bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assigning Eurozone sovereign credit ratings using CDS spreads
Authors: van de Ven Rick , Dabadghao Shaunak , Chockalingam Arun 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The credit ratings issued by the Big 3 ratings agencies are inaccurate and slow to respond to market changes. This paper aims to develop a rigorous, transparent and robust credit assessment and rating scheme for sovereigns.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper develops a regression-based model using credit default swap (CDS) data, and data on financial and macroeconomic variables to estimate sovereign CDS spreads. Using these spreads, the default probabilities of sovereigns can be estimated. The new ratings scheme is then used in conjunction with these default probabilities to assign credit ratings to sovereigns.

Findings
The developed model accurately estimates CDS spreads (based on RMSE values). Credit ratings issued retrospectively using the new scheme reflect reality better.

Research limitations/implications
This paper reveals that both macroeconomic and financial factors affect both systemic and idiosyncratic risks for sovereigns.

Practical implications
The developed credit assessment and ratings scheme can be used to evaluate the creditworthiness of sovereigns and subsequently assign robust credit ratings.

Social implications
The transparency and rigor of the new scheme will result in better and trustworthy indications of a sovereign’s financial health. Investors and monetary authorities can make better informed decisions. The episodes that occurred during the debt crisis could be avoided.

Originality/value
This paper uses both financial and macroeconomic data to estimate CDS spreads and demonstrates that both financial and macroeconomic factors affect sovereign systemic and idiosyncratic risk. The proposed credit assessment and ratings schemes could supplement or potentially replace the credit ratings issued by the Big 3 ratings agencies.
From refugee to programmer? A framework for a collaborative coding program for higher education institutions
Authors: Wolf Daniela , Ebner Martin 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to share the lessons learned in teaching programming skills to refugees during a time when circumstances were changing quickly and constantly and the needs of the target group were not well known.

Design/methodology/approach
The integration of refugees poses serious challenges for the hosting society’s education system. A large number of refugees can put a strain on all kinds of public resources, and difficulties with differences in languages, previous curricula, falling behind due to having to spend time outside of education, and psychological traumas have to be expected. In response to the refugee crisis and in order to manage mass migration, the adaptive nature and rapid development of civic approaches can contribute to overcoming some of these challenges. To evaluate the impact of civic approaches, the authors have paid attention to refugees{code} an Austrian coding school for refugees which was developed by the civic community and which shows great potential in terms of providing rapid, innovative and adaptive kinds of educational support for refugees, as well as helping to combat the lack of programmers in the Austrian job market.

Findings
As the great potential that initiatives like refugees{code} have for education, there are also substantial challenges. As we learned from the first course, course completion rates were very low. Therefore, it is important to build an infrastructure and a learning environment around the course. This learning environment includes providing mentoring and support, creating spaces where participants can learn. It was also found that having a pedagogically trained staff who is sufficient in the English language, too, is necessary to cater to a heterogeneous group. Also varying teaching strategies according to the needs and skills of the learner is necessary. One of the issues that confronts projects like refugees{code} is also receiving legal status. The collaboration with universities and colleges can be greatly helpful because they are already familiar with the structure of public authorities as well as with heterogeneous groups. Initiatives like refugees{code} are agile and flexible and know how to take advantage of that. The authors conclude that bringing successful education to heterogeneous and culturally different groups is multi-faceted. It is not something any individual organization or project can do; it can only be the result of a system of different actors working together with traditional educational institutions.

