bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of environmental sustainability in the freight transport mode choice
Authors: Bask Anu , Rajahonka Mervi 
Published: June 2017

Purpose
Transport is the European Union (EU) sector that produces the second highest amount of greenhouse gas emissions. In its attempts to promote the environmentally sustainable development of transport, the EU has focussed on intermodal transport in particular – but with limited success. It is important to understand how freight transport is selected, which criteria are used and what role environmental sustainability and intermodal transport play in the selection. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to focus on the role of environmental sustainability and intermodal transport in transport mode decisions. The authors look at this issue from the perspective of logistics service providers (LSPs) and buyers, as they are important stakeholders in guiding this process.

Design/methodology/approach
To gain a holistic view of the current state of research, the authors have conducted a systematic literature review of the role of environmental sustainability and intermodal transport in transport mode decisions. The authors have further examined the findings concerning requests for quotations (RfQs), tenders and transport contracts, as these are also linked to decisions on transport choice.

Findings
The findings from the literature review include the results of descriptive and structured content analysis of the selected articles. They show that the discussion on environmental sustainability and intermodal transport as a sustainable mode, together with the transport mode selection criteria, RfQs/tenders and transport contracts, is still a rather new and emerging topic in the literature. The main focus related to the selection of transport mode has been on utility and cost efficiency, and only recently have issues such as environmental sustainability and intermodal transport started to gain greater attention. The findings also indicate that the theoretical lenses most typically used have been preference models and total cost theories, although the theoretical base has recently become more diversified.

Research limitations/implications
There is still a need to extend the theoretical and methodological base, which could then lead to innovative theory building and testing. Such diverse application of methodologies will help in understanding how environmental sustainability can be better linked to mode choice decisions.

Practical implications
The findings will be of interest to policy makers and companies opting for environmentally sustainable transport solutions.

Social implications
If the EU, shippers and LSPs take a more active stance in promoting environmentally sustainable transformation models, this will have long-lasting societal impacts.

Originality/value
It seems that this systematic literature review of the topic is one of the first such attempts in the current body of literature.
Determinants of CSR disclosure of Tunisian listed banks: a multi-support analysis
Authors: Chakroun Raida , Matoussi Hamadi , Mbirki Sarra 
Published: June 2017

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the extent and trends of voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure and to analyze the determinants of the listed banks’ annual reports and websites in an emergent capital market, namely, Tunisia.Design/methodology/approachThe authors examine the level of CSR disclosure by means of a manual content analysis where the sentence is used as the unit of the analysis. They use Branco and Rodrigues’ (2006 and 2008) index which includes 23 items. They focus on the annual reports of 11 Tunisian listed banks during the period from 2007 to 2012 and the information presented on their websites in December 2013. They use, also, regression analysis to identify the determinants of CSR disclosure used by Tunisian listed banks.FindingsThe results of the investigation show that Tunisian listed banks disclose CSR information primarily in a narrative form. Human resources are the main focus in the annual reports, whereas, on the websites, community involvement is the most widespread theme. With regard to the determinants, it appears that bank age, financial performance and state shareholding are the main factors that impact CSR disclosure in the Tunisian listed banks’ annual reports. Furthermore, this study finds a positive (negative) relationship between leverage (financial performance) and CSR disclosure in the banks’ websites. In this regard, the results show different determinants of CSR disclosure for the two supports. Moreover, bank size, foreign shareholding and the type of auditor are unrelated to the listed banks’ CSR disclosure either in their annual reports or on their websites.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample size is small; however, it consists of all the relevant Tunisian banks. Also, this study is subject to the limitations of using manual content analysis.Practical implicationsThis study enables highlights the importance of CSR disclosure and its determinants for the Tunisian banks’ stakeholders (such as regulators, investors and managers).Originality/valueThe authors contribute to the scarce literature on CSR disclosure in financial institutions. It is the first study to investigate Tunisian listed banks’ CSR disclosure. It is a first attempt to show, also, how banks’ characteristics and banks’ ownership structures impact on their CSR disclosure in their annual reports and on their websites.
Environmental claims in Indian print advertising: an empirical study and policy recommendation
Authors: Prasad Mousami , Mishra Trupti , Kalro Arti D. , Bapat Varadraj 
Published: June 2017

Purpose
Environmental claims in advertising (green ads) provide competitive advantage to firms. This study aims to understand what kinds of environmental claims advertisers make in a developing nation like India. Further, implications for policymakers and advertisers are discussed.

