bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of coal-mining towns in social theory: past, present and future
Authors: Burrell Gibson
Published: July 2017

Coal mining has ceased in Britain to all intents and purposes. For centuries, it was a source of employment and even economic security for thousands of men, and the women who lived with them. Miners clung on to life in dangerous occupations – second only to fishing in accident and mortality rates – but strong trade unionism and collectivism mean that for some periods they were regarded as relatively well-off within the working class, if one used internal comparisons. And whilst this group may have all but disappeared from the United Kingdom and most parts of Western Europe, today in other regions of the world, coal mining continues to expand. This article discusses a brief comparison of two pit villages in the 1950s when arguably coal mining in Britain was at its height, both in terms of tons produced and recorded manpower at work. It then turns to look to coal-mining villages in China today as sources of sociological insight for our collective futures.
Synthetic cannabinoids: the hidden side of Spice drugs
Authors: Pintori Nicholas , Loi Barbara , Mereu Maddalena
Published: July 2017

Spice drugs are herbal mixtures sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids designed to mimic the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana [Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC)] and synthesized by introducing modifications to the chemical structure of parental compounds aiming to circumvent legal regulations. Synthetic cannabinoid use/abuse can be devastating as toxicological effects and adverse reactions cannot be entirely predicted and may vary with the dose, route of administration, individual vulnerability and concomitant intake with other drugs. The absence of validated testing procedures in the clinical field makes difficult the adoption of a therapeutic approach effective in coping with the synthetic cannabinoid phenomenon, posing a significant challenge for prevention, treatment and public health in general. The aim of this review is to gain insights into the epidemiological, pharmacological and toxicological properties of synthetic cannabinoids, aiming to provide a reliable background needed for the management of synthetic cannabinoid-related adverse effects. Consumers, competent authorities and medical care professionals should be aware of the risks associated with synthetic cannabinoid use.
The thyroid cancer epidemic, 2017 perspective
Authors: Roman Benjamin R. , Morris Luc G. , Davies Louise
Published: July 2017

Purpose of review

Thyroid cancer incidence and mortality trends have been identified as being consistent with overdiagnosis, and several recent efforts have been made to mitigate this problem.

Recent findings

Major guidelines for thyroid nodule management recommend against general biopsy of nodules less than 1 cm in size. Data supporting the safety of active surveillance of low-risk thyroid cancers is now recognized. Tumors previously labeled as encapsulated follicular variant papillary thyroid cancers are now recommended to be called noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features.

Workup, diagnostic, and management of papillary thyroid cancer are changing rapidly to accommodate the recognition that many thyroid cancers are low risk and do not require aggressive, immediate intervention.
Communicating the benefits and risks of inflammatory bowel disease therapy to patients and families
Authors: Picoraro Joseph A. , Rosh Joel R.
Published: July 2017

Purpose of review

Treatment options for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have rapidly expanded as the treatment paradigm has shifted from controlling symptoms to reducing lifetime inflammatory burden. Families are confronted with the actual and perceived risks of this ever-expanding array of choices. We aim to review the shared decision-making process in pediatric IBD to ensure an optimal therapeutic plan for the child and their family.

Recent findings

Mucosal healing is a critical treatment target in pediatric IBD but it may not coincide with clinical symptoms. Evidence-based therapies carry important risks, some of which may be less severe than previously suspected, and a family's understanding of these risks plays a crucial role in how they make health decisions. To form an effective shared therapeutic plan, the physician must incorporate an understanding of the values of both the child and family along with their lived experience of illness.

To limit harm and promote health in pediatric IBD, the physician must communicate collaboratively with the child and their family to form mutually understood goals of care – both subjective experiential and objective biological – and appreciate actual and perceived risks of treatment options to effectively educate families and navigate toward the best treatment choices.

Video abstract

http://links.lww.com/MOP/A27
Comparative scaffolding and gap filling of ancient bacterial genomes applied to two ancient Yersinia pestis genomes
Authors: Luhmann Nina , Doerr Daniel , Chauve Cedric
Published: July 2017

Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of the bubonic plague, a disease responsible for several dramatic historical pandemics. Progress in ancient DNA (aDNA) sequencing rendered possible the sequencing of whole genomes of important human pathogens, including the ancient Y. pestis strains responsible for outbreaks of the bubonic plague in London in the 14th century and in Marseille in the 18th century, among others. However, aDNA sequencing data are still characterized by short reads and non-uniform coverage, so assembling ancient pathogen genomes remains challenging and often prevents a detailed study of genome rearrangements. It has recently been shown that comparative scaffolding approaches can improve the assembly of ancient Y. pestis genomes at a chromosome level. In the present work, we address the last step of genome assembly, the gap-filling stage. We describe an optimization-based method AGapEs (ancestral gap estimation) to fill in inter-contig gaps using a combination of a template obtained from related extant genomes and aDNA reads. We show how this approach can be used to refine comparative scaffolding by selecting contig adjacencies supported by a mix of unassembled aDNA reads and comparative signal. We applied our method to two Y. pestis data sets from the London and Marseilles outbreaks, for which we obtained highly improved genome assemblies for both genomes, comprised of, respectively, five and six scaffolds with 95 % of the assemblies supported by ancient reads. We analysed the genome evolution between both ancient genomes in terms of genome rearrangements, and observed a high level of synteny conservation between these strains.
Transcriptomic analysis of aerobic respiratory and anaerobic photosynthetic states in Rhodobacter capsulatus and their modulation by global redox regulators RegA, FnrL and CrtJ
Authors: Kumka Joseph E. , Schindel Heidi , Fang Mingxu , Zappa Sebastien , Bauer Carl E.
Published: July 2017

Anoxygenicphotosynthetic prokaryotes have simplified photosystems that represent ancient lineages that predate the more complex oxygen evolving photosystems present in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts. These organisms thrive under illuminated anaerobic photosynthetic conditions, but also have the ability to grow under dark aerobic respiratory conditions. This study provides a detailed snapshot of transcription ground states of both dark aerobic and anaerobic photosynthetic growth modes in the purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobactercapsulatus. Using 18 biological replicates for aerobic and photosynthetic states, we observed that 1834 genes (53 % of the genome) exhibited altered expression between aerobic and anaerobic growth. In comparison with aerobically grown cells, photosynthetically grown anaerobic cells showed decreased transcription of genes for cobalamin biosynthesis (−45 %), iron transport and homeostasis (−42 %), motility (−32 %), and glycolysis (−34 %). Conversely and more intuitively, the expression of genes involved in carbon fixation (547 %), bacteriochlorophyll biosynthesis (162 %) and carotenogenesis (114 %) were induced. We also analysed the relative contributions of known global redox transcription factors RegA, FnrL and CrtJ in regulating aerobic and anaerobic growth. Approximately 50 % of differentially expressed genes (913 of 1834) were affected by a deletion of RegA, while 33 % (598 out of 1834) were affected by FnrL, and just 7 % (136 out of 1834) by CrtJ. Numerous genes were also shown to be controlled by more than one redox responding regulator.
Enhanced proofreading governs CRISPR-Cas9 targeting accuracy
Authors: Chen Janice S. , Dagdas Yavuz S. , Kleinstiver Benjamin P. , Welch Moira M. , Harrington Lucas B. , Sternberg Samuel H. , Joung J. Keith , Yildiz Ahmet , Doudna Jennifer A.
Published: July 2017

The RNA-guided CRISPR-Cas9 nuclease fromStreptococcus pyogenes(SpCas9) has been widely repurposed for genome editing1-4. High-fidelity (SpCas9-HF1) and enhanced specificity (eSpCas9(1.1)) variants exhibit substantially reduced off-target cleavage in human cells, but the mechanism of target discrimination and the potential to further improve fidelity were unknown5-9. Using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) experiments, we show that both SpCas9-HF1 and eSpCas9(1.1) are trapped in an inactive state10when bound to mismatched targets. We find that a non-catalytic domain within Cas9, REC3, recognizes target mismatches and governs the HNH nuclease to regulate overall catalytic competence. Exploiting this observation, we identified residues within REC3 involved in mismatch sensing and designed a new hyper-accurate Cas9 variant (HypaCas9) that retains robust on-target activity in human cells. These results offer a more comprehensive model to rationalize and modify the balance between target recognition and nuclease activation for precision genome editing.
Versatile approach for functional analysis of human proteins and efficient stable cell line generation using FLP-mediated recombination system
Authors: Szczesny Roman J. , Kowalska Katarzyna , Klosowska-Kosicka Kamila , Chlebowski Aleksander , Owczarek Ewelina P. , Warkocki Zbigniew , Kulinski Tomasz M. , Adamska Dorota , Affek Kamila , Jedroszkowiak Agata , Kotrys Anna V. , Cysewski Dominik , Tomecki Rafał , Krawczyk Pawel S. , Borowski Lukasz S. , Dziembowski Andrzej
Published: July 2017

