bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Corporate social performance and cost of debt: the relationship
Authors: Magnanelli Barbara Sveva , Izzo Maria Federica 
Published: May 2017

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the link between corporate social performance (CSP) and cost of debt financing. Despite academic debate has focused on the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and CSP (expressed through accounting and market measures of profitability), few empirical researches have analysed the relations between CSR, cost of debt and its relation with the risk profile of a firm. The literature on the cost of debt determinants generally documents a negative association between measures of the risk of the firm and its cost of debt. The literature on CSR defines risk reduction as one of the potential benefits related to CSR activities. Thus, the expectation is that high CSP scores are inversely related to cost of debt.Design/methodology/approachUsing a unique data set of 332 firms over a time period of five years antecedent to the global financial crisis, a linear regression model is applied.FindingsThe results show a positive relation between CSP and cost of debt, demonstrating that CSR is not a value driver with an impact on the firm’s risk profile.Practical implicationsThe research has also practical implications as it makes managers aware of the potentiality of CSP to reduce the firm’s cost of debt.Originality/valueThese findings enlarge the empirical research on the value of CSP, expanding it towards a quite new area of investigation: the cost of external financing.
Environmental awareness, initiatives and performance in the hotel industry of Macau
Authors: Wan Yim King Penny , Chan Sow Hup Joanne , Huang Hui Lan Wendy 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
This paper aims to examine the environmental awareness, initiatives and performance in the Macau hotel industry.

Design/methodology/approach
A mixed research method was adopted involving quantitative surveys with 31 hotels in Macau and 11 face-to-face interviews with the hotel managers, facilities managers and engineers.

Findings
Response from surveys and interviews with 31 hoteliers show that hotels in Macau have a high level of environmental awareness. Most hoteliers actively introduce initiatives that contribute to cost savings. Initiatives including using energy conservation light bulbs, having an active system to detect/repair leaking facilities and installing water conserving fixtures are widely implemented, while programs involving using solar lawn light, recycling leftover food and reusing wastewater are not. Major barriers for going green include the lack of government regulations on environmental management (EM), financial constraints, the lack of employees to handle EM and the fear that environmental initiatives may negatively impact the guest’s experience, especially those VIP and hardcore gamblers and customers who expect enjoying the luxuries services in Macau hotels. Lower star hotels experience more difficulties in adopting green approaches.

Research limitations/implications
This paper presents a single case study of Macau; therefore, the results in this research may have limited generalizability.

Originality/value
This paper is one of the very few attempts that investigate EM in Macau – a renowned world tourism and gambling destination, where the vast majority of hotels have their casino facilities. Results show that apart from the financial consideration and the lack of government enforcement to adopt green measures similar to hotels in other destinations, EM practices of Macau’s hotels are also constrained by its customer base and the acute shortage of human resources that is caused by the tourism boom.
Drafting a realistic tourism policy: the airlines’ strategic influence
Authors: Liasidou Sotiroula 
Published: May 2017

Purpose
In tourism literature, policy is synonymous with the involvement of the government in terms of planning, developing and organising the destination. In the case of the airline industry, policy is verified by a supranational body, the European Union, which sets outs guidelines for all member states. This paper aims to examine how the tourism policy and planning in Cyprus is formulated in an attempt to understand the strategic response of the airlines in the way they fulfil the aims of the tourism strategy.

Design/methodology/approach
The primary data are based on the results of 25 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with powerful and elite tourism and airline decision makers in Cyprus.

Findings
The results of the research suggest that the tourism policy should take into more consideration and develop strategic synergies and have tighter links with airlines companies in terms of planning and policy formation. This will enable the destination and the government to provide more realistic targets in tourism policies especially in islands. The airline network can both increase the number of arrival and diversify the demand all year round and offer more economic opportunities.