Design/methodology/approach
A content analysis of 279 green print advertisements was conducted using a comprehensive list of claim categories identified from the advertising literature. These categories included advertiser profile; ad promotions – type, sector, appeal; claim – nature, type, focus, validity, emphasis; executional elements – illustration setting, presenter, format/structure and environmental issue, identified from past studies and practitioner interviews.

Findings
The findings suggest that majority of the advertisers using green ads are manufacturers. Consumer durables, real estate and power sector together constitute one-third of the total green ads. Further, most of the green ads are aimed at influencing consumer behaviour. Though most of the ads contain strong emphasis on environmental attributes, they are ambiguous. A large proportion of claims are credence in nature and lack product identification through environmental certifications. This study also identifies areas of concern including interpretation of the term green, use of multiple certifications, greenwashing and advertisers showing environmental responsiveness through event-based green advertising. Policy recommendations are made based on green advertising regulations governing them across developed and other developing countries.

Research limitations/implications
The content analysis of the green advertisements in this study was limited to newspaper advertisements within the print media. Future studies may use advertisements from different media types, such as the internet ads and television commercials, to examine the effect of media type on the nature of green advertisements. It would also be interesting to examine the role of regulations as a moderator, influencing the claims made in green advertisements.

Practical implications
The findings of this study provide a comprehensive overview of the nature of green advertisements in India. Marketers may use these insights to design effective green advertising strategies.

Originality/value
Most of the extant literature has examined environmental claims in the context of developed nations, where regulations are well established. Very few studies have examined this issue in the context of developing countries. In addition, most of the previous studies have focused on specific issues like greenwashing, appeals and execution elements. The present study contributes to green advertising by examining environmental claims in case of a developing nation like India using a comprehensive list of claim categories. This study also identifies areas of concern and suggests recommendations for policymakers and advertisers.
Finance or philanthropy? Exploring the motivations and criteria of impact investors
Authors: Roundy Philip , Holzhauer Hunter , Dai Ye 
Published: June 2017

PurposeThe growing prevalence of social entrepreneurship has been coupled with an increasing number of so-called “impact investors”. However, much remains to be learned about this nascent class of investors. To address the dearth of scholarly attention to impact investing, this study seeks to answer four questions that are central to understanding the phenomenon. What are the defining characteristics of impact investing? Do impact investors differ from traditional classes of investors and, if so, how? What are the motivations that drive impact investment? And, what criteria do impact investors use when evaluating potential investments?Design/methodology/approachA partially inductive study based on semi-structured interviews with 31 investors and ethnographic observation was conducted to explore how impact investors differ from other classes of investors in their motivations and unique criteria used to evaluate ventures seeking investment.FindingsThis study reveals that impact investors represent a unique class of investors that differs from socially responsible investing, from other types of for-profit investors, such as venture capitalists and angel investors, and from traditional philanthropists. The varied motivations of impact investors and the criteria they use to evaluate investments are identified.Originality/valueDespite the growing practitioner and media attention to impact investing, several foundational issues remain unaddressed. This study takes the first steps toward shedding light on this new realm of early-stage venture investing and clarifying its role in larger efforts of social responsibility.
The effect of business cycle, market return and momentum on financial performance of socially responsible investing mutual funds
Authors: Paul Karen 
Published: June 2017

