bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Altruism, reciprocity and Islamic equity finance
Authors: Suzuki Yasushi , Miah Mohammad Dulal 
Published: June 2016

Purpose
This paper argues how Islamic altruism and reciprocity can enhance or drain the supply of Islamic equity finance. The paper also analyzes the feasibility of Islamic equity finance through the lens of new institutional economics (NIE) and transaction cost economics (TCE).

Design/methodology/approach
One of the salient contributions by NIE is to support the proposition that effective contracting depends greatly on institutions in terms of “rules that constrain economic behavior”, including informal or intangible institutions, such as religion, culture and customary practices. This paper draws on the theoretical contributions of the NIE and TCE and applies some of these contributions to an analysis of general altruism and reciprocity in Islamic economies.

Findings
It is said that solutions based on the Islamic injunctions (collectively termed as spiritual quotient) could serve to mitigate agency risks. However, in theory, the Muslim principal (particularly fund providers) is exposed to higher agency risk unless appropriate rules of protecting the right of the principal (or of punishing the agent when its opportunistic behavior is revealed) are devised, because the Muslim fund providers have the divine obligation to share risks in enterprise under the profit-loss sharing (PLS) scheme as well as to share a portion of income with the poor or those entrepreneurs who face difficulties in fund-raising.

Originality/value
Many scholars refer to the lack of the “formal” institutions that hinder the sound development of Islamic venture capital (VC). This paper contributes to shedding an analytical light on the unique feature of the Muslims’ “informal” constraints which make them hesitate to invest in Islamic VC. To develop the Islamic VC market, this paper provides a theoretical background to suggest how important it would be for the national financial system to devise some tangible provisions by installing enterprise-friendly regulations as well as adequate incentive and protection mechanisms consistent with Islamic principles.
Data mining: an ethical baseline for online privacy policies
Authors: Dean Matthew D , Payne Dinah M , Landry Brett J.L. 
Published: June 2016

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to advocate for and provide guidance for the development of a code of ethical conduct surrounding online privacy policies, including those concerning data mining. The hope is that this research generates thoughtful discussion on the issue of how to make data mining more effective for the business stakeholder while at the same time making it a process done in an ethical way that remains effective for the consumer. The recognition of the privacy rights of data mining subjects is paramount within this discussion.Design/methodology/approach– The authors derive foundational principles for ethical data mining. First, philosophical literature on moral principles is used as the theoretical foundation. Then, using existing frameworks, including legislation and regulations from a range of jurisdictions, a compilation of foundational principles was derived. This compilation was then evaluated and honed through the integration of stakeholder perspective and the assimilation of moral and philosophical precepts. Evaluating a sample of privacy policies hints that current practice does not meet the proposed principles, indicating a need for changes in the way data mining is performed.Findings– A comprehensive framework for the development a contemporary code of conduct and proposed ethical practices for online data mining was constructed.Research limitations/implications– This paper provides a configuration upon which a code of ethical conduct for performing data mining, tailored to meet the particular needs of any organization, can be designed.Practical implications– The implications of data mining, and a code of ethical conduct regulating it, are far-reaching. Implementation of such principles serve to improve consumer and stakeholder confidence, ensure the enduring compliance of data providers and the integrity of its collectors, and foster confidence in the security of data mining.Originality/value– Existing legal mandates alone are insufficient to properly regulate data mining, therefore supplemental reference to ethical considerations and stakeholder interest is required. The adoption of a functional code of general application is essential to address the increasing proliferation of apprehension regarding online privacy.
Analysis of interactions between IT and organisational resources in a manufacturing organisation using cross-impact analysis
Authors: Ceric Arnela 
Published: June 2016

