bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Marine organism sulfated polysaccharides exhibiting significant antimalarial activity and inhibition of red blood cell invasion by Plasmodium
Authors: Marques Joana , Vilanova Eduardo , Mourão Paulo A. S. , Fernàndez-Busquets Xavier 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThe antimalarial activity of heparin, against which there are no resistances known, has not been therapeutically exploited due to its potent anticoagulating activity. Here, we have explored the antiplasmodial capacity of heparin-like sulfated polysaccharides from the sea cucumbersLudwigothurea griseaandIsostichopus badionotus, from the red algaBotryocladia occidentalisand from the marine spongeDesmapsamma anchorata.In vitroexperiments demonstrated for most compounds significant inhibition ofPlasmodium falciparumgrowth at low-anticoagulant concentrations. This activity was found to operate through inhibition of erythrocyte invasion byPlasmodium, likely mediated by a coating of the parasite similar to that observed for heparin.In vivofour-day suppressive tests showed that several of the sulfated polysaccharides improved the survival ofPlasmodium yoelii-infected mice. In one animal treated withI. badionotusfucan parasitemia was reduced from 10.4% to undetectable levels and Western blot analysis revealed the presence of antibodies againstP. yoeliiantigens in its plasma. The retarded invasion mediated by sulfated polysaccharides and the ensuing prolonged exposure ofPlasmodiumto the immune system, can be explored for the design of new therapeutic approaches against malaria where heparin-related polysaccharides of low anticoagulating activity could play a dual role as drugs and as potentiators of immune responses.
Highly Stretchable Non-volatile Nylon Thread Memory
Authors: Kang Ting-Kuo 
Published: April 2016

AbstractIntegration of electronic elements into textiles, to afford e-textiles, can provide an ideal platform for the development of lightweight, thin, flexible and stretchable e-textiles. This approach will enable us to meet the demands of the rapidly growing market of wearable-electronics on arbitrary non-conventional substrates. However the actual integration of the e-textiles that undergo mechanical deformations during both assembly and daily wear or satisfy the requirements of the low-end applications, remains a challenge. Resistive memory elements can also be fabricated onto a nylon thread (NT) for e-textile applications. In this study, a simple dip-and-dry process using graphene-PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate) ink is proposed for the fabrication of a highly stretchable non-volatile NT memory. The NT memory appears to have typical write-once-read-many-times characteristics. The results show that an ON/OFF ratio of approximately 103 is maintained for a retention time of 106 s. Furthermore, a highly stretchable strain and a long-term digital-storage capability of the ON-OFF-ON states are demonstrated in the NT memory. The actual integration of the knitted NT memories into textiles will enable new design possibilities for low-cost and large-area e-textile memory applications.
Pollinator responses to floral colour change, nectar and scent promote reproductive fitness in Quisqualis indica (Combretaceae)
Authors: Yan Juan , Wang Gang , Sui Yi , Wang Menglin , Zhang Ling 
Published: April 2016

AbstractFloral colour change is visual signals for pollinators to avoid old flowers and increase pollination efficiency.Quisqualis indicaflowers change colour from white to pink to red may be associated with a shift from moth to butterfly pollination. To test this hypothesis, we investigatedQ. indicapopulations in Southwest China. Flowers secreted nectar continuously from the evening of anthesis until the following morning, then decreased gradually with floral colour change. The scent compounds in the three floral colour stages were similar; however, the scent composition was different and the scent emission rate decreased from the white to red stage. Dichogamy inQ. indicaprevents self-pollination and interference of male and female functions. Controlled pollinations demonstrated that this species is self-incompatible and needs pollinators for seed production. Different pollinators were attracted in each floral colour stage; mainly moths at night and bees and butterflies during the day. Observations of open-pollinated inflorescences showed that white flowers had a higher fruit set than pink or red flowers, indicating the high contribution of moths to reproductive success. We concluded that the nectar and scent secretion are related to floral colour change inQ. indica, in order to attract different pollinators and promote reproductive fitness.
Food-web complexity, meta-community complexity and community stability
Authors: Mougi A. , Kondoh M. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractWhat allows interacting, diverse species to coexist in nature has been a central question in ecology, ever since the theoretical prediction that a complex community should be inherently unstable. Although the role of spatiality in species coexistence has been recognized, its application to more complex systems has been less explored. Here, using a meta-community model of food web, we show that meta-community complexity, measured by the number of local food webs and their connectedness, elicits a self-regulating, negative-feedback mechanism and thus stabilizes food-web dynamics. Moreover, the presence of meta-community complexity can give rise to a positive food-web complexity-stability effect. Spatiality may play a more important role in stabilizing dynamics of complex, real food webs than expected from ecological theory based on the models of simpler food webs.
High expression of microRNA-183/182/96 cluster as a prognostic biomarker for breast cancer
Authors: Song Cailu , Zhang Lijuan , Wang Jin , Huang Zhongying , Li Xing , Wu Mingqing , Li Shuaijie , Tang Hailin , Xie Xiaoming 
Published: April 2016

