bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Production and optimization of cellulase from agricultural waste and its application in bioethanol production by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation
Authors: Cherian Elsa , Dharmendira Kumar M. , Baskar G. 
Published: December 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to optimize production of cellulase enzyme from agricultural waste by usingAspergillus fumigatusJCF. The study also aims at the production of bioethanol using cellulase and yeast.Design/methodology/approach– Cellulase production was carried out using modified Mandel’s medium. The optimization of the cellulase production was carried out using Plackett-Burman and Response surface methodology. Bioethanol production was carried out using simultaneous saccharification and fermentation.Findings– Maximum cellulase production at optimized conditions was found to be 2.08 IU/ml. Cellulase was used for the saccharification of three different feed stocks, i.e. sugar cane leaves, corn cob and water hyacinth. Highest amount of reducing sugar was released was 29.1 gm/l from sugarcane leaves. Sugarcane leaves produced maximum bioethanol concentration of 9.43 g/l out of the three substrates studied for bioethanol production.Originality/value– The present study reveals that by using the agricultural wastes, cellulase production can be economically increased thereby bioethanol production.
Do voluntary cash flow disclosures and forecasts matter to value of the firms?
Authors: Hoque Monzurul , Rakow KC 
Published: December 2015

Purpose
– Two stylized facts emerge from cash flow literature. One explores the link between free cash flow (FCF) to firm value (Jensen, 1986) and establishes that FCF increases firm value. The other posits FCF may be value decreasing as firms tend to over invest when there is high level of FCF (Richardson, 2006). Two camps have opposing views yet together they establish that FCF is value relevant. If FCF or cash flow, in general, is value relevant then managers will be motivated to present forecasts to investors. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
– The authors hand collect data from each firm’s press releases and earnings announcements and perform an event study around this date to see how firm forecast and disclosure policies affect firm value.

Findings
– The analysis demonstrates that disclosures and forecasts do have significantly positive relation with tech firms suggesting that firms in the technology industries are more forthcoming with cash flow disclosures and forecasts in their earnings announcements. The authors further show that these disclosures and forecasts negatively affect the firm value of tech firms.

Originality/value
– This paper contributes to the literature that there is empirical evidence that cash flow disclosures and forecasts matter to the value of the firm. Further, it posits that unlike understanding the existing views as opposing each other, may be the authors will be better served if they view both of them as right depending on the optimality of forecasts. The future efforts will be directed toward exploring the optimality of cash flow disclosures.
Do sensation seeking, control orientation, ambiguity, and dishonesty traits affect financial risk tolerance?
Authors: Wong Alan , Carducci Bernie 
Published: December 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to determine relationships between financial risk tolerance and the personality traits of sensation-seeking, locus of control, ambiguity tolerance, and financial dishonesty.

Design/methodology/approach
– A pretested questionnaire was used to gather information from 255 respondents. With risk tolerance as a criterion variable and the four personality traits as predictor variables, a regression procedure was performed to determine which variables contributed to the variability of the criterion variable and the extent of such contribution. An analysis was also done to find out whether gender, age, GPA, and academic standing had an influence on each personality trait’s contribution to risk tolerance.

Findings
– Risk tolerance is directly related to sensation-seeking and the link is so strong that it is not mitigated by the effects of gender, age, GPA, and college academic standings. As for locus of control, the more one believes one has control over one’s outcome, the higher risk one can tolerate. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between risk and ambiguity tolerances. Dishonesty also does not affect risk tolerance behavior. However, the relationship is found to exist among younger individuals and those with lower GPA, possibly due to not having reached an adequate level of matured or critical reasoning yet.

Originality/value
– The relationship between risk tolerance and sensation-seeking is an established fact but whether the relationship still holds across several demographic groups is part of this study’s focus. Although much has been done on risk tolerance, very little has been done on its relationship to locus of control, ambiguity tolerance, and financial dishonesty.
Does dividend policy drive repurchases? An empirical study
Authors: Liu Nan , Mehran Jamshid 
Published: December 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether firms repurchase shares to meet or just beat their dividend target as managers perceive share repurchases are more flexible than dividends and managers have a strong desire to maintain dividend levels and dividend payout ratio of the firms.

Design/methodology/approach
– The authors first run a Tobit regression to examine whether firms meeting or just beating the quarterly dividend per share threshold exhibit unusually high repurchases, controlling for the factors shown to affect repurchases. The authors then calculate abnormal repurchases and compare firms that would otherwise miss the benchmark with other firms.

Findings
– The authors find that firms meeting or just beating the quarterly dividend per share threshold repurchase more shares than other firms, after controlling for the substitution effect, investment opportunities and financial performance. In addition, firms otherwise missing the quarterly dividend per share threshold repurchase abnormally more shares to meet the threshold.

