bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
BiFET: A Bias-free Transcription Factor Footprint Enrichment Test
Authors: Youn Ahrim , Marquez Eladio J. , Lawlor Nathan , Stitzel Michael L. , Ucar Duygu 
Published: May 2018

ABSTRACTTranscription factor (TF) footprinting uncovers putative protein-DNA binding via combined analyses of chromatin accessibility patterns and their underlying TF sequence motifs. TF footprints are frequently used to identify TFs that regulate activities of cell/condition-specific genomic regions (target loci) in comparison to control regions (background loci) using standard enrichment tests. However, there is a strong association between the chromatin accessibility level and the GC content of a locus and the number and types of TF footprints that can be detected at this site. Traditional enrichment tests (e.g., hypergeometric) do not account for this bias and inflate false positive associations. Therefore, we developed a novel method, Bias-free Footprint Enrichment Test (BiFET), that corrects for the biases arising from the differences in chromatin accessibility levels and GC contents between target and background loci in footprint enrichment analyses. We applied BiFET on TF footprint calls obtained from human EndoC-βH1 ATAC-seq samples using three different algorithms (CENTIPEDE, HINT-BC, and PIQ) and showed BiFET’s ability to increase power and reduce false positive rate when compared to hypergeometric test. Furthermore, we used BiFET to study TF footprints from human PBMC and pancreatic islet ATAC-seq samples to show its utility to identify putative TFs associated with cell-type-specific loci.
Detection of immune system activation in hemolymph of Drosophila larvae exposed to chitosan-coated magnetite nanoparticles
Authors: Vela Doris , Rondal Jonathan , Debut Alexis , Vizuete Karla , Pilaquinga Fernanda 
Published: May 2018

AbstractDrosophila melanogaster hemolymph cells are confirmed as a model to study the activation of immune system due to foreign stimuli like iron nanoparticles. The toxicity of nanoparticles is a cause for concern due to their effect on human health and the environment. The aim of this study was to detect the activation of cellular immune response in Drosophila larvae through the observation of hemolymph composition, DNA damage and larval viability, after the exposure to 500 ppm and 1000 ppm chitosan-coated magnetite nanoparticles for 24 hours. Our results showed activation of cellular immune response after exposure to the nanoparticles owing to the increment of hemocytes, the emergence of lamellocytes and the presence of apoptotic hemocytes. In addition, chitosan-coated magnetite nanoparticles produce DNA damage detected by comet assay as well as low viability of larvae. No DNA damage is showed at 500 ppm. The cellular toxicity is directly associated with 1000 ppm.
Are you suppressed? Viral load test coverage for people living with HIV in Mutare District, Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe, 2015-2017 Investigators
Authors: Uzande Charles , Edwards Jeffery , Owiti Philip , Maravanyika Admire Tatenda , Mashizha Simba , Mafaune Patron Titsha 
Published: May 2018

AbstractBackground:The third 90-90-90 UNAIDS goal require that 90% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) on antiretroviral treatment (ART) achieve viral load (VL) suppression. This study assessed the proportion of VL suppression and related factors among PLHIV on 1st and 2nd line ART in Mutare District, Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe between 2015-2017.Methods:A retrospective study using routine HIV programme data from the electronic monitoring system for nine health facilities in Mutare District. VL suppression was defined as < 1,000 copies/ml.Results:Of 16,590 registered patients, 15,566(94%) were on first-line and 1024(6%) on second-line ART. Of those on 1st-line ART, 2856(18%) had a VL test result documented, while 367(36%) of 2nd-line ART patients had VL results. VL suppression rates were 86% among those on 1st-line and 45% in 2nd-line ART. Independent risk factors associated with VL non-suppression for those on 1st-line ART were age 0-9 years (adjusted relative risk, aRR=2.9; 95% confidence interval, CI=1.7-4.8;P<0.001), 10-19 years (aRR=2.2;95%CI=1.4-3.2,P<0.001) compared to those 20-49 years, concurrent TB (aRR=9; CI=3.0-29.7,P<0.001) and male gender (aRR=1.5,95%CI=1.1-2.1;P=0.02). There were no significant risk factors associated with VL non-suppression for 2nd-line ART patients.Conclusion:For PLHIV on 1st-line ART in Mutare district, Manicaland, Zimbabwe, the frequency of reported VL results were only 18% among those on 1st-line ART, while the rate of VL suppression was near 90%. Viral Load testing coverage appears to be lagging behind current Zimbabwe goals and increased support is needed to improve the quality of HIV care and help reduce the threat of possible HIV drug resistance in the future.
Hierarchical modulation of auditory prediction error signaling is independent of attention
Authors: Kompus K. , Volehaugen V. , Westerhausen R. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe auditory system is tuned to detect rhythmic regularities or irregularities in the environment which can occur on different timescales, i.e. regularities in short (local) and long (global) timescale which could conflict or converge. While MMN and P3b are thought to index local and global deviance, respectively, it is not clear how these hierarchical levels interact and to what extent attention modulates this interaction. We used a hierarchical oddball paradigm with local (sequence-level) and global (block-level) violations of regularities in 5-tone sequences, in attended and unattended conditions. Amplitude of negativity in the N2 timeframe and positivity in the P3b timeframe elicited by the final tone in the sequence were analyzed in a 2*2*2 factorial model (local status, global status, attention condition). We found a significant interaction between the local and global status of the final tone on the N2 amplitude (p<.001, ηp2= .55), while there was no significant three-way interaction with attention (p > .05), together demonstrating that lower-level prediction error is modulated by detection of higher-order regularity but expressed independently of attention. Regarding P3b amplitude, we found significant main effect of global status (p<.001, ηp2= .42), and an interaction between global status and attention (p < .001, ηp2= .70). Thus, higher-level prediction error, indexed by P3b, is sensitive to global regularity violations if the auditory stream is attended. The results demonstrate the capacity of our auditory perception to rapidly resolve conflicts between different levels of predictive hierarchy as indexed by MMN modulation, while P3b represents a different, attention-dependent system.
Development of accounting regulatory institutions in Libya (1951-2006)
Authors: Alferjani Mansour , Mirshekary Soheila , Dellaportas Steven , Mihret Dessalegn Getie , Yaftian Ali 
Published: May 2018

