bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Innovation and imitation effects' dynamics in technology adoption
Authors: Lee Sang‐Gun , Trimi Silvana , Kim Changsoo 
Published: June 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate longitudinal patterns of ICT and non‐ICT products' adoption over life cycles.Design/methodology/approachThe Bass diffusion model is used to discern distinctive changes in users' adoption behavior due to the innovation and the imitation effects.FindingsThe innovation effect is more influential for innovators and opinion leaders than it is for all adopters. However, it diminishes as time passes. Conversely, the imitation effect becomes a more powerful factor for the early majority, late majority and laggards. The imitation effect in the ICT industry is greater than that in the non‐ICT industry, revealing the high network effect in ICT diffusion.Research limitations/implicationsMobile phones are not the representative of all ICTs as the automobiles also do not represent all utility products. More ICT and conventional products need to be included and compared for greater generalization of the results from different countries.Practical implicationsBy identifying the strong innovation effect of a new product at the early stage of its adoption, and the social network effect in the acceleration of the adoption speed through massive numbers of imitating consumers, this research reveals the ever shrinking product life cycle and therefore the importance of continuous disruptive innovation as a competitive strategy for organizations.Originality/valueThe paper provides new theoretical insights into the technology adoption research by using a mathematical modeling methodology using real data. The study provides new insights into the strategic implications of innovation and imitation effects for technology service providers.
Credit risk management pertaining to profit and loss sharing instruments in Islamic banking
Authors: Hafsa Orhan Astrom Zeyneb 
Published: June 2013

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a new approach for the credit risk management process of profit and loss sharing instruments in Islamic banks.Design/methodology/approachThree credit risk management steps are elaborated for profit and loss sharing instruments.FindingsFirst, a new credit risk definition compatible with profit and loss sharing instruments is done. Connected to this definition, possible credit risk factors are identified. Second, in terms of credit risk measurement, a general framework for credit scoring of prospective customer‐agents is drawn. Lastly, three groups of credit risk mitigation tools are suggested.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper can be developed further by empirical analyses and case studies.Originality/valueEven though credit risk is a well‐known and deeply elaborated financial concept in conventional literature, its unique characteristics in terms of profit and loss sharing instruments have not been sufficiently elaborated in Islamic finance literature. This paper is an attempt to fill in this gap.
Synthesis and applications of new bifunctional dyes bis (monochlorotriazine) based on tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene moiety
Authors: Mohamed Fatma Ali , Melad Mohareb Rafaat 
Published: June 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to synthesise, characterise and find out properties of some new bifunctional dyes bis (monochlorotriazine) using tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene systems as the chromophoric moiety, bearing good colour strength, lightfastness, and other favourable properties.Design/methodology/approachThe novel reactive dyes were prepared, containing bis monochlorotriazine as reactive groups. The dye is synthesised by diazotization and coupling reactions. Firstly the authors synthesised the ethyl 2‐amino 4,5,6,7‐tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophen‐3‐carboxylate chromophoric moiety compound which in turn underwent diazotization and coupling then diazotized and coupled reaction with either 1‐amino‐8‐naphthol‐3,6‐disulphonic acid (H‐acid) and or 2‐amino‐8‐naphthol‐6‐sulphonic (γ acid) to give the monoazo dye intermediates compounds. The latter products reacted with 2,4,6‐trichloro‐1,3,5‐triazine in 1:1 molar ratio afforded, via nucleophilic displacement when subjected to condensation 2,4,6‐trichloro‐1,3,5‐triazine in 1:1 molar ratio afforded via nucleophilic displacement, which reacted with 1,4‐phenylenediamine in 2:1 molar ratio to give reaction with the 1,4‐phenylenediamine in 2:1 molar ratio, the bisazobifunctional bismonochlorotriazine reactive dyes.bisazo bifunctional bismonochlorotriazine reactive dyes thus yielding the new target reactive. The synthesised dyes were applied onto cotton fabric under the typical exhaust dyeing conditions and their dyeing properties were investigated.FindingsThe results assessed for dyeing indicate high quality dyeing properties However, the homobifunctional (bis MCT) dyes showed higher exhaustion and fixation values, colour yield and fastness properties.Practical implicationsThe described method showed the synthesis of bis monochlorotriazines derived from the tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene derivative 3 followed by their application towards cotton fabric.Social implicationsSocial implications are to prepare new reactive dyes having higher fastness and uses for dyeing cotton which is the commonest fabric use.Originality/valueIn this work, the novel reactive dyes derived from the tetrahydrobenzo[b]thiophene derivative 3 were synthesized and their structures were based on the analytical and spectral data. Such a group of compounds are considered to be excellent reactive dyes with different colour shades.
Telling the privatization story: a study of the president's letter
Authors: Gendron Denis , Breton Gaétan 
Published: June 2013