Originality/value
This research study reports on two courses of programming for refugees and seeks to offer practical advice for further research and for the implementation of such courses into the educational system. Therefore a framework is proposed which should be taken into account in case of doing similar work.
Why is self-service technology (SST) unpopular? Extending the IS success model
Authors: Lian Jiunn-Woei 
Published: August 2018

PurposeSelf-service technology (SST) has become popular in many areas, but consumers from many countries still prefer human-provided services. Why is this so? The purpose of this paper is to understand the possible reasons by integrating two perspectives: personal characteristics marketing and the information systems success model (IS success model).Design/methodology/approachThe authors propose an integrated model and conduct an empirical questionnaire survey which generates a total of 345 valid responses.FindingsThe authors find that personal technology anxiety and the need for interpersonal interaction are critical factors that affect SST usage continuance intention. Furthermore, personal technology anxiety affects the consumer’s perception of the quality of both the information and the SST system itself, which determines the level of satisfaction and the intention to continue to use the system. Second, the IS success model perspective reveals that the following factors determine the level of perceived satisfaction with SST: information quality, system quality, enjoyment and design. However, only information quality and system quality affect the intention to continue SST usage. The authors also find that satisfaction and the need for interpersonal interaction also determine the SST usage continuance intention.Originality/valueThe IS success model is found to be helpful in understanding the underlying reasons for this. To aid in the development of successful future SSTs, these findings can be referenced by countries in which SST is not so popular. Our proposed model further enhances the theoretical development of the IS success model.
Characterization of three strains of Capnocytophaga canis isolated from patients with sepsis
Authors: Suzuki Michio , Imaoka Koichi , Haga Yumi , Mohri Masahiro , Nogami Ayako , Shimojima Yoshio , Irie Yoshimi , Sugimura Satoru , Morikawa Shigeru 
Published: August 2018

ABSTRACTCapnocytophaga canimorsus and Capnocytophaga cynodegmi, both commensal bacteria in the oral cavities of dogs and cats, are zoonotic pathogens. In particular, C. canimorsus causes sepsis and fatal septic shock. Recently, a novel Capnocytophaga species, C. canis, was isolated from the oral cavities of healthy dogs. It is reportedly oxidase‐negative and therefore considered avirulent in humans. In the present study, three strains of C. canis were isolated from Japanese patients with sepsis. All three strains, HP20001, HP33001 and HP40001, were oxidase‐positive. Nucleotide sequence identities of the 16S rRNA gene of the three strains to the C. canimorsus type strain ATCC35979, C. cynodegmi type strain ATCC49044 and C. canis type strain LMG29146 were 96.9–97.0%, 96.9–97.0% and 99.7–99.8%, respectively. Multi‐locus sequence analysis based on seven house‐keeping genes, dnaJ, fumC, glyA, gyrB, murG, trpB and tuf, revealed that the oxidase‐positive C. canis strains isolated in Japan and oxidase‐negative strains of C. canis from canine oral cavities in Switzerland were clustered in different genetic subgroups. These results indicate that the virulence of C. canis strains in humans is associated with oxidase activity.
The relative abundance of alkane‐degrading bacteria oscillated similarly to a sinusoidal curve in an artificial ecosystem model from oil‐well products
Authors: Li Guoqiang , Gao Peike , Zhi Bo , Fu Bing , Gao Ge , Chen Zhaohui , Gao Mengli , Wu Mengmeng , Ma Ting 
Published: August 2018

SummaryMicrobial phylogenetic diversity and species interactions in natural ecosystems have been investigated extensively, but our knowledge about their ecological roles, community dynamics and succession patterns is far from complete. This knowledge is essential to understand the complicated interactions of microorganisms in natural ecosystems. Here, an artificial ecosystem model of microorganisms was constructed from oil‐well products and cultivated in a chemostat to investigate the succession pattern of alkane‐degrading bacteria, a functional population in oil reservoirs. Their abundance was quantified by an improved qPCR technique. Our results showed that the phylogenetic structure of this artificial ecosystem model is stable during most of the chemostat cultivation process, while the genotype structure of alkane‐degrading bacteria containing alkB genes shifted and their relative abundance oscillated similarly to a sinusoidal curve, like the succession pattern of producers in the Lotka–Volterra model. These results suggest that some theoretical frameworks of macroecology may work well in microbial ecosystems and be an efficient tool to understand them.
Sharp water column stratification with an extremely dense microbial population in a small meromictic lake, Trekhtzvetnoe
Authors: Savvichev Alexander S. , Babenko Vladislav V. , Lunina Olga N. , Letarova Maria A. , Boldyreva Daria I. , Veslopolova Elena F. , Demidenko Nikolay A. , Kokryatskaya Natalia M. , Krasnova Elena D. , Gaisin Vasil A. , Kostryukova Elena S. , Gorlenko Vladimir M. , Letarov Andrey V. 
Published: August 2018