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a growing body of research on the applicability of resource-based theory (RBT) to the information systems (IS) area. In particular, the paper provides an understanding of the IS value creation process, and strategies for managing it by demonstrating the application of cross-impact analysis.Design/methodology/approach– RBT and systems theory are adopted as a theoretical framework in this study. Cross-impact analysis is used as a method for investigating interactions among elements of an IS value creation system. These elements were identified through 22 semi-structured interviews with organisational stakeholders, and assessed in terms of direction and strength of their interactions, and depicted in a coordinate system.Findings– The result of the analysis is a meaningful classification of elements in an IS value creation system as: levers, indicators, identities, buffers or trends, based on their position in the system. The results provide additional clarity and insights into the relationships between IS and organisational resources and their effect on IS value.Research limitations/implications– The research findings have important implications for researchers and managers in terms of understanding the impact of interactions among IS and organisational resources on formulating successful strategies for managing the IS value creation system.Originality/value– This study explores interactions among IS/information technology resources and organisational resources by using cross-impact analysis. It shows that interactions among the identified resources do have a major influence on the overall IS value creation system.
Preliminary insight into cloud computing adoption in a developing country
Authors: Senyo Prince Kwame , Effah John , Addae Erasmus 
Published: June 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of cloud computing adoption (CCA) in a developing country context through the lens of the technology, organisation and environment (TOE) framework.

Design/methodology/approach
– The study was carried out using the quantitative research methodology based on a survey of 305 organisations from different industries in Ghana. Based on the TOE framework, a conceptual model consisting of ten hypotheses were proposed and tested through a confirmatory factor analysis and logistic regression analysis.

Findings
– The findings indicate that relative advantage, security concern, top management support, technology readiness, competitive pressure and trading partners’ pressure were the TOE factors found to be significant in CCA in a developing country context. Conversely, firm size, scope, compatibility and regulatory support were found to be insignificant.

Originality/value
– This study provides insights into CCA across different industries in a developing country environment. The study is arguably the first kind of empirical research into CCA in a developing country context, specifically in Ghana. The findings from this study provide a foundation for other studies as well as constructive insights for the development of cloud computing, due to its infancy in the developing world.
Growth and carbon relations of mature Picea abies trees under 5 years of free‐air CO2 enrichment
Authors: Klein Tamir , Bader Martin K.‐F. , Leuzinger Sebastian , Mildner Manuel , Schleppi Patrick , Siegwolf Rolf T.W. , Körner Christian 
Published: June 2016

Summary

Are mature forests carbon limited? To explore this question, we exposed ca. 110‐year‐old, 40‐m tall Picea abies trees to a 550‐ppm CO2 concentration in a mixed lowland forest in NW Switzerland. The site receives substantial soluble nitrogen (N) via atmospheric deposition, and thus, trees are unlikely N‐limited. We used a construction crane to operate the free‐air CO2 release system and for canopy access. Here, we summarize the major results for growth and carbon (C) fluxes.

Tissue 13C signals confirmed the effectiveness of the CO2 enrichment system and permitted tracing the continuous flow of new C in trees. Tree responses were individually standardized by pre‐treatment signals. Over the five experimental years, needles retained their photosynthetic capacity and absorbed up to 37% more CO2 under elevated (E) compared to ambient (A) conditions. However, we did not detect an effect on stem radial growth, branch apical growth and needle litter production. Neither stem nor soil CO2 efflux was stimulated under elevated CO2. The rate at which fine roots filled soil ingrowth cores did not significantly differ between A‐ and E‐trees.

Since trees showed no stomatal responses to elevated CO2, sap flow remained unresponsive, both in the long run as well as during short‐term CO2 on–off experiments. As a consequence, soil moisture remained unaffected. We trapped significantly more nitrate in the root sphere of E‐trees suggesting a CO2‐stimulated breakdown of soil organic matter, presumably induced by extra carbohydrate exudation (‘priming’).

