bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Desperately seeking the civil society: the new challenge of the multinational companies
Authors: Lemmet Laurence-Claire , Medjad Karim 
Published: December 2017

Purpose
Multinational corporations (MNCs) entering into so-called state contracts in developing countries, notably in extracting industries or infrastructures, typically find themselves seeking a long-term commitment from a state whose life expectancy might be shorter than the duration of the contract. To address this uncertainty, MNCs have devised additional legal layers and brought additional parties to state contracts, causing a contractual inflation with contradictory aims. On the one hand, they have sought to blur the notion of third party, so that they could assert their contractual rights vis-à-vis more stakeholders. On the other hand, they have carefully avoided a total disqualification of this very notion to keep the civil society away from the negotiation table. Nowadays, the threat that the host states used to represent has been substantially reduced, but MNCs are now exposed outside of state contracts, for it is precisely the lack of contractual commitment on the part of the civil society that is a potential challenge to their activities. Accordingly, they are now forced to seek the endorsement of the very actor they ostensibly ignored in the past. The purpose of this paper is to describe this sinuous evolution of the state contract and to discuss the challenges it announces.

Design/methodology/approach
In the first part, the authors analyze the legal bubble that has prospered throughout the past decades, resulting in a dilution of the state as a party to the contract. In the second part, they describe the emergence by default of the civil society that this phenomenon has triggered. They discuss their findings and conclude in the third part.

Findings
In the past decades, state contracts have consistently progressed in the direction of an increased weakening of the state vis-à-vis its private contractors. For MNCs, this decline is far less favorable than it seems, for it enables the civil society to fill the gap and to claim a role that as disturbing as it is disproportionate, considering its uncertain legal nature.

Research limitations/implications
Despite its evanescent content and contours, it is probably this civil society itself that will draw the new frontier of the state contract. What it will be is yet to be determined however.

Practical implications
MNCs lack the legal power to turn the civil society or some of its emanations into a legal person, let alone compel it to actually “sign” state contracts. But for their bargaining power vis-à-vis host states remains as strong as ever, they may ultimately force their sovereign interlocutors to do so.

Originality/value
The civil society has been extensively studied, but never as the legal person MNCs would like it to be.
Comparing different ITO-metal thin film structures for ethanol and carbon dioxide sensing application
Authors: Eslamian Mohammadali , Salehi Alireza , Miripour Zohreh Sadat 
Published: December 2017

Purpose
Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film as a gas sensor has a good stability and performance. The purpose of this paper is to compare the effect of depositing different metal layers in various structures on the gas sensing properties of ITO toward ethanol and carbon dioxide.

Design/methodology/approach
In this work, the authors have investigated the effect of depositing an ITO layer by Electron Beam Evaporation technique under, on top and in the middle of the metal layers. Surface morphology and the response of the fabricated sensors were compared and the changes in the response of the sensors to ethanol and carbon dioxide gases were studied at various gas concentrations and operating temperatures. The sensing mechanism and result of the other studies were also discussed.

Findings
Comparing various sensor structures reported in this study showed that the ITO nanorods which grow over distinct Ag nano-islands in the ITO/Ag structure has the highest response of 420 per cent to ethanol which is 6 times more than the single-layer ITO sensor. Further, gold nanoparticles on ITO nanorods in Au/ITO/Ag structure produce a very complex structure that exhibits the best response of 150 per cent to carbon dioxide which is 6.5 times more than the single-layer ITO sensor. The response and the recovery times were improved also.

Originality/value
Different ITO-metal gas sensor structures were studied and compared toward ethanol and carbon dioxide. Response enhancement and various surface changes through a series of experiments and analysis were discussed and compared to the literature.
An improved structural design for accelerometers based on slotted eight-beam structure
Authors: Wang Peng , Zhao Yulong , Zhao You , Zhang Qi , Cai Anjiang 
Published: December 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is proposed a new structure design for high performance accelerometer.

