bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid radio flaring during an anomalous outburst of SS Cyg
Authors: Mooley K. P. , Miller-Jones J. C. A. , Fender R. P. , Sivakoff G. R. , Rumsey C. , Perrott Y. , Titterington D. , Grainge K. , Russell T. D. , Carey S. H. , Hickish J. , Razavi-Ghods N. , Scaife A. , Scott P. , Waagen E. O.
Published: December 2016

The connection between accretion and jet production in accreting white dwarf binary systems, especially dwarf novae, is not well understood. Radio wavelengths provide key insights into the mechanisms responsible for accelerating electrons, including jets and outflows. Here, we present densely sampled radio coverage, obtained with the Arcminute MicroKelvin Imager Large Array, of the dwarf nova SS Cyg during its 2016 February anomalous outburst. The outburst displayed a slower rise (3 d mag−1) in the optical than typical ones and lasted for more than three weeks. Rapid radio flaring on time-scales <1 h was seen throughout the outburst. The most intriguing behaviour in the radio was towards the end of the outburst where a fast, luminous (‘giant’), flare peaking at ∼20 mJy and lasting for 15 min was observed. This is the first time that such a flare has been observed in SS Cyg and insufficient coverage could explain its non-detection in previous outbursts. These data, together with past radio observations, are consistent with synchrotron emission from plasma ejection events as being the origin of the radio flares. However, the production of the giant flare during the declining accretion rate phase remains unexplained within the standard accretion-jet framework and appears to be markedly different to similar patterns of behaviour in X-ray binaries.
Corpus Tibullianum, Book 3
Authors: Maltby Robert
Published: November 2016

Book 3 of the Corpus Tibullianum consists of a number of discrete sections, composed at different periods and probably assembled as a book in the course of the 2nd century ce. This collection was then added to the two genuine books of Tibullus by the end of the 4th century, when echoes from poems 3.19 and 3.7 are quoted alongside passages from the genuine Tibullus in the poems of Ausonius and Avienus. The different sections of Book 3 are as follows: poems 1–6 (Lygdamus), composed after Ovid’s late works, probably at the end of the 1st century ce; poem 7 (Panegyricus Messallae), perhaps from the 2nd century ce; poems 8–12 (Sulpicia Cycle), immediately after Ovid’s late works, around 20 ce; poems 13–18 (Sulpicia), from the end of the 1st century bce; poem 19 (Pseudo-Tibullus), written after Ovid’s Tristia and Remedia, a little later than 2 ce; and poem 20, a concluding epigram of uncertain date, perhaps early 1st century ce. The dating and authorship of these various sections are still subject to scholarly discussion, but the above account represents an emerging consensus. How these poems by different authors were collected together remains a mystery. All can be connected in some way or another with Tibullus’s patron Messalla Corvinus, his niece Sulpicia, or themes found in the chief poet of his circle, Tibullus. The ultimate source may have been the archives of the family of Messalla. The collection will have begun with the Sulpicia poems, written in Messalla’s lifetime, to which will first have been added the closely related Sulpicia Cycle. Lygdamus seems to have known both these sets of poems and probably came next, and finally would have come the Panegyricus Messallae, the only hexameter work in the collection, probably written as a school exercise long after the death of its addressee. The pseudo-Tibullan poem 19, and the short closing epigram, poem 20, could have been added when the final collection was put together. Whoever put together the collection in its final form showed much skill in the order of arrangement of the poems, highlighting correspondences between the various sections.
Frontiers of the Roman Empire
Authors: Hingley Richard
Published: November 2016

To simplify the list of sources, all accounts postdate 1985, apart from a few key earlier works. The Roman frontiers are often referred to in the German literature as the limes. It is not practical to include specific accounts of particular sites and monuments, since there are thousands of relevant sites. The focus of the works in this list is upon the period from 1st to early 5th ce, and the list does not address the frontiers of the Byzantine Empire. The works are divided into themes that address the history of research, the meaning of frontiers, the physical character of these works, the complex nature of the populations living along and beyond their lines, late Roman frontiers, and the 21st-century move to develop approaches to the heritage of the Roman frontiers. This list deliberately emphasizes works that aim to bring a broader range of interpretations that move beyond the dominant focus of Roman frontier studies on the material remains of the Roman military units.
Buddhism and Ethics
Authors: Cozort Daniel
Published: November 2016