Synthesis. The lack of a single enhanced C sink to match the increased C uptake meant a missing C sink. Increased C transport to below‐ground sinks was indicated by C transfer to ectomycorrhiza and on to neighbouring trees and by increased C export to soil. We conclude that these tall Picea abies trees are not C limited at current CO2 concentrations and further atmospheric CO2 enrichment will have at most subtle effects on growth, despite enhanced N availability.
Ontogenetic responses of four plant species to additive and interactive effects of land‐use history, canopy structure and herbivory
Authors: Hahn Philip G. , Orrock John L. 
Published: June 2016

SummaryThe strength of interactions among species is often highly variable in space and time, and a major challenge in understanding context‐dependent effects of herbivores lies in disentangling habitat‐mediated from herbivore‐mediated effects on plant performance.We conducted a landscape‐scale experiment that manipulated light availability in woodlands with either a history of agricultural use or no history of agricultural use and coupled this with performance measurements of three life stages on four perennial herbaceous species exposed to varying levels of herbivory.We found that the context‐dependent effects of herbivory on plant performance changed as plants grew: juvenile plant survival was reduced by herbivores in low‐light habitats whereas biomass of adult plants was reduced by a more diverse insect fauna in high‐light environments. A history of agricultural land use also had negative effects on seedling establishment and adult performance, independent of herbivory.Synthesis. This work experimentally separates the habitat‐mediated effects on plant performance from the herbivore‐mediated effects on plant performance and highlights how context‐dependent interactions depend on plant ontogenetic stages.
Disentangling the four demographic dimensions of species invasiveness
Authors: Catford Jane A. , Baumgartner John B. , Vesk Peter A. , White Matt , Buckley Yvonne M. , McCarthy Michael A. 
Published: June 2016

SummaryA definitive list of invasive species traits remains elusive, perhaps due to inconsistent ways of identifying invasive species. Invasive species are typically identified using one or more of four demographic criteria (local abundance, geographic range, environmental range, spread rate), referred to here as the demographic dimensions of invasiveness.In 112 studies comparing invasive and non‐invasive plant traits, all 15 combinations of the four demographic dimensions were used to identify invasive species; 22% of studies identified invasive species solely by high abundance, while 25% ignored abundance.We used demographic data of 340 alien herbs classified as invasive or non‐invasive in Victoria, Australia, to test whether the demographic dimensions are independent and which dimensions influence invasive species listing in practice.Species' abundances, spread rates and range sizes were independent. Relative abundance best explained the invasiveness classification. However, invasive and non‐invasive species each spanned the full range of each demographic dimension, indicating that no dimension clearly separates invasive from non‐invasive species.Graminoids with longer minimum residence times were more frequently classified as invasive, as were forbs occurring near edges of native vegetation fragments.Synthesis. Conflating multiple forms of invasiveness, by not distinguishing invasive species that are identified using different demographic criteria, may obscure traits possessed by particular subsets of invasive species. Traits promoting high abundance likely differ from those enabling fast spread and broad ranges. Examining traits linked with the four demographic dimensions of invasiveness will highlight species at risk of becoming dominant, spreading quickly or occupying large ranges.
Mycorrhizal associations of trees have different indirect effects on organic matter decomposition
Authors: Taylor Melanie K. , Lankau Richard A. , Wurzburger Nina 
Published: June 2016

Summary

Organic matter decomposition is the main process by which carbon (C) is lost from terrestrial ecosystems, and mycorrhizal associations of plants (i.e. arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) and ectomycorrhizas (ECM)) may have different indirect effects on this loss pathway. AM and ECM plants differ in the soil decomposers they promote and the quality of litter they produce, which may result in different patterns of organic matter decomposition, and hence, soil C loss.

To determine how mycorrhizal associations indirectly affect decomposer activity, we collected soils and litters from four AM and four ECM tree species from a mixed‐deciduous temperate forest for a field and laboratory study. We first characterized in situ patterns in soil chemistry and soil microbial biomass among these eight tree species. We then conducted a microcosm experiment with mineral soils, leaf litter and fine roots originating from these tree species, where we reciprocally crossed litters and soils, and quantified the rate of heterotrophic respiration over a 140‐day laboratory incubation.