SummaryLocated on the shore of Kandalaksha Bay (the White Sea, Russia) and previously separated from it, Trekhtzvetnoe Lake (average depth 3.5 m) is one of the shallowest meromictic lakes known. Despite its shallowness, it features completely developed water column stratification with high‐density microbial chemocline community (bacterial plate) and high rates of major biogeochemical processes. A sharp halocline stabilizes the stratification. Chlorobium phaeovibrioides dominated the bacterial plate, which reached a density of 2 × 108 cell ml−1 and almost completely intercepts H2S diffusion from the anoxic monimolimnion. The resulting anoxygenic photosynthesis rate reached 240 μmol C l−1 day−1, exceeding the oxygenic photosynthesis rate in the mixolimnion. The rates of other processes are also high, reaching 4.5 μmol CH4 l−1 day−1 for methane oxidation and 35 μmol S l−1 day−1 for sulfate reduction. Metagenomic analysis demonstrated that the Chl. phaeovibrioides population in the bacterial plate layer had nearly clonal homogeneity, although some fraction of these cells harbour a plasmid. The Chlorobium population was associated with bacteriophages that share homology with CRISPR spacers in the host. These features make the ecosystem of the Trekhtzvetnoe Lake a valuable model for studying regulation and evolution processes in natural high‐density microbial systems.
PCAOB Inspections: Public Accounting Firms on “Trial”
Authors: Westermann Kimberly D. , Cohen Jeffrey , Trompeter Greg 
Published: August 2018

ABSTRACTThe objective of our article is to obtain a better understanding of how auditors anticipate the potential for PCAOB inspection, experience the inspection, cope with the consequences of the inspection, and understand the PCAOB's influence within the context of professionalism. We use a qualitative approach that uses both surveys (55) and interviews (20) of auditors (of varying rank and firm) across a five‐year period (2012–2017). Respondents suggest that PCAOB inspectors are powerful, representing the “prosecution,” “judge,” and “jury” of the auditing profession. We therefore use a structural metaphor of the PCAOB inspection as a judicial “trial.” By controlling the criteria used to evaluate performance, inspectors have the power to repeatedly “subpoena,” “interrogate,” and return a “verdict” on the firm (auditor); those judged as “guilty” require supervised “probation.” This process is perceived as having improved audit quality but at a cost. Passing an inspection is so important that auditors (firms) have resorted to impression management strategies and “functionally stupid” work practices (e.g., excessive documentation, a decrease in critical thinking as a result of a “box ticking” approach to auditing). Furthermore, some respondents believe that being a good auditor has come at the expense of being a good accountant; the emphasis on audit process and concurrent de‐emphasis on technical accounting could ultimately lead to audits themselves falling short. In addition, it is evident that inspectors and auditors differ in their perceptions of risk, likely manifesting because inspectors are standards‐focused while auditors (firms) are methodology‐focused. Finally, the inspection process has created excessive stress and tension, beyond budget and fee pressures, which some auditors perceive as affecting the pool of talented auditors that firms may be able to attract and retain in the future.
The Political Influence of Voters’ Interests on SEC Enforcement
Authors: Heese Jonas 
Published: August 2018