Originality/value
The study addresses two important aspects in terms of tourism development. The first is the policy initiative and the second is the role of the airlines’ for the purpose of tourism. Interrelation between tourism policies and airline developments are rather neglected in the tourism literature. Thus, this study highlights the point that in destination planning especially on islands, the airline decision-makers should participate in the policy making process and set more realistic targets. Additionally, airlines play an important role for destinations reaching numerical targets.
CO2assimilation strategies in stratified lakes: Diversity and distribution patterns of chemolithoautotrophs
Authors: Alfreider Albin , Baumer Andreas , Bogensperger Teresa , Posch Thomas , Salcher Michaela M. , Summerer Monika 
Published: May 2017

SummaryWhile mechanisms of different carbon dioxide (CO2) assimilation pathways in chemolithoautotrohic prokaryotes are well understood for many isolates under laboratory conditions, the ecological significance of diverse CO2fixation strategies in the environment is mostly unexplored. Six stratified freshwater lakes were chosen to study the distribution and diversity of the Calvin‐Benson‐Bassham (CBB) cycle, the reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle, and the recently discovered archaeal 3‐hydroxypropionate/4‐hydroxybutyrate (HP/HB) pathway. Eleven primer sets were used to amplify and sequence genes coding for selected key enzymes in the three pathways. Whereas the CBB pathway with different forms of RubisCO (IA, IC and II) was ubiquitous and related to diverse bacterial taxa, encompassing a wide range of potential physiologies, the rTCA cycle inEpsilonproteobacteriaandChloribiwas exclusively detected in anoxic water layers. NitrifiyingNitrosospiraandThaumarchaeota, using the rTCA and HP/HB cycle respectively, are important residents in the aphotic and (micro‐)oxic zone of deep lakes. Both taxa were of minor importance in surface waters and in smaller lakes characterized by an anoxic hypolimnion. Overall, this study provides a first insight on how different CO2fixation strategies and chemical gradients in lakes are associated to the distribution of chemoautotrophic prokaryotes with different functional traits.
What happened to Koch's postulates in diarrhoea?
Authors: Sultana Shamima , Sarker Shafiqul A. , Brüssow Harald 
Published: May 2017

SummaryIn 1890, Robert Koch has formulated postulates describing what criteria a parasite has to fulfil to qualify as an aetiological agent for an infectious disease. Since then Koch's postulates have experienced reformulations by nearly every generation of microbiologists reflecting new discoveries changing the understanding of infectious diseases pathogenesis. The latest addition to this discussion is the role of the host commensal microbiota in turning infections into disease. After an overview of the historical developments of the postulates, data on diarrhoea aetiology from Bangladesh with respect to Koch's postulates were analysed. In countries with a low environmental hygiene standard, some recognized bacterial enteropathogens appear as a necessary, but not sufficient condition for diarrhoea. The possibility emerges that the loss of a physiological commensal gut microbiota equilibrium (‘dysbiosis’) is an important co‐factor for some bacterial pathogens to induce diarrhoea. Koch's hypothesis ‘1 pathogen + 1 host = 1 disease’ is therefore better formulated as ‘X (pathogen/s) + Y (local milieu) + Z (individual host susceptibility) = disease’.
Grantmaking in a Disorderly World: The Limits of Rationalism
Authors: Leat Diana , Williamson Alexandra , Scaife Wendy 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThis article reflects on the real world relevance of rational approaches to grantmaking. The characteristics and environment of foundation work are outlined, then both traditional and newer funding practices are analysed. Unpacking implicit assumptions of a rational approach, eight costs to foundations and their grantees are identified. The final sections of the paper consider what grantmaking for a complex and disorderly world might encompass. In conclusion, while rational approaches to grantmaking provide a comfortable aura of certainty, funders need to adapt to a little discomfort.
Involvement of BcElp4 in vegetative development, various environmental stress response and virulence of Botrytis cinerea
Authors: Shao Wenyong , Lv Chiyuan , Zhang Yu , Wang Jin , Chen Changjun 
Published: May 2017