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the use of narrative instruments, mainly storytelling, to sell the privatization of State‐owned enterprises (SOE) to the general public by their CEO.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a semiotic analysis approach. It uses specific semiotic analysis instruments: Greimas' actantial model and Propp‐Bremond function model. These main instruments can be backed on time by other devices. The analysis is centered on the president's letters in the pre‐privatization period of Canadian SOEs.FindingsThe paper finds evidence of the use, by the CEO, of discourse in general and specifically accounting discourse to advocate for the privatization. The paper also finds that the general structure of storytelling in the presidents' letters studied implies the use of narrative instruments to surreptitiously convey specific messages in accordance with the surrounding ideology.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper studies only SOE that had been privatized. However, top managers of every SOE are facing the same legitimating problematic. The context is strictly Canadian. Therefore, further research may examine Canadian non‐privatized SOEs or foreign SOE, privatized or not.Practical implicationsPrivatization is a political decision, i.e. being decided ultimately by citizens. Therefore, CEOs of SOEs do not have to intervene in the debate using their privileged standpoint. Moreover, they will not do it except if backed by politicians promoting the same interests, although tacitly. Citizens must be aware of the manoeuvres done to orientate them toward the “good” decision.Originality/valueThe paper shows that the apparent objectivity of the financial results can be used to promote political agendas. It says that accounting is not a pure reflection of reality but a language used to promote specific interests. It also shows that accounting is telling stories that are used in other parts of the annual report, such as the president's letter.
Possible association of Neu2 with plasma membrane fraction from mouse thymus exhibited sialidase activity with fetuin at pH 7.0 but not at pH 4.5
Authors: Kijimoto‐Ochiai Shigeko , Doi Naoko , Fujii Miwako , Go Shinji , Kabayama Kazuya , Moriya Setsuko , Miyagi Taeko , Koda Toshiaki 
Published: June 2013

ABSTRACTCompared to other organs, the mouse thymus exhibits a high level of sialidase activity in both the soluble and crude membrane fractions, as measured at neutral pH using 4MU‐Neu5Ac as a substrate. The main purpose of the present study was to identify the sialidase with a high level of the activity at neutral pH in the crude membrane. Several parameters were analyzed using the soluble (S) fraction, N and D fractions that were obtained by NP‐40 or DOC/NP‐40 solubilization from the thymus crude membrane. The main sialidase activity in the N fraction exhibited almost the same pI as that of soluble Neu2 and 60% of the activity was removed from the membrane by three washes with 10 mM Tris‐buffer, at pH 7.0. The N fraction preferentially hydrolyzed the sialic acid bond of glycoprotein and exhibited sialidase activity with fetuin at pH 7.0 but not at pH 4.5. The same activity was observed in a plasma membrane‐rich fraction. To date, the removal of sialic acid from fetuin at pH 7.0 was reported only with soluble Neu2 and the membrane fraction from Neu2‐transfected COS cells. We analyzed the gene that controls the sialidase activity in the crude membrane fraction at pH 7.0 using SMXA recombinant mice and found that compared with other three genes, Neu2 presented the best correlation with the activity level. We suggest that Neu2 is most likely responsible for the main activity in the N fraction, due to its association with the membrane by an unknown mechanism.
Resilience of soil bacterial community to irrigation with water of different qualities under Mediterranean climate
Authors: Frenk Sammy , Hadar Yitzhak , Minz Dror 
Published: June 2013