Deciphering a function of a given protein requires investigating various biological aspects. Usually, the protein of interest is expressed with a fusion tag that aids or allows subsequent analyses. Additionally, downregulation or inactivation of the studied gene enables functional studies. Development of the CRISPR/Cas9 methodology opened many possibilities but in many cases it is restricted to non-essential genes. It may also be time-consuming if a homozygote is needed. Recombinase-dependent gene integration methods, like the Flp-In system, are very good alternative. The system is widely used in different research areas, which calls for the existence of compatible vectors and efficient protocols that ensure straightforward DNA cloning and creation of stable cell lines. We have created and validated a robust series of 52 vectors for streamlined generation of stable mammalian cell lines using the FLP recombinase-based methodology. Using the sequence-independent DNA cloning method all constructs for a given coding-sequence can be made with just three universal PCR primers. The collection allows tetracycline-inducible expression of proteins with various tags suitable for protein localization, FRET, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), protein dynamics studies (FRAP), co-immunoprecipitation, the RNA tethering assay and cell sorting. Some of the vectors contain a bidirectional promoter for concomitant expression of miRNA and mRNA, so that a gene can be silenced and its product replaced by a mutated miRNA-insensitive version. We demonstrate the efficacy of our vectors by creating stable cell lines with various tagged proteins (numatrin, fibrillarin, coilin, centrin, THOC5, PCNA). We have analysed transgene expression over time to provide a guideline for future experiments and compared the utility of commonly used inducers of tetracycline-responsive promoters. We determined the protein interaction network of the exoribonuclease XRN2 and examined the role of the protein in transcription termination by RNAseq analysis of cells devoid of its ribonucleolytic activity. In total we created more than 500 DNA constructs which proves high efficiency of our strategy.
Coexistence of complete competitors with fitness inequality
Authors: Kalmykov Lev , Kalmykov Vyacheslav
Published: July 2017

There was a long standing contradiction between formulations of the competitive exclusion principle and natural species richness, which is known as the biodiversity paradox. Here we investigate a role of fitness differences in coexistence of two completely competing species using individual-based cellular automata. According to the classical formulations of the competitive exclusion principle such coexistence is impossible. Earlier we found that coexistence of complete competitors is possible with a 100% difference in fitness, but only under certain initial conditions. Here we verify a hypothesis that completely competing species may coexist with less than 100% difference in fitness regardless of different initial location of competing individuals in the ecosystem. We have found a new fact that two aggressively propagating complete competitors can stably coexist in one limited, stable and homogeneous habitat, when one species has some advantage in fitness over the other and all other characteristics of the species are equal, in particular any trade-offs and cooperations are absent. This fact is established theoretically on the rigorous model. The found competitive coexistence occurred regardless of the initial location of individuals in the ecosystem. When colonization of free habitat started from a single individual of each species, then the complete competitors coexisted up to 31% of their difference in fitness. And when on initial stage half of the territory was probabilistically occupied, the complete competitors coexisted up to 22% of their difference in fitness. These results additionally support our reformulation of the competitive exclusion principle, which we consider as resolving of the biodiversity paradox.
Facilitation between plants shapes pollination networks
Authors: Losapio Gianalberto , Fortuna Miguel A. , Bascompte Jordi , Schmid Bernhard , Michalet Richard , Neumeyer Rainer , Castro Leopoldo , Cerretti Pierfilippo , Germann Christoph , Haenni Jean-Paul , Klopfstein Seraina , Ortiz Javier , Pont Adrian C. , Rousse Pascal , Schmid Jürg , Sommaggio Daniele , Schöb Christian
Published: July 2017

Significance

Although it is known that plant–plant and plant–pollinator interactions can strongly influence biodiversity and its effects on ecosystem functioning, the details of how competition and facili-tation among plants scale up to mutualistic interactions with pollinators and thus affect pollina-tion networks are poorly understood. We introduce a simple experimental system in which we control local plant interactions, measure pollinator responses and characterize plant–pollinator networks. We find that facilitation among plants produces synergistic and antagonistic effects on the pollinator community affecting the architecture and robustness of plant–pollinator net-works. Our results provide evidence for bottom-up non-additive effects of plant interactions on pollination networks and have implications for the way we study and manage ecosystems.
Habitat diversification promotes environmental selection in planktonic prokaryotes and ecological drift in microbial eukaryotes
Authors: Logares Ramiro , Tesson Sylvie V. M. , Canbäck Björn , Pontarp Mikael , Hedlund Katarina , Rengefors Karin
Published: July 2017