In natural forest conditions, AM tree soils contained lower total C and microbial biomass C:N relative to ECM tree soils. In our microcosm experiment, AM soils supported greater heterotrophic respiration than did ECM soils. The addition of AM litter stimulated respiration more than did ECM litter, owing to the lower C:N of AM litter. Matching the mycorrhizal identity of litter and soil resulted in a difference in total respiration, such that combinations of AM litters with AM soils lost more C than did combinations of ECM litters with ECM soils.

Synthesis. Our findings demonstrate that AM and ECM trees have differing indirect effects on soil decomposer activity through the decomposers they cultivate and/or the quality of organic matter they produce. Mycorrhizal differences in litter quality accentuate these effects on soil C loss and may explain patterns in soil C dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems.
Effects of Ethephon on Fresh In‐Husk Walnut Preservation and its Possible Relationship with Phenol Metabolism
Authors: Wang Jin , Liang Shuangjie , Ma Huiling , Zhang Pingping , Shi Weina 
Published: June 2016

AbstractFresh walnuts (Juglans regia L.) are in demand due to their high nutrition value and unique flavor of the kernel. In this study the effects of ethephon on decay control and kernel quality of fresh walnuts and its possible relationship with phenolic metabolism were investigated. Fresh in‐husk walnuts treated with 0, 10, 500, and 8000 mg/L ethephon were stored at 0 ± 0.5 °C for 42 d. Decay incidence, total phenolic (TP) compounds, phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL), polyphenol‐oxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD) activities of green husks, and acid values (AV) and peroxide values (PV) of kernels were assessed at 6‐d intervals. The respiration rate of the whole walnut was assessed at 3‐d intervals. Treatment with 500 mg/L ethephon enhanced respiration, reduced the decay index, and inhibited PPO and POD activity and browning of green husks, and also promoted PAL activity and TP content of green husks. This treatment also reduced the PV and AV of kernels. A concentration of 10 mg/L ethephonhad similar, but weaker, effects on walnuts. Treatment with 8000 mg/L ethephon, however, had opposite effects. These data indicate ethephon treatment at a proper concentration can extend storage life and maintain kernel quality of fresh in‐husk walnuts through the manipulation of phenolic metabolism.
Identification and Quantification of Volatile Chemical Spoilage Indexes Associated with Bacterial Growth Dynamics in Aerobically Stored Chicken
Authors: Mikš‐Krajnik Marta , Yoon Yong‐Jin , Ukuku Dike O. , Yuk Hyun‐Gyun 
Published: June 2016

AbstractVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) as chemical spoilage indexes (CSIs) of raw chicken breast stored aerobically at 4, 10, and 21 °C were identified and quantified using solid phase microextraction (SPME) combined with gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). The growth dynamics of total viable count (TVC), psychrotrophs, Pseudomonas spp., lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Brochothrix thermosphacta and H2S producing bacteria were characterized based on maximum growth rates (μmax), maximal microbial concentration (Nmax) and at the moment of microbial shelf life (Svalues), calculated from Gompertz‐fitted growth curves. Pseudomonas spp. was predominant species, while B. thermosphacta was characterized by the highest μmax. The microbiological and sensory shelf lives were estimated based on TVC, Pseudomonas spp., and B. thermosphacta counts and sensory evaluation, respectively. Among 27 VOCs identified by GC‐MS in spoiled chicken samples, ethanol (EtOH), 1‐butanol‐3‐methyl (1But‐3M), and acetic acid (C2) achieved the highest Pearson's correlation coefficients of 0.66, 0.61, and 0.59, respectively, with TVC, regardless of storage temperature. Partial least squares (PLS) regression revealed that the synthesis of 1But‐3M and C2 was most likely induced by the metabolic activity of B. thermosphacta and LAB, while EtOH was attributed to Pseudomonas spp. The increase in concentration of selected volatile spoilage markers (EtOH, 1But‐3M, and C2) in the headspace over spoiled chicken breast was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05) with TVC growth. These findings highlight the possibility of analyzing the combination of 3 selected spoilage markers: EtOH, 1But‐3M, and C2 as rapid evaluation for poultry quality testing using SPME‐GC‐MS.
The Effects of Sequential Environmental and Harvest Stressors on the Sensory Characteristics of Cultured Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) Fillets
Authors: Ciaramella Michael A. , Kim Taejo , Avery Jimmy L. , Allen Peter J. , Schilling M. Wes 
Published: June 2016