SummaryLimited freshwater (FW) availability due to climate change and increasing global populations is driving agriculture in arid and semi‐arid regions to recycle vast quantities of water for irrigation. However, irrigation with treated wastewater (TWW), which contains dissolved organic matter, salts and microorganisms might alter soil microbial populations, and thus affect soil fertility. We characterized the effects of irrigation with TWW and FW on soil bacterial community composition for three consecutive years. Orchard samples were collected at the end of each of the rainy (winter) and irrigation (summer) season. Community composition, determined by 16S ribosomal DNA amplicon pyrosequencing, was highly similar in soil samples obtained at the end of three consecutive rainy seasons, regardless of irrigation season water quality. However, whereas composition in soil shifted slightly during irrigation seasons by FW irrigation, it was greatly influenced by TWW irrigation. During the irrigation season, a decrease in the relative abundance of Actinobacteria was observed; along with an increase in the relative abundance Gammaproteobacteria within TWW‐irrigated soils. The return to the ‘baseline state’ during the rainy season demonstrates that the soil community is not resistant to anthropogenic impact imposed by irrigation water quality, yet is resilient in long term.
Life Insurance, Human Capital Accumulation and Economic Growth
Authors: Lu Chen , Yanagihara Mitsuyoshi 
Published: June 2013

We compare growth rates in the absence and presence of life insurance using an overlapping generations framework with human capital accumulation to clarify how life insurance contributes to economic growth through the education investment of individuals depending on economic circumstances.Our results show that, as expected, the growth rate is higher when there is life insurance if the rate of time preference or the productivity of human capital accumulation is sufficiently low and if the income loss induced from lifetime uncertainty is moderate. However, if the income loss is sufficiently large, the growth rate is lower when there is life insurance.
The influence of the progamic phase for fruiting in the apple tree
Authors: Losada J.M. , Herrero M. 
Published: June 2013

AbstractFinal fruit production is the result of a number of processes, over which several environmental circumstances interact. But it is often difficult to disentangle the part played by each of these factors in the final crop. The aim of this work is to evaluate the influence of the progamic phase for fruiting in the apple tree. For this purpose we track back the process that goes from flower to fruit, identifying the inflection points where the final crop is reduced. We evaluate early versus late fruit development, pollination versus non‐pollination, and the effect of the progamic phase that goes from pollination to fertilization. From flowers to fruits 15 weeks elapsed, but the final fruit set settled 8 weeks after flowering, and the main flower–fruit drop occurred 3–4 weeks after flowering. Differences between dropped fruits and those that remained in the tree emerged earlier, and the onset of fruiting started 7 days after pollination. This time was coincident with the time lapse of the progamic phase. These results show that fruiting gets established well ahead of cropping, but also that the progamic phase is the main determinant of the final fruit set in apple trees.
Role of foliar hemibiotrophic and fruit resistance in anthracnose‐resistant strawberry genotypes for annual hill plasticulture systems
Authors: Rahman M. , Ballington J. , Louws F. 
Published: June 2013

ABSTRACTAnthracnose fruit rot (AFR) caused by Colletotrichum acutatum is one of the most devastating diseases of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) in plasticulture systems in the Southeast US. Host resistance offers the best option to limit crop losses in both nursery and fruiting fields. To evaluate levels of anthracnose resistance and elucidate the role of foliar and fruit resistance in overall field AFR resistance, we tested 14 strawberry genotypes including numerous selections from the North Carolina State University strawberry breeding programme. Inoculations of plug plants with three representative C. acutatum isolates prior to field‐set indicated that the commercially standard cultivar Chandler was highly susceptible, with an average fruit rot incidence of over 72% the following spring. In contrast, breeding lines such as NC C99‐13 and NC C02‐63 showed superior resistance with AFR incidence values of 23.6% and 11.1%, respectively, and showed superior marketable yields. An average hemibiotrophic infection (HI) severity on foliage (percent leaf area covered with acervular growth after paraquat treatment and incubation) did not correlate (r = 0.57) well with in vitro AFR severity on detached fruit, indicating different mechanisms may be operative for resistance to foliar HI and fruit rot resistance. Multiple regression analysis indicated that in vitro fruit rot resistance expressed by lesion diameter and severity of foliar hemibiotrophic infections may be utilized to predict field AFR incidence. Strawberry genotypes bred for resistance against both fruit rot and foliar HI could be effectively selected by using rank‐sum classification methods and this process offers an effective strategy to advance selections for superior AFR field resistance.
Tofogliflozin, a novel sodium–glucose co‐transporter 2 inhibitor, improves renal and pancreatic function in db/db mice
Authors: Nagata T , Fukuzawa T , Takeda M , Fukazawa M , Mori T , Nihei T , Honda K , Suzuki Y , Kawabe Y 
Published: June 2013