Design/methodology/approach
An improved sensitivity structure considering sensitivity, natural frequency and cross-axis sensitivity is established and realized. The proposed structure was designed to improve the trade-off between the sensitivity and the natural frequency of piezoresistive accelerometer and eliminate the lateral sensitivity effect by the specific configuration, which is made possible by incorporating slots into the eight-beam structure. The mechanical model and its mathematical solution are established for calculating the sensitivity and natural frequency behavior of the designed structure. The developed sensor is fabricated on the n-type single-crystal silicon wafer and packaged for experiment. The accelerometer prototype was tested in the centrifugal machine and dynamic calibration system.

Findings
The experimental results show that the sensitivity of the designed sensor is 0.213 mV/(Vg) and the natural frequency of the sensor is 14.22 kHz. Compared with some piezoresistive accelerometers in literatures, the designed sensor possesses a suitable characteristic in sensitivity, natural frequency and transverse effect, which allows its usage in measuring high frequency vibration signals.

Originality/value
The accelerometer with slotted eight-beam structure shows a good performance in the static and dynamic experiments and can be used in measuring high frequency vibration signals.
Faeyee: allocation of constrained business resources for production of competitive products from cost accounting perspectives
Authors: Li Ji , Wu Di 
Published: December 2017

Synopsis
Faeyee Electronics was an electronics company that manufactured and sold smartphones including XS and XT types. The management of Faeyee wanted to pursue the maximum contribution margin as much as possible, especially since they were faced with limited resources. It was necessary to apply analytical tools and cost accounting concepts to study this case including cost-volume-profit analysis, learning curve analysis, regression analysis, definitions of competitive products, constrained non-linear optimization, and contribution margin.

Research methodology
The case uses business analytics tools and cost accounting concepts, including regression models and constrained optimization approaches, to study how to maximize business outcomes, such as contribution margin and profits when limited business resources are available. The company and individuals are disguised.

Relevant courses and levels
This case can be used in any junior-, senior-, masters- or MBA-level managerial accounting course. Students need to have at least one course of introduction to statistics or instructors review required statistics concepts or techniques before assigning this case. Students are exposed to the challenges of deriving learning curve models, using regression analysis to study collected data and allocating limited resources to maximize contribution margin.
A profile of high-performing global virtual teams
Authors: Lippert Helge , Dulewicz Victor 
Published: December 2017

PurposeThere is a paucity of research into high-performing virtual teams. This study aims to design and test a model of virtual team performance and to produce a profile of high-performing teams.Design/methodology/approachThe main constructs found to have influenced virtual team performance in business were trustworthiness, commitment, communication characteristics, cross-cultural communication style and structure effects. New or revised scales to measure these and a new performance measure, based on five performance criteria, were developed. A research model was designed and tested, and a profile of high-performance teams produced. The sample from a global telecoms company comprised 108 global virtual teams. Two senior managers rated performance independently.FindingsHierarchical regression results explained 75.7 per cent of the variance of performance. Analysis of variance revealed that model fit was highly statistically significant. Trustworthiness was identified as the predominant factor, explaining a majority of the dependent variable’s variance, while interpersonal communication, commitment and cross-cultural communication style were also identified as important. The 52 items differentiating high- and low-performing teams are reported and discussed.Originality/valueThe research model makes a contribution to team performance theory and understanding, especially the relative importance of constructs for explaining performance. The profile of high-performing teams adds greatly to our knowledge and provides valuable guidance for team management, selection and development.
Interleukin‐17 family cytokines in protective immunity against infections: role of hematopoietic cell‐derived and non‐hematopoietic cell‐derived interleukin‐17s
Authors: Matsuzaki Goro , Umemura Masayuki 
Published: December 2017