Inasmuch as the Buddhist ideal is human perfection, ethics are a particularly important area. Ethics (śīla) is one of the three trainings (with insight and meditation) that lead to enlightenment. Ethics can be approached in several ways: many of the following works are “normative,” seeking to establish which ethical principles are foundational and what conclusions one might draw from that concerning specific ethical problems (see Foundations, Early Buddhism, Madhyamaka, East Asian Traditions, and Tibetan Traditions). Some are “meta-ethical,” reflecting on the overall nature of Buddhist ethics or the meaning of moral terms (see Nature of Buddhist Ethics). Some are examples of “applied ethics,” focusing on specific rules (see Early Buddhism and Vinaya). Some are “descriptive,” telling us how people actually behave (see especially East Asian Traditions and Tibetan Traditions and the works under Perspectives on Contemporary Issues). Finally, some are “comparative,” reflecting on what Western psychology or cognitive science can tell us about Buddhist moral judgments (see Phenomenology of Buddhist Moral Judgments and Buddhist Ethics and Cognitive Sciences).
Cassandra Fedele
Authors: Robin Diana
Published: November 2016

Cassandra Fedele (b. 1465–d. 1558) was the most renowned female scholar of Latin and Greek in Europe by 1500. On her death she left a book of 121 Latin letters and three orations, published posthumously in 1636. She was born to citizen-class parents Angelo Fedele and Barara Leoni in Venice, neither of them scholars. Her father hired a Servite friar, Gasparino Borro, to teach her Latin and Greek. She delivered her first public oration in Latin at the University of Padua in 1487: published in Modena in 1487, Nuremberg in 1488, and Venice in 1489. Fedele delivered her second Latin oration before the doge Agostino Barbarigo and the Venetian senate in 1487. After her marriage to the physician Gian-Maria Mappelli, she disappeared from the public arena until 1556 when she delivered an oration in honor of Queen Bona Sforza of Poland on her arrival in Venice. The biographical tradition attests to her having written poetry and a book titled Ordo scientiarum (The order of the sciences) but no trace of this work survives.
George Montagu Dunk, Second Earl of Halifax
Authors: Beaumont Andrew D. M.
Published: November 2016

George Montagu Dunk (b. 1716–d. 1771) was a British career politician from 1739 until his death in 1771. During his professional life, he successively held the titles of Lord of the Bedchamber (1742–1744), Master of the Buckhounds (1744–1746), Chief Justice in eyre south of the Trent (1746–1748), First Lord of the Board of Trade & Plantations (1748–1761), Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1761–1763), First Lord of the Admiralty (1762–1763), Secretary of State for the Northern Department (1762–1763), Secretary of State for the Southern Department (1763–1765), and Lord Privy Seal (1770–1771). George Montagu, Viscount Sunbury was born on 5 or 6 October 1716, the only son of George Montagu, first earl of Halifax (c. 1684–1739), politician, and his second wife, Lady Mary Lumley (b. 1690–d. 1726), the eldest daughter of Richard Lumley, first earl of Scarbrough (b. 1650–d. 1721). The family owed their title to the political achievements of Montagu’s great-uncle, Charles Montagu (b. 1661–d. 1715), a career bureaucrat and former First Lord of the Treasury. Montagu was formally educated at Eton College from 1725 to 1732, and subsequently at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he matriculated in 1734; he later studied at the Academie D’Angers while undertaking a European Grand Tour from 1736 to 1738. Initially intending to enter the Commons as member for Banbury, Montagu instead succeeded his father as second earl of Halifax in May 1739, assuming also the roles of Ranger of Bushey Park and Keeper and Lieutenant of Hampton Court. Establishing himself in opposition to the administration of Sir Robert Walpole, Halifax courted the favor of likeminded political allies and members of his extended family, receiving his early career posts through the patronage of John Russell, Duke of Bedford (b. 1710–d. 1771). Halifax’s political career is chiefly remembered for his dynamic role in shaping colonial policy while serving as President of the Board of Trade from 1748 to 1761, which included the founding of the British settlement at Halifax, Nova Scotia, established as a model royal colony in 1749. He is also noted for his involvement in the Wilkes affair of 1763, during which, as Secretary of State, he issued an illegal general search warrant against the radical member of Parliament John Wilkes. In 1741 Halifax married Anne Richards (b. 1726–d. 1753), agreeing to a stipulation of her late father’s will to adopt the familial name of Dunk: virtually all of his correspondence was thereafter signed “Dunk Halifax.” One daughter of this union, Lady Elizabeth (Betty) Montagu (d. 1768) survived into adulthood, and married John Montagu, Fifth Earl of Sandwich (1744–1814). In 1760 Halifax was engaged to wed Mary Ann Drury, a wealthy heiress, but broke off the engagement to pursue Anna Maria Donaldson (née Mary Anne Faulkner), a married actress with whom he lived during his final years. They appear to have had two children, neither of whom survived into adulthood, and Halifax’s hereditary titles were discontinued upon his death in 1771.
Candidate Emergence and Recruitment
Authors: Maestas Cherie , Shepherd Mary Jo
Published: November 2016

