bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Peace keeping in a model of conflict with foreign investments
Authors: Lahiri Sajal , Vlad Valerica 
Published: November 2019

Purpose
This paper aims to examine the role of outside peacekeepers in a bilateral conflict.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors build upon a trade theoretic framework by incorporating disruptions due to war, which could affect directly the return to investment, both domestic and foreign, and by introducing explicitly peacekeeping forces into the model. Two countries are engaged in a war, with the purpose of capturing capital. A third country plays a dual role: it is the source of investments in the warring countries, and it deploys soldiers on ground for peacekeeping purposes. The authors consider the cases where the levels of foreign investments are exogenous and when they are endogenously determined by free mobility conditions. In the worst case, they find that foreign investment reduces conflict. In the case of endogenous foreign investments, they examine the effect of multilateral agreements where the two warring countries reduce their number of soldiers and the third increases the number of peacekeepers.

Findings
The authors find that the reform benefits all three countries and increases the level of foreign investments. They consider the cases of exogenous and endogenous foreign direct investment (FDI). In the first case, the authors examine the effect of an exogenous increase in FDI on the war equilibrium and find that it reduces the employment of soldiers in the warring countries and increases the size of the peacekeeping force. They also find that the first-best level of peacekeeping is larger than the equilibrium level. When FDI is endogenous, starting from the initial war equilibrium, they also examine the effect of a multilateral agreement in which the size of the peacekeeping force is increased by the third country and the two warring countries agree to reduce their war efforts. The authors find that the reform makes all three countries better off and increases the level of FDI.

Originality/value
The paper uses a theoretical model with third-party interventions in a bilateral war. It intends to shed light on some of the missing economic implications of peacekeeping. The paper introduces explicitly peacekeeping forces into the analysis and introduces a factor that represents a disruption to return on investment in both warring countries. The third country has a dual role; it provides investments in the warring countries and deploys soldiers for peacekeeping. Peacekeeping reduces the disruption mentioned above and affects the employment of soldiers by the warring countries. The authors find that a multilateral agreement in which the two warring countries reduce their war efforts and the third party increases its peacekeeping force can increase welfare in all three countries.
Organizational culture and information systems strategic alignment
Authors: Chtourou Ben Amar Nesrine , Ben Romdhane Randa 
Published: November 2019

Purpose
Information systems (IS) strategic alignment is a significant chief information officers (CIO) and top management issue because of its impact on a firm’s performance and profitability. Previous studies have primarily examined informal dimension’s influence on IS strategic alignment. Nevertheless, a few research works have emphasised cultural dimension’s effect. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate and bring out organisational culture’s influence on IS strategic alignment. Notably, it highlights the most significant culture types, according to the Competing Value Framework (Cameron et al., 2006).

Design/methodology/approach
Empirical setting comprises a quantitative approach using a survey based on a sample of 160 business managers (BMs) of 53 large companies located in Tunisia with international activities and being in the post-implementation operational use phase of their enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. The partial least square (PLS) method has been used for data analysis.

Findings
The results provide an empirical evidence supporting a positive and significant organisational culture’s influence on the IS strategic alignment. The findings also show that “Clan Culture” (Internal/Flexibility-oriented culture) positively influences IS alignment along with the strategic priorities. These findings provide guidance and help understand how, through clan culture, the company can contribute significantly to the success of its ERP systems strategic alignment during the most critical phase, namely, post-implementation.

Originality/value
Despite abundant work related to IS alignment topic, little research, to the authors’ knowledge, has been undertaken in considering organisational culture’s influence. Thus, this research aims to fill this gap and to raise new questions about IS alignment. First, this study puts together organisational culture (through the Competing values Framework) and strategic alignment (through the IS use dimension) in a single research model to analyse four culture types’ direct effect on IS alignment. Second, this study is innovative in its use of the ERP post-implementation as an empirical framework. The post-implementation phase is often played down in research work in favour of the upstream pre-implementation phases. Furthermore, the findings bring together theoretical and practical insights on both IS-business strategic alignment and ERP post-implementation. Thus, future research could emphasise the role of clan culture in the efficiency of ERP systems strategic alignment during the usage phase. Building on these findings, BM, CIO and top management are advised to promote this culture type based on communication, information sharing and the spirit of internal partnership – so that their ERP systems are used appropriately and aligned with the company’s strategic priorities.
Financial innovations in Islamic countries: the road to perdition or salvation?
Authors: Iman Nofie 
Published: November 2019