Whether or not communities of microbial eukaryotes are structured in the same way as prokaryotes is a basic and poorly explored question in ecology. Here we investigated this question in a set of planktonic lake microbiotas in Eastern Antarctica that represent a natural community ecology experiment. Most of the analysed lakes emerged from the sea during the last 6,000 years, giving rise to waterbodies that originally contained marine microbiotas and that subsequently evolved into habitats ranging from freshwater to hypersaline. We show that habitat diversification has promoted environmental selection driven by a salinity gradient in prokaryotes and ecological drift in microeukaryotes. Nevertheless, we detected also a number of microeukaryotes with specific responses to salinity, indicating that albeit minor, environmental selection has had a role in the assembly of their communities. Altogether, we conclude that habitat diversification can promote contrasting responses in planktonic microeukaryotes and prokaryotes belonging to the same communities.
Episodic, Semantic, Pavlovian, and Procedural Cognitive Maps
Authors: Ribas Fernandes José J. F. , Holroyd Clay B.
Published: July 2017

Current theories of planning associate the hippocampus with a cognitive map, a theoretical construct used to predict the consequences of actions. This formulation is problematic for two reasons: First, cognitive maps are traditionally conceptualized to generalize over individual episodes, which conflicts with evidence associating the hippocampus with episodic memory, and second, it fails to explain seemingly non-hippocampal forms of planning. Here we propose a novel theoretical framework that resolves these issues: each long-term memory system is a cognitive map, predicting consequences of actions based on its unique computational properties. It follows that hippocampal maps are episode-based and that semantic, procedural, and Pavlovian memories each implement a specialized map. We present evidence for each type of map from neuropsychology, neuroimaging and animal electrophysiology studies.
Tools of accountability: protecting microfinance clients in South Africa?
Authors: Marini Lisa , Andrew Jane , van der Laan Sandra
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which accountability is operationalised within the context of a South African microfinance institution (MFI). In particular, the authors consider the introduction of a tool to enhance consumer protection, the Client Protection Card (CPC), to deliver accountability within the case organisation. In contrast to prior research, the authors focus on accountability from the perspective of clients and fieldworkers.

Design/methodology/approach

A single in-depth case study of the introduction and implementation of a CPC in an MFI operating within South Africa was conducted. The case study and timing afforded an opportunity to gather unique data, given the MFI’s client-centred philosophy and the recent introduction of the CPC. The qualitative approach adopted for this research allowed collection of data through direct observations, interviews, a fieldwork diary and documentation. The theoretical framing for this paper views accountability as involving social practices, allowing us to foreground the existence of interdependencies among people interacting within the same organisation or system (Roberts, 1996).

Findings

The case study demonstrates that three aspects are critical to the success of the card: the design, which requires sensitivity to the local culture; the distribution, which demands for significant “sensemaking” work to be undertaken by fieldworkers; and the drivers for introducing the card, which need to be responsive to the clients’ perspective. The paper illustrates how well-intended tools of accountability can fail to deliver effectively, both for the organisation and the users, if they are not tailored appropriately to the needs of clients.

Originality/value

This paper differs from prior research as it explores the ways in which fieldworkers and MFI clients make sense of a tool of accountability, the CPC. Given that the CPC was designed to meet guidelines produced by international policymakers and domestic legislators, the paper provides a grassroots analysis of the effectiveness of the implementation of such tools from the perspective of clients and fieldworkers. This local focus allows the authors to examine the ways in which mounting global expectations for increased accountability of MFIs are being operationalised in practice.
Impact of FOMC announcement on stock price index in Southeast Asian countries
Authors: Bao Trung Hoang , Mateus Cesario
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announcements, which includes information about the targeted Federal fund rate and revision to the future path of monetary policy on Southeast Asian stock market performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper has used a sample of five national equity market indexes over the period 1997-2013 that covers 132 scheduled FOMC meetings. The authors have developed the model of Wongswan (2009) and Kontonikas et al. (2013) to quantify target surprise and path surprise.

Findings

The results first show that all the stock markets examined do respond to information in FOMC announcements. Second, the target Federal fund rate has more impact on Southeast Asian stocks performance than information about the future path of monetary policy does. Third, different Southeast Asian equity markets respond similarly to targeting the Federal fund rate, while the responses to monetary policy differ from each other. Fourth, the response of each country to the FOMC announcement is not statistically different in the two periods of financial crisis.

Research limitations/implications

Southeast Asian financial markets are increasingly highly correlated to the US market. The main channel in which FOMC announcement has impact on Southeast Asian stock markets is through US price transmission. This is the case of foreign firms borrowing from the US market. Then, an increase in interest rate, which means that the cost of financing increases, will lower firm equity value.