High-quality candidates for office are an essential ingredient for an effective democracy. At the most basic level, democracy is strongest when citizens have quality choices at the ballot box. However, candidate emergence provides an essential ingredient in a less obvious way. Strategic candidate emergence serves as a check in a democracy, as ambitious candidates keep a close eye on their prospects of winning—prospects that change in response to incumbent missteps, representation gaps, or shifts in economic or political conditions. This article is designed to provide an overview of the major foundational studies that explore the causes and consequences of candidacies in the United States and beyond. The earliest foundational research into candidate emergence focused first on the institutional structures that defined opportunities for office—a “political career ladder” created by incentives and opportunities for individuals to exercise their political ambitions—and later on developing formal models to explain candidate entry decisions. Candidates, scholars have argued, calculate an “expected utility model” in which they estimate the benefits they would receive from winning office, assess their chances of winning, and balance this against the costs of running. If the expected benefits outweigh the personal and financial costs associated with running, candidates enter the race. The canonical model directs scholarly attention toward understanding the institutional and contextual factors that shape candidates’ chances of winning and costs of running. As the section on Strategic Factors and Candidate Emergence shows, this approach has yielded a bounty of research. However, other scholars note that the calculations for entering a race only arise among those that already hold some level of ambition for political office. Ambition arises from a variety of sources related to socialization and political recruitment. The sections on Ambition for Office and Candidate Recruitment by Political Gatekeepers detail this literature. Both sections highlight gaps in ambition and representation of minorities and women, and many studies have sought to understand the institutional and sociopolitical sources of such gaps (see Gender, Candidate Recruitment, Emergence, and Success and Race, Ambition, and Candidate Emergence). Candidacies matter greatly for democratic outcomes, both in terms of creating a mechanism for democratic accountability for parties in office, the demographic biases in legislative institutions, and for how ambitions shape political choices among office holders (see Consequences of Ambition and Candidate Emergence for Political Accountability; Ambition, Candidate Emergence, and Representative Behavior in Office; and Demand and Supply Explanations for Biases in Group Representation). The section Data Sources on Candidates and Candidate Emergence highlights sources of election data and survey data that scholars might use to study candidacies in the US context.
Pronouns
Authors: van Gelderen Elly
Published: November 2016

The word “pronoun” can refer to many things; its name suggests that it stands for or refers to another noun. Personal, reflexive, reciprocal, relative, and indefinite pronouns indeed replace nouns, or more accurately noun phrases (NPs) or determiner phrases (DPs). Possessive, demonstrative, and interrogative pronouns can either refer to an NP or DP on their own or modify a noun to form part of a DP, and are then referred to as determiners. There are also “preforms” that stand for a prepositional phrase, adjective phrase, and verb phrase; the proforms will not be discussed here. From a diachronic perspective, there are many generalities in how pronouns arise. Thus, third-person personal pronouns often develop from demonstratives, and reflexives develop from nouns related to “person” or “self.” Since a pronoun is not stable diachronically, languages vary between whether pronouns are arguments, topics, or agreement and whether they are pronouns, clitics, or affixes. Cross-linguistic studies show that (subject) agreement is more frequent than pronouns and it is therefore important to consider the status of this (pronominal) agreement as opposed to full pronouns. If a pronoun stands for a noun phrase, the question arises as to what its syntactic category is, i.e., is it a D with an empty noun or a DP/NP? The answer is that it varies cross-linguistically. Pronouns can be specialized for the person, number, and gender of the referent and are, in many languages, marked by case for its grammatical function and for level of formality. Looking from a typological perspective, it is obvious that these marking are not arbitrary; for instance, third person pronouns are more likely to indicate gender. Pronouns can mark politeness and inclusiveness and exclusiveness of the addressee. The syntax and morphology of pronouns centers around the question if they are a D or a DP or somewhere in between. This question is obviously related to their status as full argument or as agreement marker. Languages also differ as to what features are encoded and how. The pragmatics and semantics of pronouns are also complex. In many languages, the topicality of the noun phrase is marked by the use of a full nominal, a pronoun, or a zero form. For instance, a pronoun may be left out (pro-drop in Romance) when the noun phrase referred to is highly topical and an emphatic pronoun is used when the topic is switched. Finally, references on acquisition and retention have been provided.
Utility of Emergency Department Observation Units for Neurologically Intact Children With Head CT Abnormalities Secondary to Acute Closed Head Injury
Authors: Lefort Roxanna , Hunter Jill V. , Cruz Andrea T. , Caviness A. Chantal , Luerssen Thomas G. , Adekunle-Ojo Aderonke
Published: December 2016

Objective

The aim of the study was to evaluate the utility of the emergency department observation unit (EDOU) for neurologically intact children with closed head injuries (CHIs) and computed tomography (CT) abnormalities.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of children aged 0 to 18 years with acute CHI, abnormal head CT, and a Glasgow Coma Scales score of 14 or higher admitted to the EDOU of a tertiary care children's hospital from 2007 to 2010. Children with multisystem trauma, nonaccidental trauma, and previous neurosurgical or coagulopathic conditions were excluded. Medical records were abstracted for demographic, clinical, and radiographic findings. Poor outcome was defined as death, intensive care unit admission, or medically/surgically treated increased intracranial pressure.