PurposeHow do financial innovations form and evolve in Islamic countries? How do nature and the organisation of innovation interact? Focussing on retail payment services, this paper aims to analyse recent developments and displays an overview of the status of financial innovation in Islamic countries.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses six countries as case studies, namely, Egypt, Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey and the UAE. Comparison within and across those cases helps the author provide explanations of how and why such innovations have worked in particular contexts.FindingsWhile cash remains dominant, the author found rapid growth in retail payments, but no consensus on standardisation. Several digital innovations have been introduced and begun to converge. Finally, there seems to be a disconnection between innovations and inclusions.Originality/valueThis research paper is, among the few, related to innovation in financial services in Islamic countries, and can be used to develop appropriate marketing strategies for capturing value in the market.
A target-centric intelligence approach to WannaCry 2.0
Authors: Turner Adam B. , McCombie Stephen , Uhlmann Allon J. 
Published: November 2019

Purpose
This paper aims to demonstrate the utility of a target-centric approach to intelligence collection and analysis in the prevention and investigation of ransomware attacks that involve cryptocurrencies. The paper uses the May 2017 WannaCry ransomware usage of the Bitcoin ecosystem as a case study. The approach proves particularly beneficial in facilitating information sharing and an integrated analysis across intelligence domains.

Design/methodology/approach
This study conducted data collection and analysis of the component Bitcoin elements of the WannaCry ransomware attack. A note of both technicalities of Bitcoin operations and current models for sharing cyber intelligence was made. Our analysis builds on and further develops current definitions and strategies for sharing cyber threat intelligence. It uses the problem definition model (PDM) and generic target network model (TNM) to create an analytic framework for the WannaCry ransomware attack scenario, allowing analysts the ability to test their hypotheses and integrate and share data for collaborative investigation.

Findings
Using a target-centric intelligence approach to WannaCry 2.0 shows that it is possible to model the intelligence problem of collecting and analysing data related to inflows and outflows of Bitcoin-related ransomware transactions. Bitcoin transactions form graph networks and allow to build a target network model for collecting, analysing and sharing intelligence with multiple stakeholders. Although attribution and anonymity prevail under cryptocurrency usage, there is a means for developing transaction walks using this method to target nefarious cryptocurrency exchanges where criminals are inclined to cash out their proceeds of crime.

Originality/value
The application of a target-centric intelligence approach to the cryptocurrency components of a ransomware attack provides a framework for intelligence units to break down the problem in the financial domain and model the network behaviour of illicit Bitcoin transactions relating to ransomware.
Crime script for mandate fraud
Authors: Donegan Michael 
Published: November 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to critically analyse research surrounding mandate fraud and to devise a crime script identifying the crime commission process. It is hoped this will assist in standardising investigation of mandate fraud by law enforcement.

Design/methodology/approach
The design of this paper follows on from the approach taken by van Hardeveld et al. (2017) in identifying a cybercrime script for carding activity. The current environment surrounding the investigation of digital fraud in the UK is examined through a review of the existing literature. Analysis of the crime commission process for mandate fraud is then outlined in a potential crime script identifying possible intervention points for law enforcement.

Findings
UK law enforcement’s current response to digital fraud is struggling to provide positive outcomes for victims. There is inconsistency in the investigative approach and practical issues surrounding how the digital fraud problem is tackled. Changing the emphasis of digital fraud investigation to focus on the money laundering networks based in the UK also needs to be considered. Standardising investigation into digital fraud by mapping out digital criminality using crime scripts and routine activity theory could be beneficial for law enforcement. The results of this process could also assist in effectively identifying where law enforcement resources may be best deployed to solve some of the practical issues highlighted.

Originality/value
There is little literature directly focused on a crime script for mandate fraud. This is despite it being a significant contributor to fraud losses in the UK. For law enforcement, both digital and financial investigation skill sets are required to investigate such offences. Therefore, mapping the crime commission process has significant value for clearly identifying investigative intervention points.
Network analysis: emergence, criticism and recent trends
Authors: Kirschbaum Charles 
Published: November 2019

Purpose
Network analysis is a well consolidated research area in several disciplines. Within management and organizational studies, network scholars consolidated a set of research practices that allowed ease of data collection, high inter case comparability, establishment of nomological laws and commitment to social capital motivation. This paper aims to elicit the criticism it has received and highlight the unsettled lacunae.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper sheds light on Network Analysis’s breakthroughs, while showing how its scholars innovated by responding to critics, and identifying outstanding debates.

Findings
The paper identifies and discusses three streams of criticism that are still outstanding: the role of human agency, the meaning of social ties and the treatment of temporality.