ABSTRACTInterleukin‐17 family cytokines, consisting of six members, participate in immune response in infections and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The prototype cytokine of the family, IL‐17A, was originally identified from CD4+ T cells which are now termed Th17 cells. Later, IL‐17A‐producing cells were expanded to include various hematopoietic cells, namely CD8+ T cells (Tc17), invariant NKT cells, γδ T cells, non‐T non‐B lymphocytes (termed type 3 innate lymphoid cells) and neutrophils. Some IL‐17 family cytokines other than IL‐17A are also expressed by CD4+ T cells: IL‐17E by Th2 cells and IL‐17F by Th17 cells. IL‐17A and IL‐17F induce expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines to induce inflammation and anti‐microbial peptides to kill pathogens, whereas IL‐17E induces allergic inflammation. However, the functions of other IL‐17 family cytokines have been unclear. Recent studies have shown that IL‐17B and IL‐17C are expressed by epithelial rather than hematopoietic cells. Interestingly, expression of IL‐17E and IL‐17F by epithelial cells has also been reported and epithelial cell‐derived IL‐17 family cytokines shown to play important roles in immune responses to infections at epithelial sites. In this review, we summarize current information on hematopoietic cell‐derived IL‐17A and non‐hematopoietic cell‐derived IL‐17B, IL‐17C, IL‐17D, IL‐17E and IL‐17F in infections and propose functional differences between these two categories of IL‐17 family cytokines.
Nesting sites of giant honeybees modulated by landscape patterns
Authors: Pavageau Charlotte , Gaucherel Cédric , Garcia Claude , Ghazoul Jaboury 
Published: December 2017

Abstract

The composition of agro‐ecological landscapes is thought to have important implications for the production of major crops through its effects on pollinator abundance and behaviour.

We explored the roles of land cover and land cover heterogeneity on bee nest distribution for the giant honeybee Apis dorsata, a key species for coffee pollination, in a complex agroforest landscape. We emphasized scaling and non‐uniform effects by combining two different approaches of spatial analysis, the point‐pattern analysis and surface‐pattern analysis.

We found non‐exclusive, positive effects of agroforests, forest fragments and land‐cover heterogeneity on the presence and number of nests. The distribution of nests responded to habitat heterogeneity at small scale (<100 m), forest fragments at medium scale (<300 m) and to agroforest at larger scales (500 m to 2 km). Our multiple approaches highlight that the landscape effects were neither linear nor uniform within the study zone. Nests were consistently located in areas of medium agroforest density or medium to high forest density, but were absent where forest fragments are the most concentrated.

The agroforest matrix was particularly important in shaping the size of nest aggregates. Nests tended to be few when there is low tree cover at broad scale, while nests were numerous when agroforest patches are abundant within the bees’ foraging range.