ABSTRACTI examine whether political influence as a response to voters’ interest in employment levels is reflected in the enforcement actions of the SEC. I find that large employers are less likely to experience SEC enforcement actions. Next, I examine whether variations in politicians’ sensitivity to employment levels result in variations in enforcement against large employers. I find that large employers are less likely to face enforcement actions during presidential elections if they are based in politically important states. Large employers also face fewer enforcement actions if they are based in high‐unemployment states during elections of senators who serve on SEC oversight committees. Large employers based in high‐unemployment districts enjoy lower enforcement if their members of Congress serve on SEC oversight committees. The findings suggest that voters’ interests are reflected in SEC enforcement.
Phagocytic and oxidative burst activity of phagocytic cells in peripheral blood and uterine washings in cows with clinical endometritis before and after intrauterine use of cephapirin and methisoprinol
Authors: Brodzki Piotr , Lisiecka Urszula , Brodzki Adam , Pyz‐Łukasik Renata , Krakowski Leszek 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe aim of the study was to evaluate phagocytic and killing activity of phagocytic cells in blood and uterine flush of cows with endometritis before and after intrauterine (i.u.) administration of cephapirin and methisoprinol. The research was carried out on 28 cows with clinical endometritis. Animals were divided into four groups, each composed of seven cows, depending on the i.u. treatment used: Group A—cephapirin; Group B—methisoprinol; Group C—cephapirin and methisoprinol at the same time; and a control group—without medication. Using flow cytometry technique, the phagocytic activity of granulocytes and monocytes was identified, as well as the oxidative burst activity of neutrophils in the peripheral blood and uterine washings. Summarizing the results of the research, i.u. infusion of cephapirin caused a reduction in the phagocytic and killing activity of phagocytes. The i.u. use of methisoprinol increased phagocytic and killing activity of phagocytes in the uterus. Administering both listed substances simultaneously showed a decrease in phagocytosis, presumably due to the dominating inhibitor effect of the antibiotic. However, also an increase of mean fluorescence intensity was observed, presumably caused by the methisoprinol. Intrauterine use of immunostimulatory substances, can improve the effectiveness of the treatment of endometritis in cows.
Detailing the digital experience: Parent reports of children's media use in the home learning environment
Authors: Huber Brittany , Highfield Kate , Kaufman Jordy 
Published: August 2018

AbstractScreen media occupy an increasing role in young children's play and learning environments. This paper advances the current discussion of the changing digital lives of children, with new insights of media use in the homes of Australian families (N = 406). Parents reported their child's technology ownership, engagement with traditional and new media, joint media engagement, as well as children's preferences and quantity of media use. From 2014 to 2017, cross‐sectional data were collected via media use questionnaire from families with a child 8 years of age or younger. Of all the media activities, children most frequently participated in reading (paper‐based or eBooks) and watching television. Children's touchscreen use indicated a variety of choices from the “digital toy box,” referring to the numerous apps available and their potential to serve as a medium for play. This data can inform policy and practice of researchers, educators and family engagement specialists and optimize early learning potential prior to formal schooling.
Lost and Found: Personal Reflections on Educational Earnestness and the Power of Love
Authors: Graham Polly 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIn this essay, Polly Graham addresses a current instantiation of what might be called self‐loss within education in the United States. Graham observes that, in her experience, many students and educators, whether decidedly or without reflection, conform to superficial schooling practices that circumscribe the possibility of receiving affirmations for the sense of self we implicitly know to be authentic. Through narrative, she puts forward the possibility of “educational love” as a counter to the fundamental insecurity associated with habits of acting in conformance with superficial, alienated, school‐determined identity criteria. The question of “repetition” in a Kierkegaardian sense invites the reader to resist the logic of standardization — which assumes and valorizes comparability and reliability from an outsider perspective — in favor of a consideration of generalizability as embedded within the intimacy of a particular relation. As such, educational love is resonance rather than dictation.
Cortical response to levodopa in Parkinson's disease patients with dyskinesias
Authors: Turco Francesco , Canessa Andrea , Olivieri Chiara , Pozzi Nicoló G. , Palmisano Chiara , Arnulfo Gabriele , Marotta Giorgio , Volkmann Jens , Pezzoli Gianni , Isaias Ioannis U. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractLevodopa‐induced dyskinesias are a common and disabling side effect of dopaminergic therapy in Parkinson's disease, but their neural mechanisms in vivo are still poorly understood. Besides striatal pathology, the importance of cortical dysfunction has been increasingly recognized. The supplementary motor area in particular, may have a relevant role in dyskinesias onset given its involvement in endogenously generated actions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the levodopa‐related cortical excitability changes along with the emergence of levodopa‐induced peak‐of‐dose dyskinesias in subjects with Parkinson's disease. Thirteen patients without dyskinesias and ten with dyskinesias received 200/50 mg fast‐acting oral levodopa/benserazide following overnight withdrawal (12 hr) from their dopaminergic medication. We targeted transcranial magnetic stimulation to the supplementary motor area, ipsilateral to the most dopamine‐depleted striatum defined with single‐photon emission computed tomography with [123I]N‐ω‐fluoropropyl‐2β‐carbomethoxy‐3β‐(4‐iodophenyl)nortropane, and recorded transcranial magnetic stimulation‐evoked potentials with high‐density electroencephalography before and at 30, 60, and 180 min after levodopa/benserazide intake. Clinical improvement from levodopa/benserazide paralleled the increase in cortical excitability in both groups. Subjects with dyskinesias showed higher fluctuation of cortical excitability in comparison to non‐dyskinetic patients, possibly reflecting dyskinetic movements. Together with endogenous brain oscillation, levodopa‐related dynamics of brain state could influence the therapeutic response of neuromodulatory interventions.
L‐DOPA for Parkinson's disease—a bittersweet pill
Authors: Lane Emma L. 
Published: August 2018