Results

Two hundred two children were included. Median (range) age was 14 (4 days-16 years) months; 51% were male. The most common CT findings were nondisplaced (136, 67%) or displaced (46, 23%) as well as skull fractures and subdural hematomas (38, 19%); 54 (27%) had less than 1 CT finding. The most common interventions included repeat CT (42, 21%), antiemetics (26, 13%), and pain medication (29, 14%). Eighty-nine percent were discharged in less than 24 hours. Inpatient admission from the EDOU occurred in 6 (3%); all were discharged in less than 3 days. One patient required additional intervention (corticosteroid therapy). She had a subdural hematoma, persistent vomiting, intractable headache, and a nonevolving CT.

Conclusions

Neurologically intact patients on initial ED evaluation had a very low likelihood of requiring further interventions, irrespective of CT findings. Although prospective evidence is necessary, this supports reliance on clinical findings when evaluating a well-appearing child with an acute CHI.
TriPer, an optical probe tuned to the endoplasmic reticulum tracks H2O2consumption by glutathione
Authors: Melo Eduardo Pinho , Lopes Carlos , Gollwitzer Peter , Lortz Stephan , Lenzen Sigurd , Mehmeti Ilir , Kaminski Clemens F. , Ron David , Avezov Edward
Published: November 2016

The fate of H2O2in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has been inferred indirectly from the activity of ER localized thiol oxidases and peroxiredoxins,in vitro, and the consequences of their genetic manipulation,in vivo. Here we report on the development of TriPer, a vital optical probe sensitive to changes in the concentration of H2O2in the thiol-oxidizing environment of the ER. Consistent with the hypothesized contribution of oxidative protein folding to H2O2production, ER-localized TriPer detected an increase in the luminal H2O2signal upon induction of pro-insulin (a disulfide bonded protein of pancreatic β-cells), which was attenuated by the ectopic expression of catalase in the ER lumen. Interfering with glutathione production in the cytosol by buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) or enhancing its localized destruction by expression of the glutathione-degrading enzyme ChaC1 in lumen of the ER, enhanced further the luminal H2O2signal and eroded β-cell viability. Tracking ER H2O2in live cells points to an unanticipated role for glutathione in H2O2turnover.

Significance statement

The presence of millimolar glutathione in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum has been difficult to understand purely in terms of modulation of protein-based disulphide bond formation in secreted proteins. Over the years hints have suggested that glutathione might have a role in reducing the heavy burden of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) produced by the luminal enzymatic machinery for disulphide bond formation. However, limitations in existing in vivo H2O2probes have rendered them all but useless in the thiol-oxidizing ER, precluding experimental follow-up of glutathione’s role ER H2O2metabolism.

Here we report on the development and mechanistic characterization of an optical probe, TriPer that circumvents the limitations of previous sensors by retaining specific responsiveness to H2O2in thiol-oxidizing environments. Application of this tool to the ER of an insulin-producing pancreatic b-cells model system revealed that ER glutathione antagonizes locally-produced H2O2resulting from the oxidative folding of pro-insulin.

This study presents an interdisciplinary effort intersecting cell biology and chemistry: An original redox chemistry concept leading to development of a biological tool, broadly applicable for in vivo studies of H2O2metabolism in the ER. More broadly, the concept developed here sets a precedent for applying a tri-cysteine relay system to discrimination between various oxidative reactants, in complex redox milieux.
Relationships between chromosomal aberration breakpoints and chromosomal contacts: biophysical modeling study
Authors: Slanina S. V. , Eidelman Y. A. , Aleshchenko A. V. , Andreev S. G.
Published: November 2016

Radiation-induced chromosomal exchange aberrations (CAs) are formed presumably at contacts of damaged chromosomal loci. For sparsely ionizing radiation, distribution of aberrations along the chromosome should depend on distribution of contacts, i.e. on 3D organization of the chromosome. The progress in experimental techniques for study of chromosomal contacts and for precise localization of aberration breakpoints allows to verify contacts-based mechanisms of CA formation experimentally. In the present work, the polymer model of mouse interphase chromosome 18 is developed. On this basis the experimental data on contacts and aberrations are jointly analyzed. We demonstrate high correlation between chromosomal contacts and aberrations breakpoint distributions. Possible factors and alternative mechanisms which could modify breakpoint distributions are discussed.
Biased evolutionary inferences from bulk tumor samples
Authors: Alves J.M. , Prieto T. , Posada D.
Published: November 2016