Synthesis and applications. Our study revealed that structurally complex landscapes appear to support bee populations. The spatial arrangement of different land covers affected honeybee nest distributions by providing nesting and foraging resources across multiple scales. The results suggest that continued intensification of small forest fragments and expansion of large monospecies plantations will be deleterious to the populations of giant honeybees A. dorsata. Fragmentation of the agroforestry matrix at small scales (100s m) does not, however, appear detrimental for A. dorsata as long as sufficient diversified resources are available at the landscape scale (kms).
Teacher–child relationships and classroom‐learning behaviours of children with developmental language disorders
Authors: Rhoad‐Drogalis Anna , Justice Laura M. , Sawyer Brook E. , O'Connell Ann A. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractBackgroundChildren with developmental language disorders (DLDs) often struggle with classroom behaviour. No study has examined whether positive teacher–child relationships may act as a protective factor for children with DLDs in that these serve to enhance children's important classroom‐learning behaviours.AimsTo examine the association between the quality of teacher–child relationships and teacher‐rated classroom‐learning behaviours of children with DLDs in both preschool and kindergarten.Methods & ProceduresLongitudinal data were collected on 191 preschoolers (mean = 42.4 months of age, SD = 11.6 months) with DLDs in special education classrooms during preschool and in kindergarten. Teacher–child relationship quality was assessed in preschool, and children's classroom‐learning behaviours were measured in preschool and kindergarten. Regression models were used to examine the relationship between teacher–child relationship quality and children's concurrent and future classroom‐learning behaviours.Outcomes & ResultsPositive teacher–child relationship quality in preschool was associated with better classroom‐learning behaviours in preschool and kindergarten for children with DLDs. Preschool teacher–child relationship quality characterized by low levels of conflict and high levels of closeness was associated with positive classroom‐learning behaviours during preschool. Teacher–child conflict but not closeness was predictive of children's classroom‐learning behaviours in kindergarten.Conclusions & ImplicationsThese results suggest that the quality of the teacher–child relationship for children with DLDs during preschool is associated within their learning‐related behaviours in the classroom both concurrently and in the subsequent year. Findings suggest that teacher–child relationships should be explored as a mechanism for improving the learning‐related behaviours of children with DLDs.
Spatially distinct, temporally stable microbial populations mediate biogeochemical cycling at and below the seafloor in hydrothermal vent fluids
Authors: Fortunato Caroline S. , Larson Benjamin , Butterfield David A. , Huber Julie A. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryAt deep‐sea hydrothermal vents, microbial communities thrive across geochemical gradients above, at, and below the seafloor. In this study, we determined the gene content and transcription patterns of microbial communities and specific populations to understand the taxonomy and metabolism both spatially and temporally across geochemically different diffuse fluid hydrothermal vents. Vent fluids were examined via metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, genomic binning, and geochemical analyses from Axial Seamount, an active submarine volcano on the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the NE Pacific Ocean, from 2013 to 2015 at three different vents: Anemone, Marker 33, and Marker 113. Results showed that individual vent sites maintained microbial communities and specific populations over time, but with spatially distinct taxonomic, metabolic potential, and gene transcription profiles. The geochemistry and physical structure of each vent both played important roles in shaping the dominant organisms and metabolisms present at each site. Genomic binning identified key populations of SUP05, Aquificales and methanogenic archaea carrying out important transformations of carbon, sulfur, hydrogen, and nitrogen, with groups that appear unique to individual sites. This work highlights the connection between microbial metabolic processes, fluid chemistry, and microbial population dynamics at and below the seafloor and increases understanding of the role of hydrothermal vent microbial communities in deep ocean biogeochemical cycles.
Survival at the Intersection of Government and Business: The Unique Case of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)
Authors: Mascitelli Bruno , Chung Mona 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) is a government organization whose responsibility is to promote Australian exports and investment facilitation in global markets. It has a unique position of being a government agency and at the same time working alongside and with business in assisting exporters enter overseas markets. This relationship is often strained both for reasons of changing government preferences in terms of assisting exporters as well as pressures on the government budgets. Yet Austrade has been able to remain a steadfast intersection between government and business despite the competing strategies of its two main stakeholders – government and business. This paper assesses Austrade as a case of organizational survival maintaining its equilibrium through sound management and serendipity.
Bacillus and Paenibacillus species associated with extended shelf life milk during processing and storage
Authors: Mugadza Desmond Tichaona , Buys Elna 
Published: December 2017