SummaryThe Saccharomyces cerevisiae Elongator complex consisting of the six Elp1‐Elp6 proteins has been proposed to participate in three distinct cellular processes: transcriptional elongation, polarized exocytosis and formation of modified wobble uridines in tRNA. In this study, we investigated the function of BcElp4 in Botrytis cinerea, which is homologous to S. cerevisiae Elp4. A bcelp4 deletion mutant was significantly impaired in vegetative growth, sclerotia formation and melanin biosynthesis. This mutant exhibited decreased sensitivity to osmotic and oxidative stresses as well as cell way‐damaging agent. Pathogenicity assays revealed that BcElp4 is involved in the virulence of B. cinerea. In addition, the deletion of bcelp4 led to increased aerial mycelia development. All these defects were restored by genetic complementation of the bcelp4 deletion mutant with the wild‐type bcelp4 gene. The results of this study indicated that BcElp4 is involved in regulation of vegetative development, various environmental stress response and virulence in B. cinerea.
Risk of Intracranial Hemorrhage in Ground‐level Fall With Antiplatelet or Anticoagulant Agents
Authors: Ganetsky Michael , Lopez Gregory , Coreanu Tara , Novack Victor , Horng Steven , Shapiro Nathan I. , Bauer Kenneth A. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractObjectivesAnticoagulant and antiplatelet medications are known to increase the risk and severity of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH), even with minor head trauma. Most studies on bleeding propensity with head trauma are retrospective, are based on trauma registries, or include heterogeneous mechanisms of injury. The goal of this study was to determine the rate of tICH from only a common low‐acuity mechanism of injury, that of a ground‐level fall, in patients taking one or more of the following antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications: aspirin, warfarin, prasugrel, ticagrelor, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, or enoxaparin.MethodsThis was a prospective cohort study conducted at a Level I tertiary care trauma center of consecutive patients meeting the inclusion criteria of a ground‐level fall with head trauma as affirmed by the treating clinician, a computed tomography (CT) head obtained, and taking and one of the above antiplatelet or anticoagulants. Patients were identified prospectively through electronic screening with confirmatory chart review. Emergency department charts were abstracted without subsequent knowledge of the hospital course. Patients transferred with a known abnormal CT head were excluded. Primary outcome was rate of tICH on initial CT head. Rates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were compared.ResultsOver 30 months, we enrolled 939 subjects. The mean ± SD age was 78.3 ± 11.9 years and 44.6% were male. There were a total of 33 patients with tICH (3.5%, 95% CI = 2.5%–4.9%). Antiplatelets had a rate of tICH of 4.3% (95% CI = 3.0%–6.2%) compared to anticoagulants with a rate of 1.7% (95% CI = 0.4%–4.5%). Aspirin without other agents had an tICH rate of 4.6% (95% CI = 3.2%–6.6%); of these, 81.5% were taking low‐dose 81 mg aspirin. Two patients received a craniotomy (one taking aspirin, one taking warfarin). There were four deaths (three taking aspirin, one taking warfarin). Most (72.7%) subjects with tICH were discharged home or to a rehabilitation facility. There were no tICH in 31 subjects taking a direct oral anticoagulant. CIs were overlapping for the groups.ConclusionThere is a low incidence of clinically significant tICH with a ground‐level fall in head trauma in patients taking an anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication. There was no statistical difference in rate of tICH between antiplatelet and anticoagulants, which is unanticipated and counterintuitive as most literature and teaching suggests a higher rate with anticoagulants. A larger data set is needed to determine if small differences between the groups exist.
Airway basophils are increased and activated in eosinophilic asthma
Authors: Suzuki Y. , Wakahara K. , Nishio T. , Ito S. , Hasegawa Y. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractBackgroundThe impact of basophils on asthma pathogenesis remains largely unexplored, particularly in humans. Here, we evaluated the frequencies and activation status of basophils in the sputum of adult asthmatic patients and related our findings to other parameters of eosinophilic airway inflammation.MethodsWe enrolled 44 adult asthmatic patients who were being treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Analysis of the induced sputum, exhaled nitric oxide fraction (FeNO) measurement, and asthma control test (ACT) were carried out together with standard blood and pulmonary function tests. The cellular composition of the sputum was examined by flow cytometry, and the phenotypes of blood and sputum basophils were compared.ResultsBasophils were increased in the sputum of asthmatic patients. The expression of CD203c on sputum basophils was significantly higher than that on blood basophils. The percentage of sputum basophils was positively correlated with those of eosinophils and mast cells; it was also correlated with that of blood eosinophils and FeNO. However, sputum basophils were not correlated with serum IgE, lung function, or the percentage of blood basophils. A receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed the superiority of sputum basophils as a surrogate marker of the percentages of sputum eosinophils compared with absolute numbers of blood eosinophils and FeNO.ConclusionThe number of activated basophils was increased in the sputum of patients with eosinophilic asthma and correlated with airway and blood eosinophils. Our observations suggest that sputum basophils may serve as a biomarker to monitor new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of eosinophilic asthma.
Minimal impact of extensive heating of hen's egg and cow's milk in a food matrix on threshold dose‐distribution curves
Authors: Remington B. C. , Westerhout J. , Campbell D. E. , Turner P. J. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe analyzed reaction threshold data from 352 children undergoing open food challenges to hen's egg or cow's milk, either fresh or extensively heated into a muffin. There was no significant shift in dose‐distribution curves due to the baking process, implying that existing threshold data for these allergens can be applied to allergen risk management, even when these allergens are heat‐processed into baked foods.
Gametogenesis and reproductive dynamics of Rhinella schneideri (Anura: Bufonidae): Influence of environmental and anthropogenic factors
Authors: Montezol Michel , Cassel Mônica , Silva Débora , Ferreira Adelina , Mehanna Mahmoud 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThis is the characterisation of the reproductive dynamics of Rhinella schneideri in an urban area during two non‐consecutive periods. Germ cells are similar to those of other anuran species, but some characteristics were more marked for R. schneideri, such as the morphological similarity of spermatogonia and oogonia, which may be related to their potential for development into both stem cell types. The presence of lampbrush chromosomes, the extensive variation in number and organisation of the nucleoli and the organisation of the nuclear cortex are also characteristic of this species. All of these features appear to work together, participating in the dynamic growth of the oocyte. In some specimens, previtellogenic oocytes were also observed in the seminiferous tubules, which may be related to anthropogenic changes induced in the study area. In the first study period, reproductive dynamics revealed synchrony between the sexes, with the preparation of the gonads from October to December and the reproductive season from October to January, coinciding with the rainy season. In the second period, reproductive synchrony was also observed, but gonad preparation occurred from February to June and the reproductive season was from August to November, before the rainy season. These changes in the reproductive cycle suggest that urbanisation affects the reproduction of this species.
A retrospective analysis of the impact of treatments and blood counts on survival and the risk of vascular events during the course of polycythaemia vera
Authors: Enblom‐Larsson Anneli , Girodon Francois , Bak Marie , Hersby Ditte , Jooste Valérie , Hasselbalch Hans , Johansson Peter , Andreasson Björn 
Published: May 2017