It is generally agreed that tumors are composed of multiple cell clones defined by different somatic mutations. Characterizing the evolutionary mechanisms driving this intratumor genetic heterogeneity (ITH) is crucial to improve both cancer diagnosis and therapeutic strategies. For that purpose, recent ITH studies have focused on qualitative comparisons of mutational profiles derived from bulk sequencing of multiple tumor samples extracted from the same patient. Here, we show some examples where the naive use of bulk data in multiregional studies may lead to erroneous inferences of the evolutionary trajectories that underlie tumor progression, including biased timing of somatic mutations, spurious parallel mutation events, and/or incorrect chronological ordering of metastatic events. In addition, we analyze three real datasets to highlight how the use of bulk mutational profiles instead of inferred clones can lead to different conclusions about mutational recurrence and population structure.
Hybrid online/offline mobile solutions for accessing open educational resources in areas with poor internet connectivity
Authors: D.L. Pugoy Reinald Adrian , D.L. Habito Consuelo , B. Figueroa Roberto
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present mobile solutions that aid in accessing open educational resources (OERs) in areas that have limited bandwidth resulting in poor internet connectivity and a gap between those with ready access to the online OERs and those without such access.

Design/methodology/approach

A system architecture was designed to support the repository-based, mobile-friendly, and hybrid online/offline characteristics of OERs. In a hybrid online/offline setup, the learner connects to the internet to obtain OERs from the repository via a process called syncing. Afterward, he may view any OER content regardless of whether he is online or offline. Mobile solutions based on Browser-Like Android App (BLAP)/HTTrack and Worona/Corona approaches were successfully implemented and evaluated by 139 respondents using the System Usability Scale.

Findings

BLAP/HTTrack and Worona/Corona solutions were well received. These were found to be both relatively usable, acquiring above-average usability scores of 73.2374 and 71.6546, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study aim to contribute to the literature of hybrid online/offline model that addresses low bandwidth access of OERs in developing countries, which is not historically well provided.

Originality/value

The mobile solutions were designed to help those learners who experience internet connectivity difficulties in accessing OERs efficiently and updating them conveniently.
Fear of failure in the workplace among Brazilian employees
Authors: de Souza Daniel Oswaldo Santana , Tomei Patrícia Amélia
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how demographic variables – such as age, gender, professional status, type of employment situation, and hierarchal level – affect perceived fear of failure in the workplace among Brazilian employees.

Design/methodology/approach

For this purpose, the authors applied the Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory – (Conroy, 2002) to an intentionally non-probabilistic sample of graduate students from a university in Rio de Janeiro.

Findings

The results indicate that in terms of the sample, Brazilian civil servants have relatively higher indices of fear of failure than employees of private companies, despite the high stability related to their type of employment situation.

Research limitations/implications

The statistical treatment of the data indicated the occurrence of the phenomenon of “false low scores”, putting in evidence some limitations related to studies about the expression of feelings, especially negative ones, like fear. The authors also highlight the need to adjust the fear of failure construct and its scale to the Brazilian organizational setting.

Originality/value

Employees’ emotions, such as fear, have a real impact on organizational performance. Many factors contribute to the feeling of fear in the workplace. This, in most cases, is perceived as damaging, negatively effecting organizational dynamics. However, there are those who see a positive side to fear, as it prompts greater effort to attain results. The research, assessing the occurrence of this feeling among Brazilian employees, intends to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities related to the workplace.
Etihad Rail: a new way to change a business landmark in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Zamberi Ahmad Syed , Ahmad Norita
Published: November 2016

Subject area

The subject areas are strategic management, transportation management and business management.

Study level/applicability

This case is useful for undergraduate and postgraduate level students majoring in strategic management, transportation management and business management.

Case overview

Etihad Rail Company is planning to implement a mega infrastructure project in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They have included freight rail system as part of the 2030 Abu Dhabi economic vision and the UAE national Charter 2021. The plan is to link the UAE’s main cities via the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) border. This ambitious project presents a formidable task for the Etihad Rail Company and the region, as there is no previous railway history of this kind. The project requires coordination of rail standards from East of Ghwefatet and the Northern Emirates cities and will ultimately be combined with the Western Saudi Arabia borders. The transportation system in the region will be improved greatly with the introduction of a cargo and passenger railway system in addition to the current road system and other means of transportation. The Etihad railway network is the first infrastructure project in the UAE, and it will bring economic, strategic, social and environmental changes to the country. This case aims to present an overview of the strategic management dimensions of the Etihad Rail and the processes involved. This case will analyze whether Etihad’s top management team should make a decision to focus only on freight rail or to include passenger transportation as well. Many questions will be addressed in this paper such as the following: What steps should Etihad take to start passenger rail? Will economical, strategic and environmental aspects affect it? And if so, how? The case will focus on the analysis of the different aspects of Etihad Rail by using strategic management tools as guidance for implementation and determining its success factors.