AbstractMore sensitive and effective diagnostic markers for the detection of breast cancer are urgently needed. The microRNA-183/182/96 cluster has been reported to be involved in tumorigenesis and progression in a variety of cancers and it is a promising cancer prognostic biomarker. The goal of this study was to determine the expression levels of the miR-183/182/96 cluster in breast cancer tissues and evaluate its prognostic role in breast cancer. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression levels of the miR-183/182/96 cluster in 41 breast cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues (control tissues) and also in different mammary cell lines. In situ hybridization (ISH) of the miR-183/182/96 cluster on 131 tissue microarrays (TMAs) was used to statistically analyze its prognostic role. The miR-183/182/96 cluster levels were significantly higher in breast cancer tissues than in control tissues. The miR-183/182/96 cluster was also upregulated in human breast cancer cell lines. An increased miR-183/182/96 cluster level was correlated with local relapse, distant metastasis and poor clinical outcomes. Our findings improve our understanding of the expression level of the miR-183/182/96 cluster in breast cancer and clarify the role of the miR-183/182/96 cluster as a novel prognostic biomarker for breast cancer.
Final Report on the Torque Key Comparison CCM.T-K2 Measurand Torque: 0 kN·m, 10 kN·m, 20 kN·m
Authors: Röske D , Ogushi K 
Published: April 2016

The purpose of the CIPM comparison CCM.T-K2 was to compare the measuring capabilities up to 20 kN m of deadweight torque standard machines with supported lever and reference-type torque standard machines in national metrology institutes. Five institutes participated, with the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB, Braunschweig, Germany) acting as the pilot laboratory. Two very stable torque transducers with well-known properties were used as travelling standards. The circulation of these transducers started in October 2008 and ended in May 2010. According to the technical protocol, torque steps of 10 kN m and 20 kN m had to be measured both in clockwise and anticlockwise directions. Corrections had to be applied to the results reported by the participants taking into account the use of different amplifiers, the creep (due to different loading times of the machines) and the environmental conditions in the laboratories (temperature and relative humidity of the ambient air). For each of the two torque steps and both senses of direction of the torque vector, a key comparison reference value was calculated.
One participant had a problem with the own machine and the measurement results could not be used for the calculation of the corresponding reference values. The agreement between the results of the other participants is very good. The smallest relative standard uncertainty of the machines stated by the participants is between 1 × 10-5 and 2.5 × 10-4. The results of the comparison support these uncertainty statements.

Main text

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.
The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Fatigue crack growth threshold as a design criterion - statistical scatter and load ratio in the Kitagawa-Takahashi diagram
Authors: Kolitsch S. , Gänser H.-P. , Maierhofer J. , Pippan R. 
Published: April 2016

Abstract
Cracks in components reduce the endurable stress so that the endurance limit obtained from common smooth fatigue specimens cannot be used anymore as a design criterion. In such cases, the Kitagawa-Takahashi diagram can be used to predict the admissible stress range for infinite life, at a given crack length and stress range. This diagram is constructed for a single load ratio R. However, in typical mechanical engineering applications, the load ratio R varies widely due to the applied load spectra and residual stresses. In the present work an extended Kitagawa-Takahashi diagram accounting for crack length, crack extension and load ratio is constructed. To describe the threshold behaviour of short cracks, a master resistance curve valid for a wide range of steels is developed using a statistical approach.
Promoting Young People’s Participation: Exploring Social Work’s Contribution to the Literature
Authors: Pritzker Suzanne , Richards-Schuster Katie 
Published: April 2016

