bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The livestock reservoir for antimicrobial resistance: a personal view on changing patterns of risks, effects of interventions and the way forward
Authors: Aarestrup Frank M.
Published: April 2015

The purpose of this review was to provide an updated overview on the use of antimicrobial agents in livestock, the associated problems for humans and current knowledge on the effects of reducing resistance in the livestock reservoir on both human health and animal production. There is still limiting data on both use of antimicrobial agents, occurrence and spread of resistance as well as impact on human health. However, in recent years, emerging issues related to methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Clostridium difficile
,
Escherichia coli
and horizontally transferred genes indicates that the livestock reservoir has a more significant impact on human health than was estimated 10 years ago, where the focus was mainly on resistance in
Campylobacter
and
Salmonella
. Studies have indicated that there might only be a marginal if any benefit from the regular use of antibiotics and have shown that it is possible to substantially reduce the use of antimicrobial agents in livestock production without compromising animal welfare or health or production. In some cases, this should be done in combination with other measures such as biosecurity and use of vaccines. To enable better studies on both the global burden and the effect of interventions, there is a need for global harmonized integrated and continuous surveillance of antimicrobial usage and antimicrobial resistance, preferably associated with data on production and animal diseases to determine the positive and negative impact of reducing antimicrobial use in livestock.
The human gut resistome
Authors: van Schaik Willem
Published: April 2015

In recent decades, the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens has become a major threat to public health. Bacteria can acquire antibiotic resistance genes by the mobilization and transfer of resistance genes from a donor strain. The human gut contains a densely populated microbial ecosystem, termed the gut microbiota, which offers ample opportunities for the horizontal transfer of genetic material, including antibiotic resistance genes. Recent technological advances allow microbiota-wide studies into the diversity and dynamics of the antibiotic resistance genes that are harboured by the gut microbiota (‘the gut resistome’). Genes conferring resistance to antibiotics are ubiquitously present among the gut microbiota of humans and most resistance genes are harboured by strictly anaerobic gut commensals. The horizontal transfer of genetic material, including antibiotic resistance genes, through conjugation and transduction is a frequent event in the gut microbiota, but mostly involves non-pathogenic gut commensals as these dominate the microbiota of healthy individuals. Resistance gene transfer from commensals to gut-dwelling opportunistic pathogens appears to be a relatively rare event but may contribute to the emergence of multi-drug resistant strains, as is illustrated by the vancomycin resistance determinants that are shared by anaerobic gut commensals and the nosocomial pathogen
Enterococcus faecium
.
Carriage burden, multiple colonization and antibiotic pressure promote emergence of resistant vaccine escape pneumococci
Authors: Mitchell Patrick K. , Lipsitch Marc , Hanage William P.
Published: April 2015

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines target the limited subset of the more than 90 known serotypes of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
responsible for the greatest burden of pneumococcal disease and antibiotic resistance. Following the introduction of these vaccines, serotypes not targeted were able to expand and resistance became more common within these types. Here we use a stochastic dynamic model of pediatric pneumococcal carriage to evaluate potential influences on the emergence of new resistant lineages following the introduction of a vaccine targeting more common resistant types. Antibiotic pressure was the strongest driver, with no emergence at low levels and universal emergence at high levels. At intermediate levels of antibiotic pressure, higher carriage burden and a greater degree of dual carriage promoted emergence. This may have implications for current plans to introduce childhood pneumococcal vaccination in several high-burden countries.
More statistics on intermetallic compounds – ternary phases
Authors: Dshemuchadse Julia , Steurer Walter
Published: April 2015

How many different intermetallic compounds are known so far, and in how many different structure types do they crystallize? What are their chemical compositions, the most abundant ones and the rarest ones? These are some of the questions we are trying to find answers for in our statistical analysis of the structures of the 20 829 intermetallic phases included in the databasePearson's Crystal Data, with the goal of gaining insight into some of their ordering principles. In the present paper, we focus on the subset of 13 026 ternary intermetallics, which crystallize in 1391 different structure types; remarkably, 667 of them have just one representative. What makes these 667 structures so unique that they are not adopted by any other of the known intermetallic compounds? Notably, ternary compounds are known in only 5109 of the 85 320 theoretically possible ternary intermetallic systems so far. In order to get an overview of their chemical compositions we use structure maps with Mendeleev numbers as ordering parameters.
A methodology for the assessment of experiential learning lean
Authors: De Zan Giovanni , De Toni Alberto Felice , Fornasier Andrea , Battistella Cinzia
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology to assess the experiential learning processes of learning lean in an innovative learning environment: the lean model factories.