Originality/value
– The study contributes to the payout policy literature in the following ways. First, it extends the understanding of the association between dividend payout and repurchase. Second, it contributes to the threshold literature by showing that firms manipulate repurchases in addition to earnings to meet their quarterly dividend per share threshold. Third, it provides support to the survey evidence that firms have a strong desire to maintain their dividend policies.
Analysis of fixed and biased asset allocation rebalancing strategies
Authors: Mattei Michael D , Mattei Nicholas 
Published: December 2015

Purpose– Over the years a number of tactical, dynamic and strategic approaches for asset allocation have been developed to improve the objectivity of portfolio management. One of the most popular approaches is to annually rebalance a portfolio of six to ten assets classes back to an equal or fixed percentage. Most researchers agree that this is essentially a contrarian strategy. The purpose of this paper is to develop and evaluate an asset allocation methodology using a biasing factor that can implement a momentum strategy for investors who might prefer momentum investing.Design/methodology/approach– Three portfolio strategies, buy and hold, equal rebalancing and bias factor rebalancing are compared using 20 years of performance data and a diversified set of eight asset classes. The biased approach is then tested using two years of data not included in the original analysis data.Findings– This research demonstrates that there is a wide range of active rebalancing approaches that can easily implement either a momentum or a stronger contrarian strategy. In addition, the findings present considerable evidence that a partial or full biased momentum approach can result in improved portfolio performance with reduced risk over longer time periods.Practical implications– The results for buy and hold show that the traditional equal rebalancing strategy may not be worth the extra effort required to implement it.Originality/value– Even though the full momentum approaches are less diversified than the buy and hold or the equal rebalancing strategies, it resulted in superior risk-adjusted returns as measured by the Sharpe ratio.
On major environmental problem of desertification in Northern Nigeria with sustainable efforts to managing it
Authors: Gadzama Njidda Mamadu , Ayuba Haruna Kuje 
Published: December 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to show the extent of desertification and land degradation as threat to sustainable environmental, agricultural and land development in the Sahel of Nigeria with its consequences; with also some efforts to control desertification.

Design/methodology/approach
– Several desertification attenuation projects in Nigeria are employing different methods for maximum benefits obtainable from the objectives) of the particular project. Specific methods will be cited for particular projects mentioned as appropriate. It is noted however that environmental impact assessment, community reconnaissance or needs assessments were initial part of pre-project activities.

Findings
– Desertification has reached an alarming state in Nigeria. The frontline desert threatened States of Nigeria constitute 40 per cent of the land mass of the country. With increased pressure of desertification, exacerbated by a period of prolonged drought of about 20 years, climate change and human activities, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain sustainability in the management of the fragile lands and the region’s ecosystem. Strategic interventions in combating the problem of desertification in Nigeria have attenuated some of the detrimental social, economic and environmental impacts on the affected communities of the Sahel of the country. Programmes and projects are designed to strengthen the resilience of the people in the affected region with sound ecosystems’ management; support the efforts of the communities resulting in increased agricultural yields. Programmes and projects have strengthened the resilience of the people, participating in sand dune stabilization, the Great Green Wall Sahara Sahel Initiative and other shelterbelt development. Government has sustained inputs in environmentally friendly agriculture and also encouraged synergetic collaborative activities with national agencies, international agencies and local institutions.

Originality/value
– These results/activities give evidence of the increased public awareness of environmental degradation due to desertification in Nigeria; the realization in environmental stabilization needs with ready participation of the communities for improved livelihoods in arid agriculture; resulting in internalization of these problems for Nigeria.
Prioritizing eradication actions on islands: it's not all or nothing
Authors: Helmstedt Kate J. , Shaw Justine D. , Bode Michael , Terauds Aleks , Springer Keith , Robinson Susan A. , Possingham Hugh P. 
Published: December 2015

Summary

Many highly diverse island ecosystems across the globe are threatened by invasive species. Eradications of invasive mammals from islands are being attempted with increasing frequency, with success aided by geographical isolation and increasing knowledge of eradication techniques. There have been many attempts to prioritize islands for invasive species eradication; however, these coarse methods all assume managers are unrealistically limited to a single action on each island: either eradicate all invasive mammals, or do nothing.

We define a prioritization method that broadens the suite of actions considered, more accurately representing the complex decisions facing managers. We allow the opportunity to only eradicate a subset of invasive mammals from each island, intentionally leaving some invasive mammals on islands. We consider elements often omitted in previous prioritization methods, including feasibility, cost and complex ecological responses (i.e. trophic cascades).