Expected learning outcomes

In this case, the students can learn and understand the purpose of commencing cargo rail projects in the region; discuss the mechanisms which help in promoting sustainability and the business growth of Etihad Rail; and identify the challenges and issues freight rail may face in terms of legal, economic and environmental aspects and identify and alternative solutions.

Supplementary material

Teaching notes are available upon request.

Subject code

CSS 11: Strategy.
Asia Pulp & Paper: a balanced balance sheet?
Authors: Rahman Asheq , Perera Hector , Chua Frances
Published: November 2016

Subject area

International business, Accounting and Finance.

Study level/applicability

Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels (advanced financial accounting, international accounting, other accounting and business courses with an international setting.

Case overview

The case uses the Asia Pulp & Paper Company’s (APP) entry into the international debt market to highlight the consequences of different business practices between the East (in this case, Indonesia) and the West. On the one hand, it shows that APP was set up as the “front” to access international debt capital; on the other, it reveals the naïvety of Western lenders who parted with their funds without conducting a thorough background research on the financial viability of the company they invested in. The APP debacle is a poignant reminder for market participants and business/accounting students that the divergence of the business settings across countries can make business contractual arrangements tenuous and corporate financial information irrelevant to its users. It also exposes the unique ways of how some Asian countries conduct their business affairs.

Expected learning outcomes

The following are the expected learning outcomes: comprehend the impact of differences in culture and ethnic origin on business practices; evaluate the impact of cultural nuances on the legality of contracts in the international business setting; understand the impact of currency fluctuation on the financial position of multinational firms; and be more cautious in conducting business and entering into contracts with foreign firms.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CCS 1: Accounting and Finance.
Assessment of the ARFF-related NFPA standards development process
Authors: Herron Rene , Smith Todd D. , Mikutel Douglas , Gorman M.K.
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) develops standards for fire and emergency services through a consensus standard process, which includes a revisionary cycle. The paper aims to discuss these issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study employs a qualitative case study method to examine the NFPA’s development process for standards specific to aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF). The revisionary cycle of this process serves as an important tool to maintain currency in the industry.

Findings

As a result of the qualitative analyses, researchers identified processes and procedures that were supported by NFPA ARFF Technical Committee members. Further, members delineated factors that could be enhanced to ensure greater success with the standards development process. Initially, the research was to examine the revisionary cycle process of the NFPA ARFF standards. While this was achieved other items were identified: desire of all committee members interviewed to see these standards be widely accepted, to have more of those in the fire and emergency services industry and the general public involved, and to continue to enhance a revisionary cycle that these members believe to assist in public safety.

Originality/value

This study is novel in that it is one of a few studies that directly addresses the ARFF area of firefighting. This paper adds to the limited literature available in this area and provides guidance with ways to enhance the overall standards development process for NFPA ARFF-related consensus standards.
A qualitative exploration: life after the emergency services
Authors: Bracken-Scally Mairéad , McGilloway Sinéad
Published: November 2016

Purpose

Much has been written about the impact of emergency service work on personnel, but very little is known about the lives of personnel once they have retired. The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences and assess the quality of life (QoL) of emergency service retirees (ESRs) and to ascertain the possible longer term effects of emergency service work.

Design/methodology/approach

A series of one-to-one interviews was conducted with ESRs (n=10). These were then transcribed and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Findings

A number of key emergent themes and associated sub-themes were identified from the analysis including: retirement as a major life change; potential impact of working role and unique aspects of emergency service work; trauma; and health and ageing more generally. Overall, the findings highlight the unique experiences of ESRs and the potential longer term impact of emergency service work on QoL in retirement.

Originality/value

In an under-researched area, the findings point towards a need to improve the transition to retirement for ESRs and, in particular, to enhance available supports, information and guidance for retirees, both prior to and following retirement.
Policing in austerity: time to go lean?
Authors: Smith Richard
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider the way in which the police service in England and Wales may be able to deal with significant cuts in government funding. The concept of “lean”, as developed in Japanese manufacturing in the 1950s, is proposed as a method by which waste can be reduced at the same time as improvements being made in policing outcomes. Characteristics of police culture and leadership are presented as potential blockages to the successful implementation of lean.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews literature within the sphere of operations management, policing and organisational behaviour to make appropriate recommendations. A case study, considering the performance challenges facing the Metropolitan Police Service in London, is provided to aid understanding and act as a catalyst for further discussion and research.

Findings

This paper argues that the simplistic approach to managing austerity so far has been short sighted – rather than considering the longer term development of policing and how a methodology such as lean may be better placed to deliver genuine improvements in public service, whilst also meeting unprecedented fiscal challenges.