Design/methodology/approach

– A literature review on learning and lean management literatures was carried out to design the methodology. Then, a case study methodology was used to test the framework.

Findings

– The methodology permitted to asses learning processes and course contents of educational dynamics carried out in model factories and to theoretically ground such learning processes. The test showed that learning lean management is supported through a complete coverage of the eight phases of the learning path.

Research limitations/implications

– The methodology contributes to the literatures of lean management and experiential learning, proposing a methodology of assessment. Part of the framework could also be applied to other disciplines.

Practical implications

– The methodology could be used for two purposes: to design training courses or to assess existing experiential learning courses.

Originality/value

– Due to its intrinsic complexity, learning literature presents few practical framework or tools. Among them, none have provided practical and theoretical-based advice on how to use experiential learning precepts to teach lean management.
Make-to-forecast: customization with fast delivery
Authors: Akinc Umit , Meredith Jack R.
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to attempt to achieve customization while maintaining quick delivery to customers by use of a hybrid of make-to-order (MTO) and make-to-stock (MTS) strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper reports on various studies based on simulation, optimization, and Markov analysis to respond to some of the unique challenges of the hybrid strategy.

Findings

– Implementation of the make-to-forecast (MTF) hybrid strategy provides considerable competitive advantage in certain manufacturing situations by achieving as much as 50 percent shorter delivery times for highly customized products than would be possible with a pure MTO strategy. It also has potential to offer competitive advantages to pure MTS and MTO operations.

Research limitations/implications

– The manufacturing situations, appropriate for MTF paradigm, are fairly complex. The paper reviews only several of the many managerial challenges. For instance, it assumes a given product variety but does not dwell on what the optimum product variety offering should be. Additional research to this and other aspects of the situation is warranted.

Practical implications

– The paper reports on a real managerial problem. The suggested approaches can be easily implemented by certain manufacturing companies striving to achieve competitive advantage by offering shorter delivery time and substantial customization to their customers.

Originality/value

– Managing the trade-off between delivery time and degree of customization is not new. Assemble-to-order, mass customization, and postponement strategies have been suggested to soften the trade-off. This paper provides a new paradigm for the same challenge based on pre-release of units into the manufacturing system in anticipation of customer orders.
“PhD, meet QPR”
Authors: McCulloch Alistair , Picard Michelle Yvette
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the relationship between the quality in postgraduate research conference (QPR) and the developing doctoral education agenda, as well as serving as an introduction to this special edition of the International Journal for Researcher Development.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper adopts a conceptual and rhetorical approach.

Findings

– The paper argues that, over its two decades of existence, the QPR conference has been at the forefront of developments in doctoral education and has also influenced practice and policy in the area.

Originality/value

– The paper is the first to review the QPR conference and its place in the development of doctoral education.
Stories from my PhD journey: rewriting my methodology chapter
Authors: Goward Penelope
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to describe a case study of how an unexpected event created an opportunity to reconsider and rewrite the methodology chapter in the author’s PhD thesis.

Design/methodology/approach

– The approach that the author used that assisted her to change her methodology involved a combination of reflective and reflexive reading, thinking and writing. It was a slow and thorough process through which the author considered widely the choices that she was making. Through an iterative process of writing, reading and talking, and then re-writing, the author was able to establish a position or standpoint from which she felt confident about the underpinnings of her study.

Findings

– The author came to understand herself ontologically in a new way. The author could see how she had moved significantly from a positivist view of static bodies of knowledge creation to a paradigm involving a more dynamic knowledge creation. Correspondingly, the author was able to revise and focus her methodology, and in the course of the process, she learnt and grew as a person and as a researcher. The author understood her values, assumptions and beliefs about the world much more clearly. The author also became much more aware of her own PhD journey, how she was developing personally and how her identity was evolving.

Originality/value

– This paper will be useful for those who are embarking on their PhD journey and attempting to critique and/or rethink their methodological approach in the qualitative or interpretivist paradigm.
Informal peer mentoring in early career researchers
Authors: Gregoric Carolyn , Wilson Annabelle
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore an informal interdisciplinary peer-mentoring relationship between two early career researchers.

Design/methodology/approach

– A case study approach, using autoethnography, was employed to explore the relationship from a complex adaptive systems (CAS) perspective.