SummaryVascular and non‐vascular complications are common in patients with polycythaemia vera. This retrospective study of 217 patients with polycythaemia vera aimed to determine whether blood counts with respect to different treatments influenced the complication rate and survival. We found that 78 (36%) patients suffered from at least one complication during follow‐up. Older age and elevated lactate dehydrogenase at diagnosis were found to be risk factors for vascular complications. When the vascular complication occurred, 41% of the patients with a complication had elevated white blood cells (WBC) compared with 20% of patients without a complication (P = 0·042). Patients treated with hydroxycarbamide (HC; also termed hydroxyurea) experienced significantly fewer vascular complications (11%) than patients treated with phlebotomy only (27%) (P = 0·013). We also found a survival advantage for patients treated with HC, when adjusted for age, gender and time period of diagnosis (Hazard ratio for phlebotomy‐treated patients compared to HC‐treated patients at 5 years was 2·42, 95% confidence interval 1·03‐5·72, P = 0·043). Concerning survival and vascular complications, HC‐treated patients who needed at least one phlebotomy per year were not significantly different from HC‐treated patients with a low phlebotomy requirement. We conclude that complementary phlebotomy in HC‐treated patients in order to maintain the haematocrit, is safe.
The long‐term persistence of phytoplankton resting stages in aquatic ‘seed banks’
Authors: Ellegaard Marianne , Ribeiro Sofia 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACTIn the past decade, research on long‐term persistence of phytoplankton resting stages has intensified. Simultaneously, insight into life‐cycle variability in the diverse groups of phytoplankton has also increased. Aquatic ‘seed banks’ have tremendous significance and show many interesting parallels to terrestrial seed beds of vascular plants, but are much less studied. It is therefore timely to review the phenomenon of long‐term persistence of aquatic resting stages in sediment seed banks. Herein we compare function, morphology and physiology of phytoplankton resting stages to factors central for persistence of terrestrial seeds. We review the types of resting stages found in different groups of phytoplankton and focus on the groups for which long‐term (multi‐decadal) persistence has been shown: dinoflagellates, diatoms, green algae and cyanobacteria. We discuss the metabolism of long‐term dormancy in phytoplankton resting stages and the ecological, evolutionary and management implications of this important trait. Phytoplankton resting stages exhibiting long‐term viability are characterized by thick, often multi‐layered walls and accumulation vesicles containing starch, lipids or other materials such as pigments, cyanophycin or unidentified granular materials. They are reported to play central roles in evolutionary resilience and survival of catastrophic events. Promising areas for future research include the role of hormones in mediating dormancy, elucidating the mechanisms behind metabolic shut‐down and testing bet‐hedging hypotheses.
Using citizen science butterfly counts to predict species population trends
Authors: Dennis Emily B. , Morgan Byron J.T. , Brereton Tom M. , Roy David B. , Fox Richard 
Published: May 2017