Abstract
In the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics, social workers are called on to promote meaningful involvement in decision making among vulnerable populations. The ethical imperatives and social justice implications associated with unequal participation suggest that the field of social work is uniquely situated to lead research and practice in the area of youth civic engagement. This article examines the current state of the social work literature regarding how young people participate civically. Authors identified 113 articles on this topic published over the past decade in journals with a large presence in social work or by social work authors. They present the findings of their exploratory research, with a focus on describing where this research is being published, the range of research foci, and the terms used to describe this work. Increased attention to promoting youth civic engagement is needed in the profession’s core journals. Based on the analysis of this literature, they recommend moving toward a cohesive body of social work scholarship that includes increased collaboration among scholars, more unified terms and language, increased range of research foci and methodologies, and more rigorous and comparative testing of strategies by which youths participate civically.
Minimal Data Needed for Valid & Accurate Image-Based fMRI Meta-Analysis
Authors: Maumet Camille , Nichols Thomas E. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractMeta-analysis is a powerful statistical tool to combine results from a set of studies. When image data is available for each study, a number of approaches have been proposed to perform such meta-analysis including combination of standardised statistics, just effect estimates or both effects estimates and their sampling variance. While the latter is the preferred approach in the statistical community, often only standardised estimates are shared, reducing the possible meta-analytic approaches. Given the growing interest in data sharing in the neuroimaging community there is a need to identify what is the minimal data to be shared in order to allow for future image-based meta-analysis. In this paper, we compare the validity and the accuracy of eight meta-analytic approaches on simulated and real data. In one-sample tests, combination of contrast estimates into a random-effects General Linear Model or non-parametric statistics provide a good approximation of the reference approach. If only standardised statistical estimates are shared, permutations of z-score is the preferred approach.
The role of corporate image and switching barriers in the service evaluation process
Authors: Giovanis Apostolos , Athanasopoulou Pinelopi , Tsoukatos Evangelos 
Published: April 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to better predict customers’ behavioral intentions (BI) by developing and empirically testing an integrative conceptual framework that allows us to investigate the mediating role of corporate image (CI) and switching barriers (SB) in the interrelationships among service evaluation constructs (i.e. service quality (SQ), perceived value and customer satisfaction (CS)) and customers’ future intentions. These relationships are explored in the mobile telecommunications service context.

Design/methodology/approach
– Around 1,000 customers of mobile telecommunication services were questioned using a structured questionnaire. To test the proposed hypotheses, a model was constructed and estimated using the method of partial least squares path methodology.

Findings
– Findings indicate that the provision of high-SQ and the creation of superior value, through the development of reasonable costs, can result in high-CS; enhanced CI, and either directly or indirectly through SB, in customers’ favorable BI. However, given the price-competitive structure of the industry under investigation, customers’ loyalty decisions are mainly based on service-related criteria. The value of and satisfaction from delivered services are far more important decision criteria, than image and SB.

Research limitations/implications
– This study was limited to one service setting and the proposed model should be cross-validated in other service contexts before the relationships among its components are fully clarified. Also the use of cross-section design reduces inference ability regarding temporal changes in research constructs.

Practical implications
– Results suggest that marketers, in their effort to develop more customer-oriented marketing plans in mature markets, should consider both the pool-in factors, reflecting the value of the provided services; CS, and CI, and the interactions among them as well as with the push-back factors, reflecting SB, as they all impact on customers’ BI.

Originality/value
– This paper contributes to the body of existing knowledge by considering both CI and SB, along with other service evaluation constructs, as antecedents of consumers’ BI. The interrelationships among SB, service evaluation and CI has not been adequately addressed in the existing literature.
The future prospects of Islamic banking in Tunisia: an empirical survey
Authors: Echchabi Abdelghani , Azouzi Dhekra , Aziz Hassanuddeen Abd. 
Published: April 2016

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine the readiness of the Tunisian customers to adopt Islamic banking services, and the factors that might influence their decision.Design/methodology/approach– A total of 100 questionnaires were randomly distributed to Tunisian banking customers. structural equation modelling and one samplet-test were subsequently applied.Findings– The results revealed that the attitude dimensions have a significant impact on the Tunisian customers’ intention to adopt Islamic banking services. On the other hand, the results have also shown that the Tunisian customers are willing to shift to Islamic banking services.Originality/value– These findings have significant contributions that are discussed thereinafter.
Organizational culture and green management: innovative way ahead in hotel industry
Authors: Scholz Petr , Voracek Jan 
Published: April 2016

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify perspective and feasible combinations of the existing revenue-driven methods with still more pervasive features of knowledge-based management and green management in hotel industry. The authors believe that the key path to success is in even closer, that is, daily personal orientation on customers, specifically on their satisfaction in both functional and emotional dimensions.

Design/methodology/approach
A research prototype of competitiveness modelling framework can be fully implemented in accordance with the methodology, proposed by Mitroff and Kilmann (1978). The key output of our conceptual modelling stage was causal loop diagram, showing relations among internal variables and determining overall dynamics of analyzed problem. In the implementation phase, the authors adopted system dynamics (SD) paradigm, which composes system behaviour from parametrically adjustable temporal accumulation of levels of internal resources. These resources (stocks) can be both quantitative (money, employees, services) and qualitative (trust, motivation, quality). After parameterization and validation, SD models are used for the analysis of real-world situations.