Originality/value

The understanding of the response of the Southeast Asian stock markets to target surprise and path surprise, and the impact of each surprise in different time periods, would be important to investors and encourage further discussion amongst academics in Southeast Asia, where stock markets have been emerging in recent years.
Financial development, ownership and internationalization of firms: evidence from China
Authors: Lian Lishuai , Chen Chao
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between financial development and internationalization of Chinese firms, whether the above relationship could be varied for firms with different kinds of ownership, and the channels through which financial development affects internationalization.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a sample of 2,053 firms for the period 2001 to 2013, and applies the methods of ordered logit, logit, and OLS regressions to examine the role of financial development on firms’ internationalization.

Findings

The results show that financial development accelerates the level of international process of Chinese firms, and this effect is stronger for the non-state-owned enterprises (NSOEs) than for SOEs. The authors also document that financial development increases the investment scale of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). In addition, the evidence on the channels through which financial development affects internationalization indicates that financial development accelerates the level of international process in high-technology industries and industries that are more dependent on external financing, and promotes the technology-seeking OFDI, and these effects are more prominent for NSOEs than for SOEs.

Originality/value

First, this study examines Chinese firms’ internationalization from the perspective of financial development and focuses on the relationship between financial development and internationalization, and varies this relationship over firms with different kinds of ownership. Second, this study adds to the existing literature by identifying two channels through which financial development has an impact on internationalization, namely, external finance and high-tech intensiveness, and identifies the impact of financial development on technology-seeking OFDI.
Legacies and lifecycles: digitizing oral histories at Rutgers University libraries
Authors: White Krista , Radick Caryn
Published: July 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to explore two separate legacy oral history digitization projects at one institution and how the project teams approached the different issues and challenges these projects presented.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach compares two case studies of how digitization of legacy oral history collections was carried out. The paper discusses these projects utilizing a lifecycle model approach and reveals how archival and digital humanities perspectives drove some of the projects’ differences.

Findings

The authors find that when working with digitizing legacy oral history collections, each collection will require different approaches and methods of problem solving. In large institutions with multiple repositories, it can be useful for project teams to consult each other to develop best practices.

Practical implications

The two case studies presented in this paper can serve as models for other institutions digitizing many oral history collections and serve as a model for communication and collaboration in larger institutions with multiple repositories.

Originality/value

This paper compares and contrasts two case studies of digitization projects involving legacy oral history collections in different units of one large institution. Project teams were influenced by different approaches. One project was conducted by archivists and the other led by a digital humanities librarian. Differing professional foci provided different perspectives about collection characteristics and, subsequently, led to different approaches that impacted implementation of the projects.
Excavating archival description: from collection to data level
Authors: Parilla Lesley L. , Morgan Rebecca , Fidler Christina
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss three projects from three institutions that are dealing with challenges with natural sciences field documentation. Each is working to create the collection, item and data-level description required so that researchers can fully use the data to study how biodiversity has changed over time and space. Libraries, archives and museums recognize the need to make content searchable across material type. To create online catalogs that would make this possible, ideally, all records would describe one item. Museums and libraries describe their materials at the item level; however, archives must balance the need to describe the collection as a whole alongside needs of collection materials that may require more description to reconnect with library and museum items. There is a growing determination inside of archives to increase this flow of data, particularly for the natural sciences, by creating workflows that provide additional description to make these data discoverable. This process is a bit like drilling into the earth: each level must be described before the next can be dealt with.

Design/methodology/approach

The piece describes challenges, approaches and workflows of three institutions developing deeper levels of description for archival materials that will be made available online to a specialized audience. It also describes the methods developed so that the material’s data can eventually be accessed at a more granular level and linked to related resources.

Findings

Current systems, schema and standards are adapted as necessary, and the natural sciences archival community is still working to develop best practices. However, they are getting much closer through the collaboration made possible through grants in the recent years.

Originality/value

The work described in this paper is ongoing, and best practices resulting from the work are still under development.
Becoming entrepreneurs: how immigrants developed entrepreneurial identities
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Chun Douglas
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the important process of how entrepreneurial identity is formed and constructed, with the perspective that entrepreneurial identity is social and dynamic, constantly shaped by various life episodes and human interactions, rather than static and unchanging.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study comprises 30 in-depth interviews with Chinese immigrants in West Canada. These immigrants had been employed professionals under the “Skilled Workers” immigration category but later became entrepreneurs. None of the entrepreneurs in this study had prior business ownership experience, and many of them said that they had never thought about running businesses until they came to Canada.