Findings

– Informal peer-mentoring relationships may improve the work effectiveness and quality of the doctoral student and early career researcher experience. CAS can be an effective overarching theory for expanding understandings about mentoring.

Research limitations/implications

– This case study is limited to two early career researchers.

Practical implications

– Informal peer mentoring may help to overcome challenges encountered by doctoral students, early career researchers and university staff members. CAS accounts of mentoring have the potential to open new possibilities for future mentoring research.

Originality/value

– This paper provides unique insights into the experiences of doctoral students postgraduation and a long-term informal peer-mentoring relationship. Explorations of mentoring relationships from a CAS perspective are innovative.
Motivating students and lecturers for education in sustainable development
Authors: Mulder Karel F. , Ferrer Didac , Segalas Coral Jordi , Kordas Olga , Nikiforovich Eugene , Pereverza Kateryna
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims at identifying factors that could contribute to the motivation of students in sustainable development (SD) education. The underlying idea of the paper is that SD education is not always as attractive among students and lecturers as many would like it to be.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper briefly reviews literature regarding behavioral change for long-term benefits. It identifies four motivators that could be effective to make people pursue longer-term objectives. It identifies if these motivators were present in five cases of successful SD education.

Findings

– The four motivators for students that were identified in the literature review (a sense of autonomy, a challenge of reflection on the future role, connection with others, self-fulfillment, focus on the individual learning need) could be observed in the cases of successful SD education, although to various degrees. Individual autonomy in learning was not observed, but group autonomy was present in all cases.

Research limitations/implications

– The case studies were all electives. It is unclear how the motivators could work out in mandatory courses. Moreover, the curriculum as a whole will affect the success of single courses. Successful courses being “the exception” of the curriculum might be judged differently if they would be part of the curriculum in which such courses would be the main stream. Further research is required to check if the motivators are effective in mandatory and not specifically SD-targeted courses. It is also not clear how various motivators could be applied most effectively in a curriculum.

Practical implications

– The paper gives guidance to lecturers and educational managers to design attractive and effective SD education.

Originality/value

– The paper treats SD education from a novel perspective: how to convey a credible behavioral message, and how to motivate students for education for SD.
What do we say when we talk about sustainability?
Authors: Owens Katharine A. , Legere Sasha
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to analyze how faculty, staff and students at one American University define the term sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors analyze student, staff and faculty definitions by comparing word frequency counts to a list of the 25 most frequently found words in over 100 definitions of sustainability. Next, the authors analyze the definitions through content analysis, producing a list of emergent themes.

Findings

– The authors find that our definitions do not rate highly when compared to a list of the most frequent words from published definitions, but examining them more closely highlights nuances in understanding.

Research limitations/implications

– These results can only speak to one university’s population, but may be similar to that of comparable schools. Further studies should include comparisons to a range of campus communities, including environmental leaders and laggards.

Practical implications

– Administrators and educators at institutes of higher education must determine whether an ambiguous understanding of sustainability is sufficient for their own goals in producing an educated citizenry.

Social implications

– When a community fails to understand sustainability, it impacts how they conceptualize environmental problems and make decisions to solve them.

Originality/value

– This study shows that unless one has polled a campus population, one cannot know how its members understand a fundamental concept such as sustainability. It also shows that the work of sustainability education is just beginning.
Food-related environmental beliefs and behaviours among university undergraduates
Authors: Campbell-Arvai Victoria
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper was to document the food-related environmental beliefs and behaviours of undergraduate university students. More specifically, this research was focussed on determining if environmental sustainability is a consideration in students’ food choices, identifying the specific choices and behaviours adopted to reduce their food-related environmental footprint, and documenting the role of gender and pro-environmental values in these food-related environmental beliefs and behaviours.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research employed a mixed methods approach, i.e. focus group discussions and a survey, to document the food-related environmental beliefs and behaviours of undergraduate university students. The survey was informed by the results of the focus group discussions, and included standard measures of pro-environmental values and worldview.

Findings

– Results from focus group discussions revealed a broad array of beliefs and behaviours related to the connection between food, food production and the environment. The survey confirmed these results, but indicated a preference for such actions as recycling and reducing food waste in contrast to such alternatives as reducing meat consumption or avoiding processed foods. These results suggest that educational campaigns could focus on strengthening beliefs about the food-environment connection, as well as help to empower students to take a greater variety of actions to reduce their food-related environmental footprint.