Background and PurposeAlthough inhibition of renal sodium–glucose co‐transporter 2 (SGLT2) has a stable glucose‐lowering effect in patients with type 2 diabetes, the effect of SGLT2 inhibition on renal dysfunction in type 2 diabetes remains to be determined. To evaluate the renoprotective effect of SGLT2 inhibition more precisely, we compared the effects of tofogliflozin (a specific SGLT2 inhibitor) with those of losartan (an angiotensin II receptor antagonist) on renal function and beta‐cell function in db/db mice.Experimental ApproachThe effects of 8‐week tofogliflozin or losartan treatment on renal and beta‐cell function were investigated in db/db mice by quantitative image analysis of glomerular size, mesangial matrix expansion and islet beta‐cell mass. Blood glucose, glycated Hb and insulin levels, along with urinary albumin and creatinine were measuredKey ResultsTofogliflozin suppressed plasma glucose and glycated Hb and preserved pancreatic beta‐cell mass and plasma insulin levels. No improvement of glycaemic conditions or insulin level was observed with losartan treatment. Although the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio of untreated db/db mice gradually increased from baseline, tofogliflozin or losartan treatment prevented this increase (by 50–70%). Tofogliflozin, but not losartan, attenuated glomerular hypertrophy. Neither tofogliflozin nor losartan altered matrix expansion.Conclusions and ImplicationsLong‐term inhibition of renal SGLT2 by tofogliflozin not only preserved pancreatic beta‐cell function, but also prevented kidney dysfunction in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes. These findings suggest that long‐term use of tofogliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes may prevent progression of diabetic nephropathy.
Word‐form familiarity bootstraps infant speech segmentation
Authors: Altvater‐Mackensen Nicole , Mani Nivedita 
Published: June 2013

AbstractAt about 7 months of age, infants listen longer to sentences containing familiar words – but not deviant pronunciations of familiar words (Jusczyk & Aslin, 1995). This finding suggests that infants are able to segment familiar words from fluent speech and that they store words in sufficient phonological detail to recognize deviations from a familiar word. This finding does not examine whether it is, nevertheless, easier for infants to segment words from sentences when these words sound similar to familiar words. Across three experiments, the present study investigates whether familiarity with a word helps infants segment similar‐sounding words from fluent speech and if they are able to discriminate these similar‐sounding words from other words later on. Results suggest that word‐form familiarity may be a powerful tool bootstrapping further lexical acquisition.
Leaf‐cutting ants as ecosystem engineers: topsoil and litter perturbations around Atta cephalotes nests reduce nutrient availability
Authors: MEYER SEBASTIAN T. , NEUBAUER MEIKE , SAYER EMMA J. , LEAL INARA R. , TABARELLI MARCELO , WIRTH RAINER 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Despite considerable research into the effects of leaf‐cutting ant nests, the potential occurrence of low‐nutrient soils at nest sites has hitherto gone undetected.
Leaf litter cover and topsoil conditions (organic carbon, total nitrogen, soil acidity, cation exchange capacity) were assessed along transects running from nests of eight adult Atta cephalotes colonies into the understorey of Atlantic forest to examine the extent of nest effects.
Nests were virtually free of leaf litter (c. 150 g m−2) and litter cover increased along a saturating curve with nest distance, reaching 1300 g m−2 in the undisturbed forest. Soil acidity and nutrient concentrations were strongly correlated with leaf litter cover (r = 0.66–0.72) for both soil types occurring in the study region. Total soil nitrogen concentration varied from 0.2 g kg−1 in sandy nest soil and 0.5 g kg−1 in clay‐rich nest soil to 0.5 and 1.3 g kg−1, respectively, at a distance of 24 m from nests, while soil carbon concentration ranged from 2.1 to 6.1 g kg−1 (sandy soil) and 4.5 to 15.7 g kg−1 (clay‐rich soil) over the same distance. Nest‐associated variations in edaphic parameters suggest that each colony affected an area of up to 0.5 ha.
In contrast to the common perception that leaf‐cutting ant activities increase nutrient availability, our results suggest that their territories are characterised by reduced levels of leaf litter and, consequently, soil nutrients.
The observed nutrient depletion must be taken into account when considering the potential impacts of ant nests for plant regeneration.
Linking anti‐predator behaviour to prey demography reveals limited risk effects of an actively hunting large carnivore
Authors: Middleton Arthur D. , Kauffman Matthew J. , McWhirter Douglas E. , Jimenez Michael D. , Cook Rachel C. , Cook John G. , Albeke Shannon E. , Sawyer Hall , White P. J. 
Published: June 2013

