bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intellectual capital based performance improvement, study in insurance firms
Authors: Zakery Amir , Afrazeh Abbas 
Published: June 2015

Purpose– Intangible resources are the most distinctive firms’ assets in competitive environments especially in service businesses. Insurance firms seeking more efficient performance than competitors should improve their intellectual capital (IC) strategies in both aspects of IC creation and utilization. The purpose of this paper is to investigate and improves IC participation in insurance firms’ efficiency.Design/methodology/approach– A two-phase framework: “explaining IC role in efficiency” and “measuring efficiencies of IC creation and application” is developed in order to find IC strategies increasing firms’ efficiency and though competitiveness. Efficiency is measured using data envelopment analysis and the generalized estimating equations is used as the regression method in order to explain efficiency with IC measures.Findings– Empirical results in Iran insurance sector (during a seven-year period for 17 Iranian insurers) show some IC components influence firms’ efficiency and could be intervention points for performance improvement. Then the firms are categorized into four zones in terms of IC efficiency and strategies are recognized for each category.Research limitations/implications– Although the research is initiated by the need to embed intangible resources in performance improvement in insurance sector, the research framework could be strongly applied in other knowledge-based industries.Originality/value– This paper embeds an innovative link between classic efficiency and IC which aligns resource management with competitiveness strategies.
Where there is a will there is a way
Authors: Massaro Maurizio , Dumay John , Bagnoli Carlo 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine whether strategic intent influences developing intellectual capital (IC) and if IC affects performance measured in terms of product and service diversification within small and medium enterprises over time.

Design/methodology/approach
– This study discusses if and how structural equation models can be located within the third stage of IC research, and subsequently presents an analysis developed using 1,392 questionnaire responses through a temporal lens.

Findings
– Empirical results show how relational, human and structural capital strongly connects to support a firm’s performance measured in terms of product and service diversification. Additionally, IC and strategic intent influence each other creating a constraint effect on one side and an ambition effect on the other. Interestingly, the constraint effect is much higher than the ambition effect, and this falls in line with a contingency approach to strategic intent.

Practical implications
– Several practical implications are developed. First, results show that high regulation where firms can offer mandatory product/services can limit IC development. Therefore the findings contribute to the dialogue between policy makers, managers and businesses. Second, business schools should consider how strategic intent contributes to developing IC in order to design future curricula for accounting and management studies. Third, firms that operate in similar contexts should pay attention to managerial myopia due to low competition where a significant part of firms’ revenues is from mandatory product/services.

Originality/value
– This paper contributes to the existing literature by investigating how IC affects strategic intent and how strategic intent fosters IC development. Additionally, findings build on existing theory, helping to understand how IC affects performance measured in terms of portfolio diversification.
The “Fairness Paradox” and “Small-Firm Growth Resistance Strategies”
Authors: Ullah Farid , Smith Robert 
Published: June 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine and explore why “Small-Businesses” resist employing outside the immediate family and investigate the employee as an outsider and entrepreneurial resource.Design/methodology/approach– The authors review the literature on barriers to small-business growth concentrating on key empirical and theoretical studies. The authors use empirical data from the Federation of Small Business in which informants commented on growth and employing outside the family.Findings– The findings suggest that small business owners adopt a polemical stance, arguing that a barrage of employment regulations deters them from employing outsiders because doing so brings trouble in terms of costs such as insurance, taxes, paperwork, leave (maternity and paternity) entitlement, etc. They argue that employing from inside the family or ones peer group is much cheaper, convenient and less hassle. This ignores the entrepreneurial employee as a potential ingredient of growth and points to a paradox whereby the very values and emotions characterized by fairness of which of “smallness” and “familialness” is composed compound the issues of discrimination central to the debate.Research limitations/implications– The paper offer important insights for growth issues among small businesses and challenge the contemporary equilibrium in terms of small “family-orientated” business philosophy relating to employment practices. Ideologically, the entrepreneur is an “outsider” fighting the establishment, yet paradoxically, in a small-business context s/he becomes the establishment by employing outsiders. This results in the fairness vs unfairness paradox.Originality/value– The paper contributes to the existing knowledge and understanding on growth issues among small businesses by illuminating a paradoxical insider vs outsider tension.
Testing predator–prey theory using broad‐scale manipulations and independent validation
Authors: Serrouya Robert , McLellan Bruce N. , Boutin Stan 
Published: June 2015