Abstract3,4‐dihydroxy‐L‐phenylalanine (L‐DOPA) is the gold standard treatment for Parkinson's disease. It has earned that title through its highly effective treatment of some of the motor symptoms in the early stages of the disease but it is a far from perfect drug. The inevitable long‐term treatment that comes with this chronic neurodegenerative condition raises the risk significantly of the development of motor fluctuations including disabling L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia. Being unsurpassed as a therapy means that understanding the mechanisms of dyskinesia priming and induction is vital to the search for therapies to treat these side effects and allow optimal use of L‐DOPA. However, L‐DOPA use may also have consequences (positive or negative) for the development of other interventions, such as cell transplantation, which are designed to treat or repair the ailing brain. This review looks at the issues around the use of L‐DOPA with a focus on its potential impact on advanced reparative interventions.
Colonisation, emigration and equilibrium of stream invertebrates in patchy habitats
Authors: Connolly Niall M. , Pearson Richard G. 
Published: August 2018

Abstract

Understanding of the ecology of stream assemblages is enhanced by quantifying colonisation and dispersal rates, but these are difficult to measure at small scales. Using field‐located artificial streams that mirrored natural patches of habitat, we investigated immigration, emigration and stability of invertebrates on leaf‐litter packs over 38 days.

We fitted equilibrium and “drift‐out” models to immigration and emigration data. Overall colonisation by individuals (plateau at ˜Day 12) and taxa (total 50; plateau ˜21 taxa at ˜Day 24) was rapid and curvilinear towards a stable asymptote, suggesting saturation and equilibrium.

Abundant early colonists, mainly several chironomid species, dictated the shape of the colonisation curve, but the patterns varied among species. Thus, the plateaux were due to a successional shift in composition rather than a simple equilibrium.

The equilibrium model fitted total numbers and taxa, and individual taxa that were gradual colonists, but not taxa lacking constant immigration.

High turnover was due mainly to rarer taxa. The assemblage was maintained by drift‐mediated immigration, compensating for individuals lost through emigration, emergence or mortality.

The masking effect of a few taxa and substantial turnover rather than simple accumulation of individuals are important considerations regarding assemblage composition over time. Rapid turnover of individuals provides for rapid colonisation of denuded substrata downstream.