Originality/value

– Relatively little attention has been focussed on individual beliefs and practices with respect to achieving more sustainable food consumption, particularly on university and college campuses. The research also represents a departure from previous work in that it utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methods, and takes a broad approach to the food-environment connection.
Reflections on interdisciplinary sustainability research with undergraduate students
Authors: Aktas Can Baran
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the article was to convey experiences with pioneering interdisciplinary sustainability research by involving undergraduate students. Experiences with initiating and conducting multiple research projects spanning engineering and sustainability are described, and recommendations for programs and faculty in other institutions of higher education that plan to implement or support similar endeavors are discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

– The article and presented conclusions are based on three separate research projects, where specific examples as to how those projects were developed as well as challenges and rewards faced during the project are described.

Findings

– It is concluded that faculty should not refrain from working with students from different backgrounds and disciplines. Bringing different backgrounds and perspectives to a project enables a big picture view of problems at hand and leads to better solutions that are more in line with the three pillars of sustainability, while at the same time providing valuable hands-on experience to undergraduate students.

Originality/value

– By its very definition, sustainability is an interdisciplinary field and, thus, requires novel approaches for education and research compared to other settled fields of science. A viable way to increase the role of sustainability in higher education is to foster interdisciplinary research and teaching. The institutions role in promoting such efforts has been discussed together with example strategies that were found to be successful as well as those that were not. The article presents results of potential successes in projects where the traditional disciplinary bounds have been breached, and an interdisciplinary approach has been used to achieve project goals. The article also gives examples on what types of sustainability research can be conducted with undergraduate students.
The impact of the global financial crisis on audit and non-audit fees
Authors: Alexeyeva Irina , Svanström Tobias
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The paper aims to investigate audit and non-audit fees during the global financial crisis (GFC) in an environment that is relatively sparsely regulated with regard to the provision of non-audit services.

Design/methodology/approach

– Audit and non-audit fees were studied during pre-GFC (2006-2007), GFC (2008-2009) and post-GFC (2010-2011) periods.

Findings

– During the GFC, Swedish companies benefited from an increase in sales and total assets, although return on assets decreased. In this setting, the auditors charged higher audit fees compared with the pre-GFC period, despite the absence of increased audit reporting lags. A significant increase in audit fees continued during the post-crisis periods with auditors paying more attention to companies’ leverage and whether they report losses. At the same time, the companies spent less on non-audit services.

Research limitations/implications

– This study is limited to companies from Sweden, which was less affected by the GFC.

Practical implications

– GFC auditors are able to charge higher audit fees to public companies including those that are well-performing during financial crises, and they are also able to increase the audit fees in the post-crisis period. This implies that auditors put in extra audit effort to compensate for higher risk, or that they are good at negotiating prices with their clients. However, non-audit fees decreased during the same period, implying that the demand for these services drops under financial instability.

Originality/value

– The study highlights auditors’ behavior in the liberal economic environment and it studies both audit fees and non-audit fees before GFC, during GFC and after the GFC. The GFC appears to have provided audit firms the opportunity to extract higher audit fees. Our findings are of interest to managers, auditors and regulators.
Corporate governance, the GFC and independent directors
Authors: Williams Belinda Rachael , Bingham Simone , Shimeld Sonia
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to understand how board composition and independent non-executive director (INED) disclosures have changed in light of the global financial crisis (GFC) from an accountability perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

– Content analysis techniques were undertaken on a random sample of 75 publicly listed companies across two time periods, 2005 and 2010.

Findings

– The findings highlighted increased INED board membership and increased skill and experience disclosure across all board positions, with the most significant increase being the INED position. The results support the notion that firms are attempting to restore their accountability relationships post-GFC through more transparent mechanisms of governance. However, concerns are also raised in the way individual companies are meeting the ASX Corporate Governance independence requirements.

Research limitations/implications

– The results raise questions as to whether firms have implemented these changes to ensure effective governance and accountability responsibilities, or simply to give the appearance of good governance.

Originality/value

– Little attention has been given in the literature to the characteristics of INEDs and whether board changes have been made in the wake of corporate and financial crises. The findings from this study contribute to an understanding of board composition and disclosures pre- and post-GFC.
Do IT audits satisfy senior manager expectations?
Authors: D'Onza Giuseppe , Lamboglia Rita , Verona Roberto
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to analyse the relationship between the senior management and the information technology (IT) auditing undertaken in Italian banks, focusing specifically on the internal IT auditing. The purpose of this paper is to investigate senior executives’ expectations regarding IT auditing, the techniques IT auditors apply to meet these expectations, the degree to which senior managers are satisfied with the auditing and the expectation gap.