Originality/value
This paper brings to fore current debates within the Network Analysis community, highlighting areas where future studies might contribute.
Democracy's Pin Factory: Issue Specialization, the Division of Cognitive Labor, and Epistemic Performance
Authors: Elliott Kevin J. 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThis article describes how issue specialization through deliberative institutions called “issue publics” can improve the quality of democratic decision making. Issue specialization improves decisions by instantiating a cognitive division of labor among the mass public, which creates efficiencies in decision making and grants large groups of average citizens a scalable advantage over small groups of even the smartest and most capable individuals. Issue specialization further improves decisions by capturing issue‐specific information, concentrating it within the specialized deliberative enclaves of issue publics, and refining citizens’ issue preferences. These advantages are brought to bear in wider democratic politics and policy through information shortcuts and through the specialized electoral incentives of representatives. The article responds to concerns about political ignorance, polarization/partisanship, rent seeking, and socioeconomic bias and argues that issue specialization can provide a valuable brake to polarization yet needs institutional supplementation to engage marginalized citizens and combat bias.
Reproduction and sexual dimorphism in the viviparous lizard Sceloporus palaciosi (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) from the Trans‐Mexican Volcanic Belt, Mexico
Authors: Ramírez‐Bautista Aurelio , Sites Jack W. , Marshall Jonathon C. , Cruz‐Elizalde Raciel , Díaz‐Marín César A. , Hernández‐Salinas Uriel , Berriozabal‐Islas Christian , García‐Rosales Aaron 
Published: November 2019

AbstractIn this study, sexual dimorphism, reproductive cycles, litter size and offspring size of a population of the little‐known species Sceloporus palaciosi in central Mexico were analysed. Significant male‐biased sexual size dimorphism was recorded in snout–vent length (SVL), head length, head width, forearm length and tibia length. Both sexes showed asynchronous reproductive cycles, and males reached sexual maturity at a smaller SVL (33 mm) than females (37 mm). Testes volumes were small from January to February, testicular recrudescence began from March to June, and decreased in July, but increased again in August and September, followed by a second decrease from October to December. In females, vitellogenesis began from May until ovulation in December. Embryonic development extended from November to March, and a small number of females carried embryos through July. Mean litter size was 4.0 and was positively correlated with female SVL. The length of the reproductive period in S. palaciosi recorded in this study is longer than that recorded for other populations in other parts of this species range. Further studies are needed to clarify reproductive cycles in the other isolated populations of S. palaciosi, and then extended to other species and chromosome races in the Sceloporus grammicus complex.
Design and analysis of bridging studies with prior probabilities on the null and alternative hypotheses
Authors: Zeng Donglin , Pan Zhiying , Lin D. Y. 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThe pharmaceutical industry and regulatory agencies are increasingly interested in conducting bridging studies in order to bring an approved drug product from the original region (eg, United States or European Union) to a new region (eg, Asian‐Pacific countries). In this article, we provide a new methodology for the design and analysis of bridging studies by assuming prior knowledge on how the null and alternative hypotheses in the original, foreign study are related to the null and alternative hypotheses in the bridging study and setting the type I error for the bridging study according to the strength of the foreign‐study evidence. The new methodology accounts for randomness in the foreign‐study evidence and controls the average type I error of the bridging study over all possibilities of the foreign‐study evidence. In addition, the new methodology increases statistical power, when compared to approaches that do not use foreign‐study evidence, and it allows for the possibility of not conducting the bridging study when the foreign‐study evidence is unfavorable. Finally, we conducted extensive simulation studies to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed methodology.
De la carte au territoire: Portée et usages des outils cartographiques au sein de la Première Nation des Pekuakamiulnuatsh Entrevue avec Michel Nepton, membre de la Première Nation des Pekuakamiulnuatsh et conseiller en aménagement du territoire
Authors: Gagnon Justine 
Published: November 2019

Messages clés
La cartographie figure aujourd’hui à la tête des outils mobilisés par les communautés autochtones à des fins de revendication, de négociation, d’affirmation et de transmission des savoirs.
La portée et les défis que pose l’utilisation de ces outils gagnent à être observés de l’intérieur, à travers l’usage qu’en font les communautés elles‐mêmes.
Ces enjeux sont abordés à travers l’expérience d’un conseiller en aménagement du territoire à Pekuakamiulnuatsh Takuhikan (Conseil de la communauté de Mastheuiatsh).
Significant association between high serum CCL5 levels and better disease‐free survival of patients with early breast cancer
Authors: Fujimoto Yukie , Inoue Natsuko , Morimoto Koji , Watanabe Takahiro , Hirota Seiichi , Imamura Michiko , Matsushita Yosuke , Katagiri Toyomasa , Okamura Haruki , Miyoshi Yasuo 
Published: November 2019