AbstractStress during fish culture alters physiological homeostasis and affects fillet quality. Maintenance of high‐quality seafood is important to ensure the production of a marketable product. This study assessed how sequential stressors affect the sensory and quality characteristics of catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) fillets. Three stress trials were conducted where temperature (25 or 33 °C) and dissolved oxygen (DO, approximately 2.5 or >5 mg/L) were manipulated followed by socking and transport stress. After each stage of harvest (environmental stress, socking, and transport), fillet yield, consumer acceptability, descriptive evaluation, cook loss, tenderness, and pH were evaluated. Fillet yield decreased with increasing severity of environmental stress. Fillets from the severe stress treatment (33 °C, approximately 2.5 mg/L) received the highest acceptability scores (P < 0.05). Control fillets (25 °C, >5 mg/L) were the least acceptable (P < 0.05). Increased intensity of less favorable flavor attributes commonly associated with catfish resulted in the differences in acceptability among treatments. As fish progressed through the harvest event, cook loss decreased, tenderness increased, and pH increased, indicating that stress induced textural changes. The data suggest that although environmental stress results in slight changes in flavor attributes, its effects on acceptability are minor with fillets from all treatments still liked (>6 on a 9 point scale). Socking and transport were identified to positively affect textural characteristics of catfish fillets. Although the effects observed were not likely to negatively impact consumer acceptance, a strict management plan should be followed to maintain consistency in the product and avoid changes in stressors that might alter quality more drastically.
The Environment‐poverty Nexus in Evaluation: Implications for the Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Uitto Juha I. 
Published: June 2016

AbstractThe article emphasizes the importance of evaluation in the context of sustainable development. It focuses on the so called environment‐poverty nexus where issues of environmental conservation and management meet the social and economic development needs. Given the threats to the global environment and the forces of economic development that work against it, it is crucial that environmental policies, strategies, programmes and projects are designed and implemented in an effective manner producing lasting impacts. Evaluation is a central tool for analysing what works, why and under what circumstances to inform policy making and programme design. Environmental evaluation faces specific challenges due to the complex nature of the environment‐poverty nexus. Based on a review of evaluation literature and practical experiences with evaluations conducted on the nexus in the international development arena, the article draws lessons for evaluating sustainable development. It concludes by suggesting that strong evaluation be built into the new Sustainable Development Goals.
All‐ceramic crown preparations: An alternative technique
Authors: Tran J , Dudley J , Richards L 
Published: June 2016

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of this study was to compare the crown preparation dimensions produced from two different techniques of preparation for posterior all‐ceramic crowns.MethodsTwenty‐four fourth year dental students undertook a course of advanced simulation training involving education in an alternative technique of preparation for a 36 all‐ceramic crown. Crown preparations performed using the traditional technique were compared with an alternative technique for total occlusal convergence (TOC) and reduction difference (RD) using digital scanning and comparative software.ResultsGroups that spent the most time performing the alternative technique produced crown preparations with significantly lower buccolingual (BL) TOC. The training resulted in crown preparations that were closer to ideal TOC and RD measurements.ConclusionsThe alternative technique of crown preparation for a posterior all‐ceramic crown showed initial promise in creating a less buccolingually tapered and more ideally occlusally reduced crown preparation.