Characterisation of spore formers associated with extended shelf life milk was performed by analysing the bacteriological quality of milk samples collected at various processing stages and during storage. Isolates were identified with MALDI‐TOF‐MS. Milk had spore counts <2 log10 cfu/mL and 4 log10 cfu/mL during processing and storage, respectively. Bacillus pumilus dominated the bacterial population. Bacterial species were inoculated into sterile milk for a shelf life study, and the population change was observed over 42 days at 7 °C. Although the extended shelf life milk process was effective in reducing bacterial counts and species diversity, the presence of Bacillus cereus shows a potential safety problem in extended shelf life milk.
Exploring the Potential of Mesquite Gum–Nopal Mucilage Mixtures: Physicochemical and Functional Properties
Authors: Cortés‐Camargo Stefani , Gallardo‐Rivera Raquel , Barragán‐Huerta Blanca E. , Dublán‐García Octavio , Román‐Guerrero Angélica , Pérez‐Alonso César 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIn this work the physicochemical and functional properties of mesquite gum (MG) and nopal mucilage (NM) mixtures (75‐25, 50‐50, 25‐75) were evaluated and compared with those of the individual biopolymers. MG–NM mixtures exhibited more negative zeta potential (ZP) values than those displayed by MG and NM, with 75‐25 MG–NM showing the most negative value (–14.92 mV at pH = 7.0), indicative that this biopolymer mixture had the highest electrostatic stability in aqueous dispersions. Viscosity curves and strain amplitude sweep of aqueous dispersions (30% w/w) of the individual gums and their mixtures revealed that all exhibited shear thinning behavior, with NM having higher viscosity than MG, and all displaying fluid‐like viscoelastic behavior where the loss modulus predominated over the storage modulus (G″>G′). Differential Scanning Calorimetry revealed that MG, NM, and MG–NM mixtures were thermally stable with decomposition peaks in a range from 303.1 to 319.6 °C. From the functional properties viewpoint, MG (98.4 ± 0.7%) had better emulsifying capacity than NM (51.9 ± 2.0%), while NM (43.0 ± 1.4%) had better foaming capacity than MG. MG–NM mixtures acquired additional functional properties (emulsifying and foaming) regarding the individual biopolymers. Therefore, MG–NM mixtures represent interesting alternatives for their application as emulsifying and foaming agents in food formulations.Practical ApplicationMesquite gum (MG) and nopal mucilage (NM) are promising raw materials with excellent functional properties whose use has been largely neglected by the food industry. This work demonstrates MG–NM mixtures acquired additional functional properties regarding the individual biopolymers, making these mixtures multifunctional ingredients for the food industry.
The race for antimicrobials in the multidrug resistance era
Authors: Molina‐Santiago Carlos , de Vicente Antonio , Romero Diego 
Published: December 2017

SummaryThe appearance of multidrug‐resistant pathogens is a major threat to human health with the reemergence of fatal and untreatable diseases. In addition to a rational use of the well‐known and available antibiotics, two complementary ways to overcome this public health issue are (i) the discovery of new antimicrobials and (ii) the chemical modification of pre‐existing potent antibiotics. In this article, we highlight some of the strategies to generate new and promising antimicrobials for use in the management of these so‐called ‘superbugs’.
Clinical features and outcome of lymphoma patients with pre‐existing autoimmune diseases
Authors: Shih Yu‐Hsuan , Yang Youngsen , Chang Kuang‐Hsi , Chen Yi‐Hsing , Teng Chieh‐Lin Jerry 
Published: December 2017

AbstractAimsPrevious epidemiological studies have shown that autoimmune diseases increase the risk of lymphoma development. However, whether autoimmune diseases deteriorate the outcomes for lymphoma patients remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the clinical features of lymphoma patients with pre‐existing autoimmune diseases. Whether pre‐existing autoimmune diseases impacted progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in lymphoma patients was further investigated.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed medical records of 913 newly diagnosed lymphoma patients from January 2008 to November 2016. Thirty‐four lymphoma patients with pre‐existing autoimmune disorders were identified. Six of these 34 patients were lost to follow‐up; their data was used to examine baseline clinical characteristics but not survival. Therefore, 28 lymphoma patients with autoimmune diseases were included in the autoimmune disease group for comparing the remission rate, PFS and OS to lymphoma patients without autoimmune diseases (control group; n = 56).ResultsDiffuse large B‐cell lymphoma was the most common histological subtype (18/34; 52.94%). Complete remission rates in the autoimmune disease and control groups were 72.0% and 83.3%, respectively (P = 0.178). Patients with and without autoimmune diseases had similar PFS (45.4 ± 59.9 months vs. 51.5 ± 42.8 months; P = 0.398) and OS (46.4 ± 52.6 months vs. 50.1 ± 47.3 months; P = 0.352). By univariate analysis, pre‐existing autoimmune diseases were not associated with inferior PFS (P = 0.326) or OS (P = 0.627).ConclusionsLymphoma patients with and without autoimmune disorders had comparable outcomes. Autoimmune diseases are not an obstacle to lymphoma treatment.