Findings

A process model of entrepreneurial identity construction is presented. This paper advances the literature on entrepreneurship through the identification of three stages in the development of entrepreneurial identity: identity exploration, entrepreneurial mindsets building, and narrative development.

Originality/value

This study has important implications for the understanding of the exploratory and discovery mode of entrepreneurial identity construction. This study also moves away from the contextual and structural hypotheses as the sole explanations for the high rate of self-employment among immigrant entrepreneurs, and provides a useful starting point for a deeper understanding of the agency of immigrant entrepreneurs.
Opportunity recognition in sustainable entrepreneurship: an exploratory study
Authors: Hanohov Ruven , Baldacchino Leonie
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The recognition of opportunities for sustainable development is considered to be an essential part of sustainable entrepreneurship, but studies that address this phenomenon are scarce. A conceptual model which aims to explain the factors that lead to the recognition of sustainable opportunities was proposed by Patzelt and Shepherd (2011), but published research that tests this model empirically is limited. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the sustainable entrepreneurship literature by empirically exploring Patzelt and Shepherd’s conceptual model in order to shed light on how sustainable entrepreneurs recognize opportunities for sustainable businesses in practice.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a qualitative research approach to address the aims of the study. In-depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with eight sustainable entrepreneurs based in Berlin. The data were analyzed by means of thematic analysis.

Findings

The findings indicate that sustainable entrepreneurs are influenced in their identification of sustainable opportunities by their knowledge of natural and communal environments, by their motivation to develop gains for themselves and others, and by entrepreneurial knowledge. These findings largely support the model proposed by Patzelt and Shepherd (2011). Furthermore, they extend this model by shedding light on some of the factors that comprise its components, as this study found that spending time abroad and socialization enhance entrepreneurs’ knowledge of natural and communal environments; a desire to be self-employed, aspects of one’s personality and one’s personal circumstances are sources of motivation, while prior jobs and prior projects create entrepreneurial knowledge.

Originality/value

Only two other studies have empirically tested Patzelt and Shepherd’s (2011) model, and these have led to disparate results. The first was conducted by Choongo et al. (2016), who did not find any evidence to support this model. The second was carried out by Muñoz and Dimov (2017), who addressed the model partially. This paper therefore makes four major contributions. First, it is the first to offer preliminary empirical support for each component of Patzelt and Shepherd’s (2011) conceptual model. Second, it extends their model by identifying some of the factors comprising its components. Third, it reflects on possible reasons why extant research has led to disparate findings. Fourth, it proposes avenues of research to resolve the unanswered questions arising from these studies. This paper therefore makes a contribution to the literature on sustainable entrepreneurship and serves as a stepping stone for further theory development and empirical research on sustainable opportunity recognition.
Measurement of social development: evidence from India
Authors: Kumar Naresh
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the progress of social development in terms of social development index (SDI) of India in the pre- and post-reforms period.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the methodology of Ray (1989, 2008) for the construction of composite index for social development, i.e. SDI. The study also used the ordinary least squares method of regression analysis for checking the impact of development expenditure, non-development expenditure and Per Capita Net National Product (PCNNP) on the SDI value.

Findings

The results show an increasing trend in social development. The findings of this study also suggest that there is a sharp increase in the index over the period between 2002/2003 and 2010/2011. But in the remaining period, sluggish improvement in social development has been observed. Though there has been growth in the social sector, but it is not much heartening and perhaps more efforts need to be done in the social sector in India. The results also exhibit that development expenditure, non-development expenditure and PCNNP are significantly affecting the SDI value.

Practical implications

The study suggests that the government should focus more on social sector programs and there is an urgent need to increase development and non-development expenditures to improve the overall social condition of the country.

Originality/value

The work is different in terms of number of development variables from the already existing literature in India. The author constructed the SDI by using the weighted sum of 12 transformed social variables which has not been studied previously.
Social cyclicality in Asian countries
Authors: Ahuja Deepti , Murthy Venkatesh
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the cyclical pattern of social expenditure during 1980-2012 for a set of Asian countries. The extant literature available so far has captured the cyclicality of fiscal policy only for member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and for Latin American countries. Moreover, previous studies have largely ignored Asian countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis used panel data from global macro-databases of the International Monetary Fund, Statistics of public expenditure for economic development and Asian Development Bank. The cyclical components of social spending (health, education, and social protection) and GDP were determined by using the Hodrick-Prescott Filter. A positive (negative) correlation indicates procyclical (countercyclical) fiscal policy. In line with the existing literature on fiscal cyclicality (Gavin and Perotti, 1997; Lane, 2003; Frankel et al., 2013) that has examined the behavior of fiscal policy over the business cycle, regression analysis is used to examine the impact of political and institutional factors on the behavior of social spending.