AbstractEcological theory predicts that the diffuse risk cues generated by wide‐ranging, active predators should induce prey behavioural responses but not major, population‐ or community‐level consequences. We evaluated the non‐consumptive effects (NCEs) of an active predator, the grey wolf (Canis lupus), by simultaneously tracking wolves and the behaviour, body fat, and pregnancy of elk (Cervus elaphus), their primary prey in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. When wolves approached within 1 km, elk increased their rates of movement, displacement and vigilance. Even in high‐risk areas, however, these encounters occurred only once every 9 days. Ultimately, despite 20‐fold variation in the frequency of encounters between wolves and individual elk, the risk of predation was not associated with elk body fat or pregnancy. Our findings suggest that the ecological consequences of actively hunting large carnivores, such as the wolf, are more likely transmitted by consumptive effects on prey survival thanNCEs on prey behaviour.
Impaired surface expression and conductance of the KCNQ4 channel lead to sensorineural hearing loss
Authors: Gao Yanhong , Yechikov Sergey , Vázquez Ana E. , Chen Dongyang , Nie Liping 
Published: June 2013

AbstractKCNQ4, a voltage‐gated potassium channel, plays an important role in maintaining cochlear ion homoeostasis and regulating hair cell membrane potential, both essential for normal auditory function. Mutations in the KCNQ4 gene lead to DFNA2, a subtype of autosomal dominant non‐syndromic deafness that is characterized by progressive sensorineural hearing loss across all frequencies. Despite recent advances in the identification of pathogenic KCNQ4 mutations, the molecular aetiology of DFNA2 remains unknown. We report here that decreased cell surface expression and impaired conductance of the KCNQ4 channel are two mechanisms underlying hearing loss in DFNA2. In HEK293T cells, a dramatic decrease in cell surface expression was detected by immunofluorescent microscopy and confirmed by Western blot for the pathogenic KCNQ4 mutants L274H, W276S, L281S, G285C, G285S, G296S and G321S, while their overall cellular levels remained normal. In addition, none of these mutations affected tetrameric assembly of KCNQ4 channels. Consistent with these results, all mutants showed strong dominant‐negative effects on the wild‐type (WT) channel function. Most importantly, overexpression of HSP90β, a key component of the molecular chaperone network that controls the KCNQ4 biogenesis, significantly increased cell surface expression of the KCNQ4 mutants L281S, G296S and G321S. KCNQ4 surface expression was restored or considerably improved in HEK293T cells mimicking the heterozygous condition of these mutations in DFNA2 patients. Finally, our electrophysiological studies demonstrated that these mutations directly compromise the conductance of the KCNQ4 channel, since no significant change in KCNQ4 current was observed after KCNQ4 surface expression was restored or improved.