PurposeThis study examines the effect of business cycle, market return and momentum on the financial performance of socially responsible investing (SRI) mutual funds using data from two complete business cycles as defined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).Design/methodology/approachA “fund of funds” approach is used to identify the extent to which SRI financial performance is affected by the macroeconomic climate. The Fama-French Three-Factor model and the Carhart four-factor model are used to bring the results into alignment with commonly used finance methodologies.FindingsThe results indicate that SRI tends to preserve value during economic contraction more than it adds value during economic expansion. Market return is important during both expansion and contraction, while momentum is important only during expansion.Research limitations/implicationsThese findings suggest that double screening, for both financial and social performance, enables portfolio managers of SRI funds to have insight into those companies that are particularly vulnerable during times of economic contraction.Practical implicationsThese results bring added clarity to the mixed findings found by previous researchers examining the relationship between corporate social performance (CSP) and financial performance.Social implicationsThis study reinforces the idea that the financial performance of companies with high ethical standards is comparable to the financial performance of the market as a whole during times of economic expansion and superior to the market as a whole during times of economic contraction.Originality/valueBusiness cycle analysis, along with the Fama-French Three-Factor model and the Carhart four-factor model, brings SRI research more into the realm of conventional financial analysis than previous studies.
Transformational leadership and affective organizational commitment: mediating roles of perceived social responsibility and organizational identification
Authors: Allen Gregory W. , Attoh Prince A. , Gong Tao 
Published: June 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this research was to examine the mediating roles of staff-level employee perceptions of corporate social responsibility (PCSR) and organizational identification in the relationship between transformational leadership and affective organizational commitment.Design/methodology/approachA survey was administered to staff-level employees of private sector companies through social media groups comprising members of the alumni associations of two universities in the northeast of America. A total of 218 responses were received, and the data were analyzed using a serial multiple mediator model.FindingsThe research indicates that transformational leadership helps staff-level employees perceive the organization as socially considerate, which in turn adds to their feelings of identification and commitment to the organization. Perceived corporate social responsibility and organizational identification do mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and affective organizational commitment. Leader development programs should consider emphasizing transformational leadership to achieve a win for both organizations and society.Originality/valueThis study adds empirical evidence to understand the linkage between transformational leadership and PCSR in staff-level employees. The research provides insight into how leaders can be responsive to stakeholder demands through transformational leadership, how PCSR is engendered at the staff-level, how staff-level employee PCSR contributes organizational value and how PSCR and organizational identification partly explain how transformational leadership effects affective organizational commitment.
EDIII‐DENV3 nanospheres drive immature dendritic cells into a mature phenotype in an in vitro model
Authors: Nantachit Nattika , Sunintaboon Panya , Ubol Sukathida 
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACTDomain III of E protein of dengue virus (DENV) is a target for vaccine development. Unfortunately, this protein based platform has low general immunogenicity. To circumvent this problem, the use of an adjuvant‐nanoparticle delivery system to facilitate immunogenicity of soluble DENV‐EDIII protein was investigated. One of the key features of this delivery system is its ability to simultaneously deliver antigens and exert adjuvanticity on specialized immune cells. In this study, N‐trimethyl chitosan (TMC) nanoparticles (NPs) were generated to be used as adjuvant and carrier for soluble E‐domain III of dengue virus serotype 3 (sEDIII‐D3). Using ionotropic gelation, purified sEDIII‐D3 was encapsulated into TMC NPs to form EDIII‐D3 TMC NPs. After optimization, EDIII‐D3 TMC particles exhibited a loading efficiency of 81% and a loading capacity of 41%. The immunogenicity of EDIII‐D3 TMC NPs was tested using monocyte‐derived dendritic cells (MoDCs). It was found that EDIII‐D3 TMC NPs were well taken up by MoDCs. In addition, EDIII‐D3 TMC NP treated MoDCs significantly upregulated maturation markers (CD80, CD83, CD86 and HLA‐DR) and induced secretion of various cytokines and chemokines (IFN‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐2, IL‐12p70, IFN‐γ, IL‐4, IL‐10, IL‐8, MCP‐1, macrophage inflammatory protein‐1β, granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor, granulocyte–macrophage colony‐stimulating factor and IL‐7). These results indicate that EDIII‐D3 TMC NPs are potent immunogens, at least in vitro, with the ability to induce maturation of DCs and highlight the potential use of TMC NPs for enhancing immunogenicity of a non‐replicating dengue vaccine.
A Unique Type of Birth Trauma Mistaken for Abuse
Authors: Isaac Carolyn V. , Cornelison Jered B. , Castellani Rudolph J. , deJong Joyce L. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractPediatric abusive head trauma is a challenging subject across many disciplines. Of particular importance is the identification of mimics of abuse, so cause and manner of death can be properly assigned. We present the case of suspected child abuse involving an infant who presented unresponsive to the hospital with hypoglycemia, hypothermia, and bilateral parietal fractures. An autopsy revealed fractures associated with organizing scalp hemorrhage and gross leptomeningeal congestion and hemorrhage. The fractures were circular with external displacement, rounded margins, and subperiosteal new bone formation indicative of healing. Birth records revealed vacuum assist and cesarean section delivery. Although vacuum extraction‐related injuries are typically cephalohematomas and/or linear fractures, the outbending and circular morphology of the fractures are consistent with vacuum extraction. Moreover, microscopic neuropathological examination revealed hemorrhagic purulent leptomeningitis. This unique case demonstrates the importance of considering birth trauma in the determination of cause and manner of death of an infant.
Environmental DNA enables detection of terrestrial mammals from forest pond water
Authors: Ushio Masayuki , Fukuda Hisato , Inoue Toshiki , Makoto Kobayashi , Kishida Osamu , Sato Keiichi , Murata Koichi , Nikaido Masato , Sado Tetsuya , Sato Yukuto , Takeshita Masamichi , Iwasaki Wataru , Yamanaka Hiroki , Kondoh Michio , Miya Masaki 
Published: June 2017