PurposeThis study aims to explain the driving forces behind the development of accounting regulatory institutions in post-colonial Libya.Design/methodology/approachThe historical method is used to interpret relevant documentary evidence in the development of accounting in Libya vis-à-vis developments in the country’s post-colonial political-economic history.FindingsThe development of accounting regulation in Libya is traced to post-colonial political-economic history that occurred independent of the country’s colonial past. The immediate aftermath of colonialism (1951-1968) showed that Western accounting practices used by Western businesses operating in Libya were imbued by pro-Western ideology. Basic legislative requirements for accounting and auditing emerged during this period through legislation. Two distinct epochs surfaced during Muammar Gaddafi’s rule: initially, the state advocated a centrally planned economy, but in the 1980s, an ideological shift occurred, which opened the Libyan economy to the global market. The first epoch saw the formation of accounting regulatory agencies consistent with the state-centred organisation of society, and the second epoch engendered the development of accounting standards consistent with the developments in market-centred societies during the era of globalisation.Originality/valueThe study offers unique historical evidence on the development of accounting regulation in a developing country independent of its colonial history. The study enhances our understanding of how the interplay between the political economy and the ideological basis of the state determines the historical path of accounting as a basis for predicting the possible future direction of accounting development.
The impact of audit committee effectiveness on audit fees and non-audit service fees
Authors: Ali Muhammad Jahangir , Singh Rajbans Kaur Shingara , Al-Akra Mahmoud 
Published: May 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of audit committee effectiveness on audit fees and non-audit service (NAS) fees in a less regulatory environment.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors construct a composite audit committee effectiveness measure incorporating audit committee independence, diligence, size, financial expertise and the chairperson’s accounting expertise.

Findings
The authors find that audit committee effectiveness has a positive significant impact on both audit fees and NAS fees. This suggests that effective audit committees can hold auditors accountable resulting in better audit quality and consequently higher audit fees.

Originality/value
The link between more effective audit committees with higher NAS purchases can be explained in light of the difference in regulatory requirements providing audit committees with decision rights on the use of NASs, therefore approving more NAS and increasing NASF. Additional tests and robustness analyses confirm the results.
Linking continuous improvement to manufacturing performance
Authors: Iwao Shumpei , Marinov Mihail 
Published: May 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine factors that inhibit and facilitate the contribution of continuous improvement activities to advance performance in “lean” factories.

Design/methodology/approach
From the perspective of the routine dynamics theory, this paper considers the possibility of changes in the standard operating procedures (SOPs) made in the course of continuous improvement activities being ignored by employees. This paper builds a hypothesis predicting that firms where employees ignore changes in the SOP cannot achieve the intended improvement effect of these changes. This hypothesis is confirmed with comparative case studies of Toyota and Matsuo.

Findings
At Toyota there is an incentive to perform operations according to the SOP, while at Matsuo this incentive is not present. This difference means that process improvement activities at Toyota generate changes in manufacturing operations, while at Matsuo, although the SOP has been changed, workers continue to perform operations according to the old SOP and fail to advance performance. This paper argues that the presence/absence of an incentive to perform operations according to the SOP is dependent on whether the responsibility of the performance lies with the SOPs or employees. Additionally, this paper finds that the SOP not only limits employees’ creativities but also supports creative activities for the development of continuous improvement as an organizational activity.