Using a case study of Australian islands, we show that for a fixed budget, this method can provide a higher conservation benefit across the whole group of islands. Our prioritization method outperforms simpler methods for almost 80% of the budgets considered.

On average, by relaxing the restrictive assumption that an eradication attempt must be made for all invasives on an island, ecological benefit can be improved by 27%.

Synthesis and applications. Substantially higher ecological benefits for threatened species can be achieved for no extra cost if conservation planners relax the assumption that eradication projects must target all invasives on an island. It is more efficient to prioritize portfolios of eradication actions rather than islands.
PFKFB3 modulates glycolytic metabolism and alleviates endoplasmic reticulum stress in human osteoarthritis cartilage
Authors: Qu Jining , Lu Daigang , Guo Hua , Miao Wusheng , Wu Ge , Zhou Meifen 
Published: December 2015

SummaryGlycolytic disorder has been demonstrated to be a major cause of osteoarthritis (OA) and chondrocyte dysfunction. The present work aimed to investigate the expression and role of the glycolytic regulator 6‐phosphofructo‐2‐kinase/fructose‐2,6‐bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) in OA cartilage. It was found that PFKFB3 expression was down‐regulated in human OA cartilage tissues and in tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α‐ or interleukin (IL)‐1β‐stimulated human chondrocytes. The glycolytic metabolism appeared as glucose utilization and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation, and lactate production was stunted in OA cartilage. However, the impaired glycolytic process in OA cartilage was improved by PFKFB3 overexpression, which was confirmed in TNF‐α‐ or IL‐1β‐treated chondrocytes. Furthermore, the expressions of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress‐associated genes including PERK, ATF3, IRE1, phosphorylated eIF2α (p‐eIF2α) and MMP13 were enhanced in OA cartilage explants, while they were decreased by AdPFKFB3 transfection. PFKFB3 also modulated the expressions of PERK, ATF3, IRE1, p‐eIF2α and MMP13 in tunicamycin‐exposed chondrocytes. Additionally, PFKFB3 improved the cell viability of OA cartilage explants and chondrocytes through the PI3K/Akt/C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) signalling pathway. The transfection of AdPFKFB3 also significantly reduced caspase 3 activation and promoted aggrecan and type II collagen expressions in OA cartilage explants and chondrocytes. In all, this study characterizes a novel role of PFKFB3 in glycolytic metabolism and ER stress of OA cartilage explants and chondrocytes. The study might provide a potential target for OA prevention or therapy.
Identification of a multi‐protein reductive dehalogenase complex in Dehalococcoides mccartyi strain CBDB1 suggests a protein‐dependent respiratory electron transport chain obviating quinone involvement
Authors: Kublik Anja , Deobald Darja , Hartwig Stefanie , Schiffmann Christian L. , Andrades Adarelys , von Bergen Martin , Sawers R. Gary , Adrian Lorenz 
Published: December 2015