Originality/value

Consideration of lean within public sector management has received recent scrutiny, but very little is offered in terms of the opportunities that lean thinking can offer within policing.
Comparing critical success factors between European M&As in China and Chinese M&As in Europe
Authors: Chen Yu , Werle Herbert , Moser Roger
Published: December 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare the critical success factors (CSFs) between two groups of European mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in China and Chinese M&As in Europe.

Design/methodology/approach

In the paper, a mixed-method research design which combines primary case study with secondary questionnaire survey is applied.

Findings

The findings from the case study show the main differences with respect to CSFs between the two groups are related to: importance of relationship building in Chinese culture, Chinese culture trait of high power distance, Chinese decision process, complicated Chinese approval process for foreign companies doing M&As in China, integration of acquired Chinese/European company, and relatively new phenomenon of Chinese acquisitions in Europe. The Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test from the questionnaire survey provides statistical support for significant difference between the two groups regarding the factor of involvement and commitment of acquiring companies’ entrepreneurial CEO/chairman in the M&A process.

Originality/value

This paper is among the first attempts to conduct a comparative study which provides new insights into the differences between the CSFs in European M&As in China and in Chinese M&As in Europe.
High performance work systems and employees’ intention to leave
Authors: Kundu Subhash C. , Gahlawat Neha
Published: November 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to advance the research on relationship between high performance work systems (HPWS) and employees’ intention to leave by examining the mediating role of trust, motivation and organizational citizenship behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data based on 563 respondents were analysed to investigate the relationship between HPWS, employee outcomes and employees’ intention to leave. Statistical techniques like confirmatory factor analysis, correlations, regression and bootstrapping were used to analyse the data.

Findings

The study has revealed that the application of HPWS in the form of rigorous staffing, extensive training, performance-based appraisal and compensation, employee relations, self-managed teams, flexible work arrangements and empowerment results in enhanced employee work-related outcomes and decreased intention to leave among employees. The results have indicated that the relationship between HPWS and employees’ intention to leave is serially mediated by employee outcomes.

Practical implications

The study gives strong indications that investments in creating bundles of high performance HR practices will enhance the value of the human capital by eliciting favourable employee attitudes and behaviours and therefore will prove beneficial for the organizations operating in India.

Originality/value

This study has attempted to provide new insights in the underlying mechanism existing in the relationship between HPWS and employees’ intention to leave by using multiple mediators in sequence.
Practical challenges of BIM education
Authors: Puolitaival Taija , Forsythe Perry
Published: November 2016

Purpose

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is becoming the new norm in the AEC industry and also part of many construction project management (CPM) programmes. The purpose of this paper is to address the difficulty and challenges in walking the narrow line between an industry-ready BIM and a BIM that is good for student learning and offers a realistic and practical, but simultaneously achievable, learning environment.

Design/methodology/approach

An action research was conducted in an undergraduate CPM education setting.

Findings

Key challenges encountered were availability of appropriate teaching and learning resources for BIM; finding the balance between theory and practice, technology and process, and traditional and emerging CPM methods; and facilitating staff’s professional development. Closer look was given to the teaching and learning resources for BIM. Theoretical resources that are available for education in the form of books, articles and websites are easy and straightforward to locate. Likewise, a good share of various tools are available for educational purposes. On the other hand, actual building models represent a challenge in terms of preparing and optimising usage of the model for high-quality educational purposes. Several different approaches for obtaining BIM resources were identified with various challenges and benefits.

Originality/value

The results and recommendations will assist educators to better understand and overcome the practical challenges related to BIM education, especially those related to teaching and learning resources.
Thermal comfort analyses of naturally ventilated university classrooms
Authors: Hamzah Baharuddin , Ishak Muhammad Taufik , Beddu Syarif , Osman Mohammad Yoenus
Published: November 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse thermal comfort and the thermal environment in naturally ventilated classrooms. Specifically, the aims of the study were to identify the thermal environment and thermal comfort of respondents in naturally ventilated university classrooms and compare them with the ASHRAE and Indonesian National Standard (SNI); to check on whether the predicted mean vote (PMV) model is applicable or not for predicting the thermal comfort of occupants in naturally ventilated university classrooms; and to analyse the neutral temperature of occupants in the naturally ventilated university classrooms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was carried out at the new campus of Faculty of Engineering, Hasanuddin University, Gowa campus. A number of field surveys, which measured thermal environments, namely, air temperature, mean radiant temperature (MRT), relative humidity, and air velocity, were carried out. The personal activity and clothing properties were also recorded. At the same time, respondents were asked to fill a questionnaire to obtain their thermal sensation votes (TSV) and thermal comfort votes (TCV), thermal preference, and thermal acceptance. A total of 118 respondents participated in the study. Before the survey was conducted, a brief explanation was provided to the participants to ensure that they understood the study objectives and also how to fill in the questionnaires.