AbstractCitizen scientists are increasingly engaged in gathering biodiversity information, but trade‐offs are often required between public engagement goals and reliable data collection. We compared population estimates for 18 widespread butterfly species derived from the first 4 years (2011–2014) of a short‐duration citizen science project (Big Butterfly Count [BBC]) with those from long‐running, standardized monitoring data collected by experienced observers (U.K. Butterfly Monitoring Scheme [UKBMS]). BBC data are gathered during an annual 3‐week period, whereas UKBMS sampling takes place over 6 months each year. An initial comparison with UKBMS data restricted to the 3‐week BBC period revealed that species population changes were significantly correlated between the 2 sources. The short‐duration sampling season rendered BBC counts susceptible to bias caused by interannual phenological variation in the timing of species’ flight periods. The BBC counts were positively related to butterfly phenology and sampling effort. Annual estimates of species abundance and population trends predicted from models including BBC data and weather covariates as a proxy for phenology correlated significantly with those derived from UKBMS data. Overall, citizen science data obtained using a simple sampling protocol produced comparable estimates of butterfly species abundance to data collected through standardized monitoring methods. Although caution is urged in extrapolating from this U.K. study of a small number of common, conspicuous insects, we found that mass‐participation citizen science can simultaneously contribute to public engagement and biodiversity monitoring. Mass‐participation citizen science is not an adequate replacement for standardized biodiversity monitoring but may extend and complement it (e.g., through sampling different land‐use types), as well as serving to reconnect an increasingly urban human population with nature.