Design/methodology/approach

– We conducted 22 interviews with senior managers and IT auditors of seven Italian banks, comprising large and small financial institutions, to gain data for our analysis.

Findings

– We found that overall, the IT auditors’ contributions satisfy senior managers, even though they still see room for improvement. They expect more support for the IT governance processes, specifically for the alignment between IT investments and business needs and between IT risk management and the value that IT resources provide. In addition, they want IT auditors to focus more strongly on IT security. To meet these expectations, IT auditors would have to improve their technical and non-technical skills. These skills will allow them to expand their activities, to be more proactive and to take on effective roles in IT governance processes.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to the existing literature by providing insights into the internal audit function’s evolving role and into banks’ IT audit activities. It also provides a valuable insight into senior management’s expectations regarding the role IT audit activities should play to support the profession and the banking policymakers, thus providing a better understanding of IT audit activities and improving these activities’ role.
Measuring the quality of the “comply or explain” approach
Authors: Nerantzidis Michail
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– This paper provides evidence regarding the efficacy of the “comply or explain” approach in Greece and has three objectives: to improve our knowledge of the concept of this accountability mechanism, to elevate auditors’ potential role in the control of corporate governance (CG) statements and to contribute to the discussion about the reform of this principle; a prolonged dialogue that has been started by European Commission in the light of the recent financial crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

– The approach taken is a content analysis of CG statements and Web sites of a non-probability sample of 144 Greek listed companies on the Athens Stock Exchange for the year 2011. Particularly, 52 variables were evaluated from an audit compliance perspective using a coding scheme. From this procedure, the level of compliance with Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) code, as well as the content of the explanations provided for non-compliance, were rated.

Findings

– The results show that although the degree of compliance is low (the average governance rating is 35.27 per cent), the evaluation of explanations of non-compliance is even lower (from the 64.73 per cent of the non-compliance, the 40.95 per cent provides no explanation at all).

Research limitations/implications

– The research limitations are associated with the content analysis methodology, as well as the reliability of CG statements.

Practical implications

– This study indicates that companies on the one hand tend to avoid the compliance with these recommendation practices, raising questions regarding the effectiveness of the SEV code; while on the other, they are not in line with the spirit of the CG code, as they do not provide adequate explanations. These results assist practitioners and/or policy-makers in perceiving the efficacy of the “comply or explain” approach.

Originality/value

– While there is a great body of research that has looked into the compliance with best practices, this study is different because it is the first one that rates not only the degree of the compliance with the code’s practices but also the content of the explanations provided for non-compliance. This is particularly interesting because it adds to the body of research by providing a new approach in measuring the quality of the “comply or explain” principle in-depth.
The impact of minority foreign ownership and controlling shareholder on bank risk and performance
Authors: Tacneng Ruth
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of minority foreign ownership on the risk taking behavior and performance of domestic banks in a country where foreign ownership restrictions are imposed.

Design/methodology/approach

– Mainly controlled by family business groups, the authors examine the extent by which the presence and the level of foreign ownership and voting rights affect domestic bank behavior.

Findings

– The results show that compared with those purely domestic-owned, banks with foreign shareholdings have lower levels of insider lending and have higher loan portfolio quality. Moreover, the authors find an increase in foreign voting rights effective in raising risk-adjusted returns and in lowering default risk. This positive effect on performance, however, ceases at higher levels of control manifested by the majority domestic shareholder.

Research limitations/implications

– Overall, this study shows that there are significant benefits derived from minority foreign shareholder presence in Philippine domestic banks.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes to the debate of whether it may be beneficial to reduce or completely lift the foreign ownership restrictions imposed on the banks in the country.
Universal trimming of polymer thick film resistors
Authors: Rambabu Busi , Rao Y. Srinivasa
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study high-voltage interactions in polymer thick-film resistors, namely, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-graphite thick-film resistors, and their applications in universal trimming of these resistors.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors applied high voltages in the form of pulses and impulses of various pulse durations and with different amplitudes to polymer thick-film resistors and observed the variation of resistance of these resistors with high voltages.

Findings

– The paper finds that high voltages can be used for trimming of polymer thick-film resistors in both directions, i.e. upwards and downwards.

Research limitations/implications

– The research implication of this paper is that polymer thick-film resistors can be trimmed downwards or upwards practically using this method.

Practical implications

– The practical implications of this paper is that one can trim the polymer thick-film resistors, namely, PVC–graphite thick-film resistors, in both directions, i.e. upwards and downwards, by using this method.