Findings

It was found that government social expenditure is procyclical across Asian countries during 1980-2012. However, during the past decade, emerging Asian countries have been able to shift from procyclical to countercyclical social spending. This shows that they had taken several initiatives to boost expenditure in the social sector – be it in social protection, health, or education services. The significant determinant of social cyclicality is the quality of institutions, which could help the government to increase fiscal deficit during recessions and repay the debt during economic booms. However, to some extent, their countercyclical action is restrained by the high accumulated level of public debt.

Originality/value

In the context of the Asian region, it is important to understand the cyclical pattern of social policy for several reasons. It has been said that crises offer an opportunity for countries to rethink their social policy to achieve more sustained and equitable development. By studying the social spending behavior, the authors can see whether Asian countries were able to grab the opportunity for reshaping their social and economic agenda after the Asian financial crisis.
Authenticity/ الصحة as a criterion variable for Islam and Roman Catholic theology of the workplace analysis
Authors: Tackney Charles Thomas , Shah Imran
Published: July 2017

Purpose

Authenticity/ الصحة (as-sehah) serves as a criterion or predictor variable for the purpose of a comparative theological investigation of employment relations parameters in light of social teachings from Sunni Islam and Roman Catholicism. Authenticity finds initial, shared significance in both religious traditions because of its critically important role in judgments concerning the legitimacy of source documents. It also stands in both traditions as an inspirational goal for human life.

Design/methodology/approach

Particular issues of theological method for cross-cultural analysis are addressed by the use of insight-based critical realism as a transcultural foundation. Workplace parameters, the minimal enabling conditions for the possibility of authentic employment relations, are then identified and compared. The authors explore shared expectations for authenticity enabling conditions in terms of the direct and indirect employer: those national laws, systems and traditions that condition the functional range of authenticity that can be actualized within national or other work settings as experienced in the direct employment contract.

Findings

The study found remarkable consistency in the minimal conditions identified by Roman Catholic and Sunni Islam social teachings for the prospects of authenticity in employment relations. These conditions addressed seven parameters: work and the concept of labor; private property; the nature of the employment contract; unions and collective bargaining; the treatment of wages; the relationship between managerial prerogative and employee participation; and the crucial role of the state as indirect employer.

Practical implications

Specific minimal or threshold conditions of employment are described to ensure the prospect for authenticity in modern employment relations according to religious traditions. These include just cause employment conditions, unions and collective bargaining support, some form of management consultation/Shura, a living wage and a consultative exercise of managerial prerogative.

Social implications

The study offers prescriptive and analytical aid to ensure assessment of circumstances fostering authenticity in employment relations.

Originality/value

The method and findings are a first effort to clarify thought and aid mutual understanding for inter-faith employment circumstances based on Roman Catholic and Sunni Islam social teachings through a transcultural foundation in cognitional operations. The criterion variable specification of authenticity conditions offers a fully developed basis to support further empirical research in management spirituality, corporate social responsibility and enterprise sustainability.
Single case research methodology: a tool for moral imagination in business ethics
Authors: Retolaza Jose Luis , San-Jose Leire
Published: July 2017

Purpose

Although there are several often-used case research methods for teaching purposes, these cannot be used to conduct scientific research into business ethics, perhaps owing to criticism levelled against it. The precise aim of this work is to expound and argue for its use within the framework of scientific hypothetical-deductive methodology.

Design/methodology/approach

The opportunities offered by this methodological approach, both from an inductive (Eisenhardt, 1989; Dyer and Wilkins, 1991) and a deductive perspective (Yin, 1993; Carson et al., 2000), have been wasted, creating a need for scientific contributions within this area; hence, this study. It was carried on a theoretical approach of the use of single case applied to corporate management based on religion and spirituality inclusion.

Findings

The results obtained indicate that the single-case research method makes it possible to put forward alternative hypotheses to the dominant hypothesis, making contributions to the theory. Concretely, the scientific legitimacy of its use is justified by what it has been called “possibilistic hypothesis” for what it is not necessary to collect a large data or make an empiric research.

Practical implications

In the field of business ethics, these hypotheses (possibilistics) make alternatives stand out that widen the moral responsibility of decision-makers. It implies an open mind for decision-makers and rigorous arguments using just a single case. Reinforce and make them easier based on moral imagination improvement.