Findings

The results indicated that the surveyed classrooms had higher thermal environments than those specified in the well-known ASHRAE standard and Indonesian National Standard (SNI). However, this condition did not make respondents feel uncomfortable because a large proportion of respondents voted within the comfort zone (+1, 0, and −1). The predictive mean vote using the PMV model was higher than the respondents’ votes either by TSV or by TCV. There was a huge difference between neutral temperature using operative temperature (To) and air temperature (Ta). This difference may have been because of the small value of MRT recorded in the measured classrooms.

Originality/value

The research shows that the use of the PMV model in predicting thermal comfort in the tropic region might be misleading. This is because PMV mostly overestimates the TSV and TCV of the respondents. People in the tropic region are more tolerant to a higher temperature. On the basis of this finding, there is a need to develop a new thermal comfort model for university classrooms that is particularly optimal for this tropical area.
Above‐ and below‐ground responses of four tundra plant functional types to deep soil heating and surface soil fertilization
Authors: Wang Peng , Limpens Juul , Mommer Liesje , van Ruijven Jasper , Nauta Ake L. , Berendse Frank , Schaepman‐Strub Gabriela , Blok Daan , Maximov Trofim C. , Heijmans Monique M.P.D.
Published: November 2016

Climate warming is faster in the Arctic than the global average. Nutrient availability in the tundra soil is expected to increase by climate warming through (i) accelerated nutrient mobilization in the surface soil layers, and (ii) increased thawing depths during the growing season which increases accessibility of nutrients in the deeper soil layers. Both processes may initiate shifts in tundra vegetation composition. It is important to understand the effects of these two processes on tundra plant functional types.

We manipulated soil thawing depth and nutrient availability at a Northeast‐Siberian tundra site to investigate their effects on above‐ and below‐ground responses of four plant functional types (grasses, sedges, deciduous shrubs and evergreen shrubs). Seasonal thawing was accelerated with heating cables at c. 15 cm depth without warming the surface soil, whereas nutrient availability was increased in the surface soil by adding slow‐releaseNPKfertilizer at c. 5 cm depth. A combination of these two treatments was also included. This is the first field experiment specifically investigating the effects of accelerated thawing in tundra ecosystems.

Deep soil heating increased the above‐ground biomass of sedges, the deepest rooted plant functional type in our study, but did not affect biomass of the other plant functional types. In contrast, fertilization increased above‐ground biomass of the two dwarf shrub functional types, both of which had very shallow root systems. Grasses showed the strongest response to fertilization, both above‐ and below‐ground. Grasses were deep‐rooted, and they showed the highest plasticity in terms of vertical root distribution, as grass root distribution shifted to deep and surface soil in response to deep soil heating and surface soil fertilization respectively.

Synthesis. Our results indicate that increased thawing depth can only benefit deep‐rooted sedges, while the shallow‐rooted dwarf shrubs, as well as flexible‐rooted grasses, take advantage of increased nutrient availability in the upper soil layers. Our results suggest that grasses have the highest root plasticity, which enables them to be more competitive in rapidly changing environments. We conclude that root vertical distribution strategies are important for vegetation responses to climate‐induced increases in soil nutrient availability in Arctic tundra, and that future shifts in vegetation composition will depend on the balance between changes in thawing depth and nutrient availability in the surface soil.
Biodegradation of the aminopolyphosphonate DTPMP by the cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis proceeds via a C–P lyase‐independent pathway
Authors: Drzyzga Damian , Forlani Giuseppe , Vermander Jochen , Kafarski Paweł , Lipok Jacek
Published: December 2016

Cyanobacteria, the only prokaryotes capable of oxygenic photosynthesis, play a major role in carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus global cycling. Under conditions of increased P availability and nutrient loading, some cyanobacteria are capable of blooming, rapidly multiplying and possibly altering the ecological structure of the ecosystem. Because of their ability of using non‐conventional P sources, these microalgae can be used for bioremediation purposes. Under this perspective, the metabolization of the polyphosphonate diethylenetriaminepenta(methylenephosphonic) acid (DTPMP) by the strain CCALA 007 of Anabaena variabilis was investigated using 31P NMR analysis. Results showed a quantitative breakdown of DTPMP by cell‐free extracts from cyanobacterial cells grown in the absence of any phosphonate. The identification of intermediates and products allowed us to propose a unique and new biodegradation pathway in which the formation of (N‐acetylaminomethyl)phosphonic acid represents a key step. This hypothesis was strengthened by the results obtained by incubating cell‐free extracts with pathway intermediates. When Anabaena cultures were grown in the presence of the phosphonate, or phosphorus‐starved before the extraction, significantly higher biodegradation rates were found.