Research limitations/implications
The generalization of our findings requires statistical support for which an extensive subsequent sampling survey including non-Japanese firms is necessary.

Originality/value
This study makes a new suggestion regarding the theory of routine dynamics and the fields of operations management: adequate management of consistency between the three aspects (material, ostensive and performative) of organizational routines is important for lean manufacturing.
Effects of corporate sustainability practices on performance: the case of the MENA region
Authors: El-Khalil Raed , El-Kassar Abdul-Nasser 
Published: May 2018

PurposeSustainability focuses on the effect of present actions on societies, environments and ecosystems of the future. The purpose of this paper is to discover to what extent the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region corporations carry out various aspects of corporate sustainability. This paper studies corporate sustainability practices and examines the association between corporate sustainability practices and performance in the MENA region.Design/methodology/approachA thorough literature review was conducted. The findings indicate six key categories/constructs that can be used as indicators for measuring corporate sustainability and performance. Based on the literature review, a theoretical framework was constructed and tested. Data for this quantitative and explanatory study were obtained through a self-administered survey which was distributed to senior managers at corporations in the MENA region.FindingsThe findings of this study show that the corporations operating in the MENA region are underachieving in all aspects of sustainability except for the energy management facet. Larger-sized companies tend to be more involved in corporate sustainability practices in the categories of internal and external education, external health and resources and energy management. This study finds the existence of a strong positive relationship between each sustainability category and each performance category.Originality/valueMost studies on sustainability focus on North America, Europe and East Asia, not the MENA region. The findings will help corporations in the MENA region become aware of the importance of increasing their engagement in the sustainability aspects that they lack, as this will lead to a boost of their overall performance.
Identification, analysis and treatment of risks in the introduction of new technologies by start-ups
Authors: Teberga Pedro Marins Freire , Oliva Fábio Lotti 
Published: May 2018

PurposeInnovation, digital solutions and scalability are some of the integral distinctive elements of start-ups. Due to these factors, the management of risks for businesses of this nature demands a specific approach. The purpose of this paper is to propose the identification, analysis and treatment of risks in the introduction of new technologies by Catarse, the biggest site for crowdfunding in Latin America, founded with the vision of net present value adjusted to the risk of developing a new product (NPVR) and enterprise risks in the environment of value, aiming to provide the guidelines for the improvement of this process.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical research realized in this study is of a qualitative nature and was conducted using the case study method, which had its data collected through interviews with key managers and documents provided by the organizations. Data analysis was based on Mileset al.’s (2014) model, whereby data were condensed and visualized, and conclusions were developed and checked.FindingsAmong the main results, there is the proposition of a deductive-inductive analysis of risks in start-ups by means of calculation of the net present value adjusted to the risk of developing a new product (NPVR), analysis of the decisions made by the entrepreneur and the processes of business communication and development of the product.Practical implicationsThe authors propose the identification of important factors for the management of uncertainties and risks in start-ups.Social implicationsThe authors present an important case study in Latin America, Catarse, which helps entrepreneurs to develop their start-ups.Originality/valueAs the main contribution, this paper proposes the identification of elements for the management of uncertainties and risks in start-ups, which brings elements to provide the calculation of the net present value adjusted to the risk of developing a new product (NPVR), process or service, as well as the contribution of the level of risk management maturity of the studied company.
Reverse logistics
Authors: Pacheco Emerson D. , Kubota Flávio I. , Yamakawa Eduardo K. , Paladini Edson P. , Campos Lucila M.S. , Cauchick-Miguel Paulo A. 
Published: May 2018