Originality/value

The decision process is complex, but in this rich method, the single-case study could permit establishing rigorous and robust decisions easily. The case study is not used widely for management, but this perspective could enrich and increase its use.
Optimisation of selective laser melting parameters for the Ni-based superalloy IN-738 LC using Doehlert’s design
Authors: Perevoshchikova Nataliya , Rigaud Jordan , Sha Yu , Heilmaier Martin , Finnin Barrie , Labelle Elena , Wu Xinhua
Published: July 2017

Purpose

The Ni-based superalloy IN-738 LC is known to be susceptible to porosity and different types of cracking during the build-up process and, thus, challenging to manufacture using selective laser melting (SLM). Determining a feasible set of operating parameters for SLM of nickel-based superalloys involves new approach to experimental design based on the Doehlert method that assists in determining an optimal (feasible) set of operating parameters for SLM of IN-738 LC powder alloy.

Design/methodology/approach

The SLM parameters are evaluated in terms of their effectiveness in obtaining the microstructure with a porosity content of <0.5 per cent and without micro-cracking. The experimental approach is exemplified with the Doehlert matrix response variable, relative density, by comparing Archimedes method with microstructural assessments of pores and cracks from image analysis. The effect of heat treatment (HT) and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) on the microstructure of the SLMed IN-738 LC powder alloy has been examined and the consequential tensile response characterised.

Findings

By using optimised process parameters (low heat input, medium scanning speed and small hatching distance) which provides medium energy density, samples of IN-738 LC with a macroscopic porosity <0.5 per cent and free of micro-cracks can be manufactured by SLM. The results indicate that HIP of SLMed material did not lead to a noticeable effect on mechanical properties compared to HT of SLMed material suggesting that the level of both porosity and crack density might be already below the detection limit for the mere heat-treated material.

Originality/value

SLM processing parameters (power, scan speed, hatching distance) for IN-738 LC were successfully optimised after only 14 experiments using Doehlert design. Two independent methods, Archimedes method and image analysis, were used in this study to assess relative density of SLM-produced samples with sets of processing parameters showing coherency in prediction with predicted response by Doehlert design.
Role of innovativeness and self-efficacy in tourism m-learning
Authors: Fatima Johra Kayeser , Ghandforoush Parvez , Khan Mahmood , Masico Rita Di
Published: July 2017

Purpose

This study aims to explore the opportunity offered through mobile learning (m-learning) to tourism education in the developing country context. To achieve this aim, the antecedent impact of self-efficacy and the moderator role of innovativeness on the attitude and intention to adopt m-learning have been investigated using the technology acceptance model (TAM).

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 176 participants from three prominent tourism education institutes in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has been conducted. Partial least squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) has been used to analyze the data.

Findings

While the findings confirmed the antecedent effect of self-efficacy on the intention to adopt m-learning, the moderating effect of innovativeness was not found to be as significant for the attitude-intention link.

Research limitations/implications

Data have been collected only from one country and from current tourism students. Future studies on several developing countries with different potential users would bring more in-depth insights.

Practical implications

Tourism education institutes need to focus on students’ self-efficacy to build a positive attitude and behavioral intention toward m-learning when launching mobile-based education services.

Originality/value

The study provides theoretical underpinnings enabling tourism educators to better understand tourism students’ behavioral intention to use m-learning, in particular in the developing country context. By applying TAM to tourism education to examine the effects of students’ self-efficacy and innovativeness, a better explanation of the adoption of m-learning in tourism education is provided.
Effect of waxy rice starch on textural and microstructural properties of microwave‐puffed cheese chips
Authors: Liu Lu , Zhang Hua , Li Xiaodong , Han Xiue , Qu Xiuwei , Chen Ping , Wang Haixia , Wang Lina
Published: July 2017

Protein‐based expanded snacks sometimes do not have homogeneous structures. However, starches are widely used in expanded food snacks because of their good puffing characteristics. We aimed to use waxy rice starch to partially substitute for sodium caseinate in caseinate‐based and caseinate plus soya protein (double‐protein) microwave‐puffed imitation cheese snacks to improve their textural, microstructural and sensory properties. The single‐protein chips without waxy rice starch and the double‐protein chips with a low degree of expansion were not well appreciated, whereas the chips with up to 8 g of waxy rice starch per 100 g of product were scored highly by the panellists. Our results demonstrated that waxy rice starch can improve the expansion, homogeneity, hardness, crispness and colour of imitation cheeses.