Originality/value

– The value of the paper is in showing that high voltages can be used to trim downwards and also upwards in the case of polymer thick-film resistors. This type of trimming is called universal trimming, developed first time for polymer thick-film resistors.
Application of cascode level shifter for EMI reduction in LCD driver IC
Authors: Kim Soo-Woo , Choi Ho-Yong , An Sehyuk , Kim Nam-Soo
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to design the circuit for electromagnetic interface (EMI) reduction in liquid crystal display (LCD).

Design/methodology/approach

– The cascode level shifter and segmented driver circuit are applied in LCD column driver integrated circuit (IC) for EMI reduction. Cascode current mirror is used in the proposed level shifter for DC voltage biasing and reduction of the driving current which passes through the level shifter. The on-off switching currents and transient times are measured and compared between the conventional and proposed level shifters. Additionally, a segmented data latch is obtained by the timing spread solution in data latch, and applied to split the large peak switching current into a number of smaller peak current. The timing spread-operation does not actually reduce the total power of the noise, instead, it spreads the noise power evenly over the frequency bandwidth. The optimal number of latch is dependent on the operating frequency and EMI allowance. The column driver IC and clock controller are integrated in 0.18 μm CMOS technology with 1-poly and 4-metal process.

Findings

– The post-layout simulation shows that the proposed column driver circuit for LCD driver IC significantly reduces the peak switching current, and it results in the reduction of EMI noise level by more than 15 dB. It is obtained with 20 segmented operations in data latch at 40 MHz frequency.

Originality/value

– The advantage of the cascode current source is that it can provide a well-controlled bias current with an accurate current transfer ratio. To reduce the EMI noise in LCD driver circuit, the cascode current source is properly located for the DC bias block in the level shifter. The application is rarely done by others, and a significant EMI noise reduction is found. The well-controlled current source provides a high performance switching in the level shifter.
Corporate social responsibility, economic globalization and developing countries
Authors: Haque Mohammed Ziaul , Azmat Fara
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine the state of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in labour-intensive industries in developing countries in the context of economic globalization. Using the ready-made garments’ (RMG) industry in Bangladesh as a case study, challenges and key issues relating to CSR are highlighted.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper draws from the review of existing literature, and the content analysis of two leading newspapers in Bangladesh for a period of one year (July 2012-June 2013) to identify the key and contemporary issues related to CSR in the RMG industry.

Findings

– Findings identify the contemporary issues of concerns associated with CSR in the RMG industry, relating them to the debate on the applicability of Carroll’s CSR pyramid to developing countries. The findings suggest that non-compliance of CSR in labour-intensive industries is a function of the nature of economic globalization. The need for a stakeholder approach towards CSR for the profitability and sustainability of this industry is also highlighted.

Practical implications

– This paper makes contributions to two different but important interrelated discourses on CSR and economic globalization. It also provides insights into the complexity involved in CSR in labour-based export industries in developing countries and acts as a springboard for further research.

Originality/value

– The paper is the first to look at all major issues of concern regarding CSR in the RMG industry in Bangladesh. As Bangladesh is an exemplar of developing countries and RMG is a typical starter industry, the findings are generalizable to similar industries in other developing countries.
Developing the ecological balance sheet for agricultural sustainability
Authors: Ogilvy Sue
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to suggest a practical means of incorporating ecological capital into the framework of business entities. Investors and shareholders need to be informed of the viability and sustainability of their investments. Ecological (natural) capital risks are becoming more significant. Exposure to material risk from primary industry is a significant factor for primary processing, pharmaceutical, textile and the financial industry. A means of assessing the changes to ecological capital assets and their effect on inflows and outflows of economic benefit is important information for stakeholder communication.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper synthesises a body of literature from accounting, ecological economics, ecosystem services, modelling, agriculture and ecology to propose a way to fill current gaps in the capability to account for ecological capital. It develops the idea of the ecological balance sheet (EBS) to enable application of familiar methods of managing built and financial capital to management of ecological assets (ecosystems that provide goods and services).

Findings

– The EBS is possible, practical and useful. A form of double-entry bookkeeping can be developed to allow accrual accounting principles to be applied to these assets. By using an EBS, an entity can improve its capability to increase inflows and avoid future outflows of economic benefit.