AbstractAnalysis of anticancer immunity aids in assessing the prognosis of patients with breast cancer. From 250 operated breast cancers, we focused on serum levels of C‐C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5), which is involved in cancer immune reactions. Serum levels of CCL5 were measured using a cytometric bead‐based immunoassay kit and CCL5 expression in cancer cells was determined using immunohistochemical staining. In addition, mRNA in cancer and stromal cells was analyzed by microdissection and comparison with the public dataset. Disease‐free survival (DFS) of patients with high CCL5 levels (cut‐off, 13.87 ng/mL; n = 192) was significantly better than those with low CCL5 levels (n = 58; hazard ratio, 0.20; 95% confidence interval, 0.10‐0.39; P < .0001). An improved overall survival was observed in patients with high CCL5 levels compared to those with low CCL5 levels (P = .024). On the contrary, high immunohistochemical expression of CCL5 in cancer cells was significantly associated with decreased DFS. As serum CCL5 levels did not correlate with CCL5 expression in cancer cells and the relative expression of mRNA CCL5 was elevated in stromal cells in relation to cancer cells, serum CCL5 might be derived not from cancer cells, but from stromal cells. Expression of CCL5 in serum, but not in cancer cells, might contribute to improved patient prognosis mediating through not only immune reaction, but through other mechanisms. Determination of circulating CCL5 levels could be useful for predicting patient prognosis.
Suppression of autoreactive T and B lymphocytes by anti-annexin A1 antibody in a humanized NSG murine model of systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Mihaylova N , Chipinski P , Bradyanova S , Velikova T , Ivanova-Todorova E , Chausheva S , Herbáth M , Kalinova D , Prechl J , Kyurkchiev D , Tchorbanov A I 
Published: November 2019

Summary
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic inflammatory disease which involves multiple organs. Self-specific B and T cells play a main role in the pathogenesis of lupus and have been defined as a logical target for selective therapy. The protein annexin A1 (ANX A1) is a modulator of the immune system involving many cell types. An abnormal expression of ANX A1 was found on activated B and T cells during autoimmunity, suggesting its importance as a potential therapeutic target. We hypothesize that it may be possible to down-regulate the activity of autoreactive T and B cells from lupus patients in a humanized immunodeficient mouse model by treating them with an antibody against ANX A1. When cultured in the presence of anti-ANX A1, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from lupus patients showed a decreased number of immunoglobulin (Ig)G anti-dsDNA antibody-secreting plasma cells, decreased T cell proliferation and expression of activation markers and increased B and T cell apoptosis. We employed a humanized model of SLE by transferring PBMCs from lupus patients to immunodeficient non-obese diabetic-severe combined immunodeficient (NOD-SCID) mice. The humanized animals presented autoantibodies, proteinuria and immunoglobulin deposition in the renal glomeruli. Treatment of these NOD-SCID mice with an anti-ANX A1 antibody prevented appearance of anti-DNA antibodies and proteinuria, while the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-injected animals had high levels after the transfer. The treatment reduced the levels of autoantibodies to several autoantigens, lupus-associated cytokines and disease symptoms.
An Improved Geometric Approach for Palette‐based Image Decomposition and Recoloring
Authors: Wang Yili , Liu Yifan , Xu Kun 
Published: November 2019

AbstractPalette‐based image decomposition has attracted increasing attention in recent years. A specific class of approaches have been proposed basing on the RGB‐space geometry, which manage to construct convex hulls whose vertices act as palette colors. However, such palettes do not guarantee to have the representative colors which actually appear in the image, thus making it less intuitive and less predictable when editing palette colors to perform recoloring. Hence, we proposed an improved geometric approach to address this issue. We use a polyhedron, but not necessarily a convex hull, in the RGB space to represent the color palette. We then formulate the task of palette extraction as an optimization problem which could be solved in a few seconds. Our palette has a higher degree of representativeness and maintains a relatively similar level of accuracy compared with previous methods. For layer decomposition, we compute layer opacities via simple mean value coordinates, which could achieve instant feedbacks without precomputations. We have demonstrated our method for image recoloring on a variety of examples. In comparison with state‐of‐the‐art works, our approach is generally more intuitive and efficient with fewer artifacts.