SummaryDehalococcoides mccartyi strain CBDB1 is an obligate organohalide‐respiring bacterium using only hydrogen as electron donor and halogenated organics as electron acceptor. Here, we studied proteins involved in the respiratory chain under non‐denaturing conditions. Using blue native gel electrophoresis (BN‐PAGE), gel filtration and ultrafiltration an active dehalogenating protein complex with a molecular mass of 250–270 kDa was identified. The active subunit of reductive dehalogenase (RdhA) colocalised with a complex iron‐sulfur molybdoenzyme (CISM) subunit (CbdbA195) and an iron‐sulfur cluster containing subunit (CbdbA131) of the hydrogen uptake hydrogenase (Hup). No colocalisation between the catalytically active subunits of hydrogenase and reductive dehalogenase was found. By two‐dimensional BN/SDS‐PAGE the stability of the complex towards detergents was assessed, demonstrating stepwise disintegration with increasing detergent concentrations. Chemical cross‐linking confirmed the presence of a higher molecular mass reductive dehalogenase protein complex composed of RdhA, CISM I and Hup hydrogenase and proved to be a potential tool for stabilising protein–protein interactions of the dehalogenating complex prior to membrane solubilisation. Taken together, the identification of the respiratory dehalogenase protein complex and the absence of indications for quinone participation in the respiration suggest a quinone‐independent protein‐based respiratory electron transfer chain in D. mccartyi.
Dairy Foods: Current Evidence of their Effects on Bone, Cardiometabolic, Cognitive, and Digestive Health
Authors: Hess Julie M. , Jonnalagadda Satya S. , Slavin Joanne L. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractDairy foods have long been considered nutrient‐dense and health‐promoting products that offer many health benefits to their consumers. This review is an overview of the health benefits associated with them, drawing from recent research conducted on the associations of dairy food components with bone, cardiometabolic, cognitive, and digestive health in cross‐sectional and intervention studies. Each section details the associations of dairy with a certain aspect of health and focuses on the benefits milk product consumption may have on the prevention and management of chronic health conditions such as osteoporosis, the metabolic syndrome, and dementia. Dairy food components, as well as the potential biological mechanisms responsible for their effects on health, are also addressed. Although several of the biological mechanisms warrant further research, current evidence suggests that dairy consumption confers some beneficial effects to bone, cardiometabolic, cognitive, and digestive health. Due to its nutrient profile and the current evidence of its benefits, at least 1 daily serving of a dairy item is recommended by the dietary guidelines of several countries. Yet, even in the United States, many individuals do not consume the recommended 3 cups of dairy foods a day. Therefore, this review concludes with a description of the current public health impact of dairy food research as well as recommendations for the food industry to formulate dairy foods that are both palatable and health‐promoting for consumers.
Bacterial Translocation and Sample Contamination in Postmortem Microbiological Analyses
Authors: Palmiere Cristian , Egger Coraline , Prod'Hom Guy , Greub Gilbert 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe diagnostic value of postmortem bacteriology has been discussed controversially for decades. In the study herein, contamination during sampling procedures and postmortem translocation were investigated to interpret postmortem microbiology results. One hundred medicolegal autopsy cases in total were included. Radiology, histology, bacteriology, and biochemistry were performed in all cases. Based on all investigation findings, 4 groups of cases were identified: death unrelated to infection, true infections, false positive (contamination during sampling procedures, postmortem translocation and mixed situations), and undetermined. The results of this study indicate that postmortem bacteriology provides useful data supporting infection‐related deaths, especially when potentially significant observations are accompanied by consistent autopsy, histology, and biochemistry. Result interpretation requires careful evaluation of number and type of isolated microorganisms.
A Novel Forensic Investigation Applied to Bone Remains Exhumed near to Quirra Interforce Firing Range
Authors: Roncati Luca , Gatti Antonietta M. , Capitani Federico , Bonacorsi Goretta , Barbolini Giuseppe , Maiorana Antonio 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe need to implement novel techniques, able to support a causal link between exposure and pathology, has been emerged over the recent years. The application of scanning electron microscope coupled with probe X‐ray microanalysis (by means of an energy‐dispersive spectroscopy) has been developed by our research group for the bone remains investigation. It was aimed to testify the exposure to microsized and nanosized pollutions, due to military activities in the Quirra interforce firing range, of a Sardinian shepherd, died of acute leukemia. Metallic debris with a combustive morphology and with an oncogenic potential has been surely detected inside his bone marrow canal. This novel technique has proved to be able to bring to light a source of past exposure preserved over time within the bone marrow canal. It can be useful for postmortem analyses, delivering a new avant‐garde approach to modern forensic science.
Refreshing the Aged Latent Fingerprints with Ionizing Radiation Prior to the Cyanoacrylate Fuming Procedure: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Ristova Mimoza M. , Radiceska Pavlina , Bozinov Igorco , Barandovski Lambe 
Published: December 2015

AbstractOne of the crucial factors determining the cyanoacrylate deposit quality over latent fingerprints appeared to be the extent of the humidity. This work focuses on the enhancement/refreshment of age‐degraded latent fingerprints by irradiating the samples with UV, X‐ray, or thermal neutrons prior to the cyanoacrylate (CA) fuming. Age degradation of latent fingerprints deposited on glass surfaces was examined through the decrease in the number of characteristic minutiae counts over time. A term “critical day” was introduced for the time at which the average number of identifiable minutiae definitions drops to one‐half. Fingerprints older than their “critical day” were exposed to either UV, X‐ray, or thermal neutrons. Identical reference samples were kept unexposed. All samples, both reference and irradiated, were developed during a single CA fuming procedure. Comparative latent fingerprint analysis showed that exposure to ionizing radiation enhances the CA fuming, yielding a 20‐30% increase in average minutiae count.
Homemade Heavy Caliber Rifles—Two Unusual Firearms
Authors: Yalçın Sarıbey Aylin , Hannam Abigail Grace 
Published: December 2015

AbstractHistorically, in crimes involving heavy caliber rifles, only conventional factory‐made versions have been used. However, in recent years the number of homemade long‐barreled rifles is increasing. The characteristics of two such firearms that have been submitted to the Turkish Criminal Laboratory are discussed here. When the main parts of the guns were examined in detail, it was noted that nearly all of the parts had been made carelessly, with several structural defects visible. It was determined that the homemade heavy caliber rifles were unfit for efficient use and it was possible that they could have seriously harmed the shooter had they been fired. The development of these kinds of gun and the possibility of their use spreading throughout the country in terrorist attacks could cause a serious threat to national security.