Social implications

– Although major efforts are under-way around the world to improve business impact on natural resources, these efforts have been unable to satisfactorily help individual businesses elucidate the practical economic and competitive advantages conferred by investment in ecological capital. This work provides a way for businesses to learn about what the impact of changes to ecological assets has on inflows and outflows of economic benefit to their enterprise and how to invest in ecological capital to reduce their enterprise’s material risk and create competitive advantage.

Originality/value

– No one has synthesised knowledge and practice across these disciplines into a practical approach. This approach is the first demonstration of how ecological assets can be managed in the same way as built capital by using proven practices of accounting.
Firm ownership and board characteristics
Authors: Muttakin Mohammad Badrul , Subramaniam Nava
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine whether the extent and type of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures made by Indian public listed companies are associated with firm ownership and board characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data analysis is based on the top 100 companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (2007-2011) using a 17-item CSR disclosure measure.

Findings

– The extent of CSR disclosure is positively associated with foreign ownership, government ownership and board independence and negatively associated with CEO duality. Promoter ownership has a negligible effect on the extent of CSR disclosure. In terms of the type of CSR disclosure, community information increases with government ownership and board independence, while environmental information expands with foreign ownership and board independence. Information on employees/human resources has a positive association with foreign ownership but decreases with CEO duality. The amount of product and services information increases with promoter ownership, foreign ownership and board independence and CEO duality.

Practical implications

– Given the positive impact independent directors have on the extent of CSR disclosure, their role can be further strengthened in terms of overseeing quality of information disclosed. Stakeholders and regulators will need to develop greater awareness of firm CSR disclosure biases associated with ownership and more carefully scrutinize firm CSR activities that firms are “not” reporting on.

Originality/value

– Empirical evidence on the link between corporate governance and CSR disclosure from a developing nation context is limited. This paper provides much needed evidence in this area from India – one of the largest, rapidly developing economies in the world.
Environmental, social and governance disclosures in Europe
Authors: Camilleri Mark Anthony
Published: April 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the European Union’s (EU) latest regulatory principles for environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures. It explains how some of the EU’s member states are ratifying the EU Commission’s directives on ESG reporting by introducing intelligent, substantive and reflexive regulations.

Design/methodology/approach

– Following a review of EU publications and relevant theoretical underpinnings, this paper reports on the EU member states’ national policies for ESG reporting and disclosures.

Findings

– The EU has recently revised a number of tools and instruments for the reporting of financial and non-financial information, including the EU’s modernisation directive, the EU’s directive on the disclosure of non-financial and diversity information, the EU Energy Efficiency Directive, the European pollutant release and transfer register, the EU emission trading scheme, the integrated pollution prevention and control directive, among others.

Practical implications

– Although all member states are transposing these new EU directives, to date, there are no specific requirements in relation to the type of non-financial indicators that can be included in annual reports. Moreover, there is a need for further empirical evidence that analyse how these regulations may (or may not) affect government entities and big corporations.

Social implications

– Several EU countries are integrating reporting frameworks that require the engagement of relevant stakeholders (including shareholders) to foster a constructive environment that may lead to continuous improvements in ESG disclosures.

Originality/value

– EU countries are opting for a mix of voluntary and mandatory measures that improve ESG disclosures in their respective jurisdictions. This contribution indicates that there is scope for national governments to give further guidance to civil society and corporate business to comply with the latest EU developments in ESG reporting. When European entities respond to regulatory pressures, they are also addressing ESG and economic deficits for the benefit of all stakeholders.
Prevalence of scars and “mini‐scars”, and their impact on quality of life in Japanese patients with acne
Authors: Hayashi Nobukazu , Miyachi Yoshiki , Kawashima Makoto
Published: April 2015

There have been very few studies on the prevalence and severity of acne scars in Japanese patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of acne scars and their impact on the quality of life (QOL) in Japanese acne patients. Acne scars were classified as mini‐scars (atrophic scars of ≥0.5 and <2 mm in diameter) atrophic scars (≥2 mm in diameter), and hypertrophic scars. The severity of acne and acne scars were evaluated. The background of patients and theirQOLin relation to acne were assessed. Of 240 subjects, 218 (90.8%) had scars. All patients with scars had mini‐scars; 61.2% and 14.2% of 240 had atrophic scars and hypertrophic scars, respectively. Severe scarring was found in patients who had experienced severe acne symptoms, although 15.0% of patients with scars had experienced only mild acne symptoms. The total Dermatology Life Quality Index score was significantly higher in patients with scars than in patients without scars (5.9 ± 4.4 vs 4.2 ± 4.1). Almost all the patients had small atrophic scars with a diameter of 0.5 or more and less than 2 mm, which we have termed “mini‐scars”. Acne scars had a negative impact on patientQOL. Early initiation of treatment is recommended to avoid acne scars.
Increased large unstained cells value in varicella patients: A valuable parameter to aid rapid diagnosis of varicella infection
Authors: Shin Dongyun , Lee Min Seok , Kim Do Young , Lee Min‐Geol , Kim Dae Suk
Published: April 2015