AbstractTerrestrial animals must have frequent contact with water to survive, implying that environmental DNA (eDNA) originating from those animals should be detectable from places containing water in terrestrial ecosystems. Aiming to detect the presence of terrestrial mammals using forest water samples, we applied a set of universal PCR primers (MiMammal, a modified version of fish universal primers) for metabarcoding mammalian eDNA. The versatility of MiMammal primers was tested in silico and by amplifying DNAs extracted from tissues. The results suggested that MiMammal primers are capable of amplifying and distinguishing a diverse group of mammalian species. In addition, analyses of water samples from zoo cages of mammals with known species composition suggested that MiMammal primers could successfully detect mammalian species from water samples in the field. Then, we performed an experiment to detect mammals from natural ecosystems by collecting five 500‐ml water samples from ponds in two cool‐temperate forests in Hokkaido, northern Japan. MiMammal amplicon libraries were constructed using eDNA extracted from water samples, and sequences generated by Illumina MiSeq were subjected to data processing and taxonomic assignment. We thereby detected multiple species of mammals common to the sampling areas, including deer (Cervus nippon), mouse (Mus musculus), vole (Myodes rufocanus), raccoon (Procyon lotor), rat (Rattus norvegicus) and shrew (Sorex unguiculatus). Many previous applications of the eDNA metabarcoding approach have been limited to aquatic/semiaquatic systems, but the results presented here show that the approach is also promising even for forest mammal biodiversity surveys.
How to quantify a distance‐dependent landscape effect on a biological response
Authors: Miguet Paul , Fahrig Lenore , Lavigne Claire 
Published: June 2017

Abstract

To quantify the effect of the surrounding landscape context on a biological response at a site, most studies measure landscape variables within discs centred on this biological response (threshold‐based method, TBM). This implicitly assumes that the effect of a unit area of the landscape is consistent up to a threshold distance beyond which it drops to zero. However, it seems more likely that the landscape effect declines with increasing distance from the biological response point. Here, we develop a method to quantify landscape context effects by weighting the landscape variables by functions that decrease with distance. We illustrate the method using abundance data on birds and insects, and compare the results to the threshold approach.

We defined distance weighting functions by the function family (e.g. negative exponential, Gaussian…) and by the parameters for this function. We developed a method to simultaneously estimate the parameters characterizing the effect of the landscape variables and the parameters of the best weighting functions. For each test dataset, we determined which weighting function (family and parameters) had the most support, by optimizing the model AIC.

The distance‐weighted method (DWM) improved model support over the TBM in three of four datasets, with the exponential power function selected as the best weighing function in all three cases.

The observed differences between estimations of landscape context effects by the distance‐weighted and the threshold methods have significant implications for landscape management. For example, the DWM suggests that managing a landscape for 90% of its effect on a focal population requires an area over five times larger than the area estimated by the threshold method, a situation that might apply for priority conservation of few remnant populations of a severely endangered species. In contrast, management for 30% of the landscape effect requires only about half the area estimated using the threshold method, a situation that might apply to a management situation with limited resources or low political/societal support.

The DWM is applicable to any species‐habitat relationship. More comparisons are needed to determine the situations in which distance‐weighted estimation of landscape context effects is warranted over the simpler threshold method.
Using data from related species to overcome spatial sampling bias and associated limitations in ecological niche modelling
Authors: Qiao Huijie , Peterson Andrew Townsend , Ji Liqiang , Hu Junhua 
Published: June 2017

Abstract

Ecological niche modelling (ENM) is used widely to aid in conservation planning and management, often focusing on rare species characterized by the biased observations associated with restricted geographic ranges, habitat specialization, small population size and limited natural history information. Generating reliable ENMs for such species is a challenge, however, owing to issues that arise from spatial sampling bias, such as model inaccuracy and overfitting. Here, using virtual scenarios, we assess the utility of integrating occurrence data for closely related species with varying degrees of niche overlap into ENMs of focal species.

We consider two approaches to merge related and focal species models: integrating occurrences of focal and related species directly as inputs with which to generate ENMs, vs. creating ENMs based on occurrences of focal and related species separately and merging results based on Bayesian inference approaches.

Both single, integrated models and Bayesian inference approaches performed better than models based on focal species only when niche overlap between the focal and related species was large, across ENM algorithms examined. While assessing sensitivity and specificity separately, the performances of the two integration approaches over different ENM algorithms were complicated.

The results of the study offer a novel way forward in managing the challenge of creating useful, predictive models even for the rarest species, taking advantage of the reasonably general property of niche conservatism over small‐to‐moderate amounts of evolutionary time.