Findings
With the resultant interactive SD model, the authors designed and tested several scenarios, comparing the purely revenue-oriented hotel management with its customers-oriented and organizational knowledge-supported enhancement. The authors’ experiments showed that the proposed extension can contribute to the overall performance up to 15 per cent. According to the experimental findings, the primary reasons for the improvement are higher ratio of regularly returning customers and improved efficiency of internal processes as a result of continuous organizational learning.

Originality/value
So far, hotel managers use mainly simple analytic and planning tools, which cannot cover the practical complexity of surrounding market and internal processes. In comparison with purely revenue-based principles, advanced managerial practices, considering also qualitative and human-related matters, require additional viewpoints. The authors enhanced the hospitality domain with the introduction of dynamic hypotheses – feasible explanations of temporal behaviour of complex structures.
How audacious strategies pay off during hard times
Authors: Kailasam Murali , Wongsurawat Winai 
Published: April 2016

PurposeThis paper aims to identify strategies used by companies during the recent global recession and to investigate the effectiveness of offensive and defensive strategies. It also investigates how these different types of strategies are sequenced.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on cases from seven publicly listed Indian information technology (IT) and information technology-enabled services (ITESs) companies. This longitudinal study draws on 32 semi-structured interviews with top management. The data were triangulated using annual and quarterly reports, emails, organization profiles and customer satisfaction reports.FindingsOffensive and defensive strategic responses were deployed concurrently, not sequentially. Offensive responses were crucial in turning around a firm. Identical strategies can yield different results in product and service companies.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this paper should be generalized with care because of the sampling scope. Future studies should include quantitative research over different recession periods.Practical implicationsThe paper provides insights for practitioners on how to respond to economic recession and prepare for recovery.Originality/valueThe paper enriches the corporate turnaround and business cycle management literature by analyzing the behavior of firms from India and from the high-tech industry.
Intention to participate in online commercial experiments by social network’s users
Authors: Cordero-Gutiérrez Rebeca , Santos-Requejo Libia 
Published: April 2016

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the underlying differences in the intention to participate in online commercial experiments through the social network considering users’ gender and age.Design/methodology/approachThe model of this paper uses two relevant variables, trust and attitude, to test the behavioral intention. There were 269 data sets from social network’s users. Factorial analysis and linear regression were used in the analysis of the data obtained to investigate the differences in gender and age in the intention to participate in online commercial experiments.FindingsThe results of this paper show that there exist differences among women and men, and among youthers and adults. Women and youthers are the most desirable groups to conduct commercial experiments through social networks.Research limitations/implicationsFrom the point of view of the academics, this paper increases the knowledge of social network’s possibilities as a marketing tool.Practical implicationsThis study and its conclusions are relevant for entrepreneurs in any field who want to reach their customers through a horizontal social network because they can improve the online experiments’ profit. Entrepreneurs can know and understand their customers better, taking into account their wishes, tastes and interests through when participating in a commercial experiment.Originality/valueThis paper describes the possibilities that social networks like Facebook offer entrepreneurs to know the intention of users to participate in an online commercial experiment. Moreover, the differences in gender and age allow in adapting the contents of the online commercial experiments to get better results. In addition, this research contributes to the investigation in the possibilities of social networks as marketing tools.
Sensory Comfort: Fabric Transport Properties and Subjective Responses During Exercise Under Cool and Hot Environmental Conditions
Authors: Li Yi 
Published: April 2016

Eight kinds of knitted fabrics, made from wool, polyester, cotton, acrylic, porous acrylic, polypropylene, viscose and polyester/cotton blend, were studied by both objective laboratory measurements and subjective wearer trials. The transport properties of the fabrics: thermal resistance, water vapor permeability, air permeability, demand wettability, water absorbency (drop wettability) and water evaporation propensity were measured. The psychological responses of subjects for the 8 kinds of fabrics were obtained in a series of psychophysiological wearer trials, in which subjective responses to 19 clothing sensations were recorded and their overall preference votes to 8 kinds of garments made from the fabrics were obtained. Significant differences were found for all the transport properties measured on the 8 kinds of fabrics.
By Spearman rank correlation analysis, it has been found that the overall preference votes after wearing in hot and Cool conditions were significantly correlated with drop and demand wettability and thermal resistance of fabrics. The thermal-wet sensations were mainly
correlated with thermal resistance, water evaporation rate, water vapor and air permeability. The tactile sensations showed high correlation with thermal resistance, drop and demand wettabilities of fabrics, and also there were close correlations between body-fit sensations and demand and drop wettabilities, water evaporation rate of fabrics.