Varicella is a highly contagious infection caused by varicella zoster virus. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between other viral infections such as Kaposi's varicelliform eruption (KVE) and disseminated herpes zoster (HZ). The large unstained cells (LUC) value is a differential count parameter reported by routing hematology analysis. LUC have been studied previously, but never been reported in the context of varicella or in dermatological published work. The aim of this study was to compare the LUC values in varicella patients with that in KVE and disseminated HZ patients. Sixty‐nine varicella patients, 30 KVE patients and 11 disseminated HZ patients were included in this retrospective study. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0 or GraphPad Prism version 5.0. The mean percentage of LUC (%LUC) in varicella patients was higher than the upper limit of normal reference range and it was increased compared to %LUC of both KVE (P < 0.0001) and disseminated HZ (P = 0.0051) patients. %LUC of varicella patients significantly decreased with clinical improvements (P = 0.0017). %LUC was significantly increased in varicella patients and corresponded with clinical improvements. Patients with %LUC of 3.55 or more favor the diagnosis of varicella over both KVE and disseminated HZ with 71.01% sensitivity and 84.44% specificity. We suggest that %LUC can assist in making a precise diagnosis of varicella in confusing cases.
Recent progress in studies of miRNA and skin diseases
Authors: Jinnin Masatoshi
Published: April 2015

miRNA is a family of small non‐coding RNA that consists of 22 nucleotides on average. miRNA are implicated in various cellular activities such as cell proliferation or migration via the modulation of gene expression, and also are linked to the pathogenesis of human diseases. This paper reviews recent research progress about the contribution of miRNA to the pathogenesis of various skin diseases, and possible application of miRNA as the disease markers in each disease. For example, downregulated miR‐424‐5p in psoriatic skin causes the overexpression of MEK1 and cyclin E1 in psoriatic keratinocytes, resulting in the keratinocyte overgrowth and hyperproliferation seen in the disease. Although there was no significant difference in the serum miR‐424‐5p levels between psoriasis patients and healthy controls, serum miR‐1266‐5p levels were significantly upregulated in psoriasis patients, and showed weak and inverse correlation with disease activity. Furthermore, combination of serum levels of miR‐146a‐5p and ‐203a‐3p was more reliable to distinguish psoriasis patients and normal subjects, than each miRNA alone. Hair shaft miR‐424‐5p levels were significantly higher in psoriasis patients than normal subjects, while hair root miR‐19a‐3p levels in psoriasis patients were inversely correlated with the duration between symptom onset and the first visit to the hospital. Future researches of miRNA will enable the advances of their clinical applications including the clarification of pathogenesis, disease markers and novel treatments.
Digestive capacity predicts diet diversity in Neotropical frugivorous bats
Authors: Saldaña‐Vázquez Romeo A. , Ruiz‐Sanchez Eduardo , Herrera‐Alsina Leonel , Schondube Jorge E.
Published: April 2015

Predicting the diet diversity of animals is important to basic and applied ecology. Knowledge of diet diversity in animals helps us understand niche partitioning, functional diversity and ecosystem services such as pollination, pest control and seed dispersal.

There is a negative relationship between the length of the digestive tract and diet diversity in animals; however, the role of digestive physiology in determining diet diversity has been ignored. This is especially important in vertebrates with powered flight because, unlike non‐flying vertebrates, they have limitations that may constrain gut size.

Here, we evaluate the relationship between digestive capacity and diet diversity in Carollinae and Stenodermatinae frugivorous bats. These bats disperse the seeds of plants that are key to Neotropical forest regeneration.

Our results show that digestive capacity is a good predictor of diet diversity in Carollinae and Stenodermatinae frugivorous bats (R2 = 0·77).

Surprisingly, the most phylogenetically closely related species were not similar in their digestive capacity or diet diversity. The lack of a phylogenetic signal for the traits evaluated implies differences in digestive physiology and diet in closely related species.

Our results highlight the predictive usefulness of digestive physiology for understanding the feeding ecology of animals.