PurposeIncreased competition and access to information are forcing companies to provide quality to their products and services, aligned with a growing society pressure for less harmful environmental practices. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how the adoption of reverse logistics (RL) may contribute to the generation of competitive advantage and improved quality in a part substitution process of a household appliance company.Design/methodology/approachThis paper carried out a single case study in a household appliance company. The study collected data through semi-structured interviews in addition to document analysis and observation.FindingsThe implemented practices enhanced service maintenance and customer services and provided a more effective monitoring of defective parts. Moreover, such practices reduced unnecessary part substitutions, consumer dissatisfaction and undesired disposal in the environment. RL in the studied company has offered a potential contribution to the company quality strategies by providing more part returns, assuring cost savings, and reducing time to solve field problems.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was limited to a single case study. Thus, the study findings are not subject to generalization for other similar organizations.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the few studies on RL in a household company in the context of an emerging economy. Such feature denotes in a singular scenario in RL investigations about recovering defective parts.
Justice and fairness in the workplace: a trajectory for managing diversity
Authors: Dahanayake Pradeepa , Rajendran Diana , Selvarajah Christopher , Ballantyne Glenda 
Published: May 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to argue that diversity management (DM) interventions, underpinned by principles of justice and fairness, create a powerful force that drives sustainable outcomes. Further, the authors argue that justice and fairness should be embedded at the core of DM.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative case study methodology was used to ascertain how four organizations approached critical issues regarding diversity. Justice and fairness principles were used as a framework to evaluate each organization’s DM interventions. Different approaches adopted by the case study organizations were compared using a cross-case analysis.FindingsJustice and fairness principles provide a useful framework to evaluate DM interventions. The findings show that justice and fairness principles have an effect across the continuum of DM, including identifying dimensions of diversity, executing DM programs and realizing outcomes of DM.Research limitations/implicationsThe current study is limited to four case studies using qualitative methods.Practical implicationsThe findings demonstrate the importance of integrating justice and fairness benchmarks when implementing DM programs.Originality/valueThe findings shed light on the link between DM and justice and fairness, an area lacking empirical studies. It also presents a new area for empirical enquiry—the application of social justice principles in evaluating organizational interventions in DM.
HPWS and climate for inclusion: a moral legitimacy lens
Authors: Harrison Jennifer A. , Boekhorst Janet A. , Yu Yin 
Published: May 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to apply insights from the moral legitimacy theory to understand how climate for inclusion (CFI) is cultivated at the individual and collective levels, thereby highlighting the influence of employee perceptions of inclusion-oriented high-performance work systems (HPWS) on CFI.Design/methodology/approachA multi-level conceptual framework is introduced to explain how employee perceptions develop about the moral legitimacy of inclusion-oriented HPWS and the subsequent influence on CFI.FindingsCFI is theorized to manifest when employees perceive inclusion-oriented HPWS as morally legitimate according to four unit-level features. Employees with a strong moral identity will be particularly attuned to the moral legitimacy of each of the unit-level HPWS features, thereby strengthening the perceived HPWS and CFI relationship at the individual level. The convergence of individual-level perceptions of CFI to the collective level will be strongest when climate variability is low for majority and minority groups.Practical implicationsOrganizations seeking to develop CFI should consider the role of HPWS and the perceived moral legitimacy of such systems. This consideration may involve policy amendments to include a broadened scope of HPWS.Originality/valueThis paper explores how employee perceptions of the moral legitimacy of HPWS can help or hinder CFI, thereby offering a novel framework for future inclusion and human resource management research.
Slovenia: neo-corporatism under the neo-liberal turn
Authors: Stanojevic Miroslav 
Published: May 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reveal the formation and development of Slovenia’s neo-corporatist industrial relations system in the 1990s, and its change which overlaps with Slovenia’s accession to the EU and the eurozone.Design/methodology/approachThe approach is based on the presumption that the transitional processes engaged in by the societies of “real socialism” were merely part of a larger and deeper transition – the great recommodification of the post-war decommodified societies of European democratic capitalism.FindingsAlready by the mid-1990s, the Slovenian industrial relations system contained all key features of the neo-corporatist regimes emerging after the Second World War in the European systems of democratic capitalism. Like those systems, in the 1990s Slovenia also saw a system being formed of political exchanges based on wage restraint policy. The combination of this wage policy and appropriate national monetary policy facilitated the Slovenian economy’s competitiveness and above-average growth. Slovenia was a success story.Originality/valueThe Slovenian system started to change in the middle of the last decade. The trigger of this change was Slovenia’s entry to the eurozone. Since then, Slovenian neo-corporatism has been subject to systematic deregulation. Despite this, the analysis suggests the Slovenian industrial relations system still contains a coordinating mechanism that distinguishes it from other “post-communist”, and, generally speaking, liberal market economies.
International actors and trade unions during postsocialism and after: the case of Romania
Authors: Adăscăliței Dragoș , Guga Ștefan 
Published: May 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain why, in spite having a relatively powerful labour movement at the start of the economic transformation, Romania ended up with a highly deregulated system of industrial relations in the aftermath of the global economic crisis of 2009 and with trade unions which seem incapable to defend their interests.Design/methodology/approachThe authors trace the changing role that Romanian trade unions had in national policy making and show that the beginning of 2000s represents a critical point for the power loss sustained by organised labour.FindingsThe authors argue that a key element for explaining labour’s decline is the growing pressure exercised by various international organisations for the adoption of deregulatory labour market reforms. While during the 1990s this pressure was circumvented by successive governments which peddled back and forth between union wage pressure and fiscal austerity measures, beginning with 2000s, EU accession conditionalities coupled with IMF and World Bank policy recommendations enabled the international deregulation agenda to be implemented without much opposition.Originality/valueThe paper brings new evidence on the impact of international actors on the Romanian collective bargaining and labour market institutions.