without EW.

Practical applications

By decreasing and increasing protein and starch contents of chickpea flour (CF) by incorporation of corn starch (CS), muffins formulated from a combination of CF and CS at different CF:CS ratios, either with or without partial replacement of whole egg with egg white, result in high‐quality muffins with similar technological and sensory characteristics to those of their gluten counterparts. Sensory overall acceptability and purchase intention of muffins made with a 50:50 ratio did not differ significantly from those of the controls. These findings will benefit celiac population, while promoting the value and utilization of pulses through muffins.
Partisan Infighting Among House Republicans: Leaders, Factions, and Networks of Interests
Authors: Bendix William , Mackay Jon
Published: March 2017

Congressional parties are commonly viewed as unified legislative teams, but recent intraparty battles have revealed serious ideological divisions within the House Republican caucus. Using annual ratings from nearly 300 interest groups, we estimate the ideological locations of Republican legislators in order to map their party's factional structure. Based on the distribution of interest‐group support from 2001 to 2012, we detect three Republican factions that we characterize as worker oriented, pro‐business, and ethno‐radical. We find that Republican leaders block bills by legislators in the worker and ethno‐radical subgroups and that they advance bills by members in the corporate faction.
The entry heating and abundances of basaltic micrometeorites
Authors: Genge Matthew J.
Published: March 2017

Basaltic micrometeorites (MMs) derived from HED‐like parent bodies have been found among particles collected from the Antarctic and from Arctic glaciers and are to date the only achondritic particles reported among cosmic dust. The majority of Antarctic basaltic particles are completely melted cosmic spherules with only one unmelted particle recognized from the region. This paper investigates the entry heating of basaltic MMs in order to predict the relative abundances of unmelted to melted basaltic particles and to evaluate how mineralogical differences in precursor materials influence the final products of atmospheric entry collected on the Earth's surface. Thermodynamic modeling is used to simulate the melting behavior of particles with compositions corresponding to eucrites, diogenites, and ordinary chondrites in order to evaluate degree of partial melting and to make a comparison between the behavior of chondritic particles that dominate the terrestrial dust flux and basaltic micrometeroids. The results of 120,000 simulations were compiled to predict relative abundances and indicate that the phase relations of precursor materials are crucial in determining the relative abundances of particle types. Diogenite and ordinary chondrite materials exhibit similar behavior, although diogenite precursors are more likely to form cosmic spherules under similar entry parameters. Eucrite particles, however, are much more likely to melt due to their lower liquidus temperatures and small temperature interval of partial melting. Eucrite MMs, therefore, usually form completely molten cosmic spherules except at particle diameters <100 μm. The low abundance of unmelted basaltic MMs compared with spherules, if statistically valid, is also shown to be inconsistent with a low velocity population (12 km s−1) and is more compatible with higher velocities which may suggest a near‐Earth asteroid source dominates the current dust production of basaltic MMs.