Summary

A robust test of ecological theory is to gauge the predictive accuracy of general relationships parameterized from multiple systems but applied to a new area. To address this goal, we used an ecosystem‐level experiment to test predator–prey theory by manipulating prey abundance to determine whether predation was density dependent, density independent, compensatory or depensatory (inversely density dependent) on prey populations.

Understanding the nature of predation is of primary importance in community ecology because it establishes whether predation has little effect on prey abundance (compensatory), whether it promotes coexistence (density dependent) and reduces the equilibrium of prey (density independent) or whether it can be destabilizing (depensatory).

We used theoretical predictions consisting of functional and numerical equations parameterized independently from meta‐analyses on wolves (Canis lupus) and moose (Alces alces), but applied to our specific wolf–moose system. Predictions were tested by experimentally reducing moose abundance across 6500 km2 as a novel way of evaluating the nature of predation.

Depensatory predation of wolves on moose was the best explanation of the population dynamic – a mechanism that has been hypothesized to occur but has rarely been evaluated. Adding locally obtained kill rates and numerical estimates to the independent data provided no benefit to model predictions, suggesting that the theory was robust to local variation.

These findings have critical implications for any organism that is preyed upon but that also has, or will be, subject to increased human exploitation or perturbations from environmental change. If depensatory predation is not accounted for in harvest models, predicted yields will be excessive and lead to further population decline.
REVIEW: Predictive ecology in a changing world
Authors: Mouquet Nicolas , Lagadeuc Yvan , Devictor Vincent , Doyen Luc , Duputié Anne , Eveillard Damien , Faure Denis , Garnier Eric , Gimenez Olivier , Huneman Philippe , Jabot Franck , Jarne Philippe , Joly Dominique , Julliard Romain , Kéfi Sonia , Kergoat Gael J. , Lavorel Sandra , Le Gall Line , Meslin Laurence , Morand Serge , Morin Xavier , Morlon Hélène , Pinay Gilles , Pradel Roger , Schurr Frank M. , Thuiller Wilfried , Loreau Michel 
Published: June 2015

SummaryIn a rapidly changing world, ecology has the potential to move from empirical and conceptual stages to application and management issues. It is now possible to make large‐scale predictions up to continental or global scales, ranging from the future distribution of biological diversity to changes in ecosystem functioning and services. With these recent developments, ecology has a historical opportunity to become a major actor in the development of a sustainable human society. With this opportunity, however, also comes an important responsibility in developing appropriate predictive models, correctly interpreting their outcomes and communicating their limitations. There is also a danger that predictions grow faster than our understanding of ecological systems, resulting in a gap between the scientists generating the predictions and stakeholders using them (conservation biologists, environmental managers, journalists, policymakers).Here, we use the context provided by the current surge of ecological predictions on the future of biodiversity to clarify what prediction means, and to pinpoint the challenges that should be addressed in order to improve predictive ecological models and the way they are understood and used.Synthesis and applications. Ecologists face several challenges to ensure the healthy development of an operational predictive ecological science: (i) clarity on the distinction between explanatory and anticipatory predictions; (ii) developing new theories at the interface between explanatory and anticipatory predictions; (iii) open data to test and validate predictions; (iv) making predictions operational; and (v) developing a genuine ethics of prediction.
Habitat hotspots of common and rare tropical species along climatic and edaphic gradients
Authors: Xu Han , Detto Matteo , Fang Suqin , Li Yide , Zang Runguo , Liu Shirong 
Published: June 2015

Summary

Understanding coexistence in high biodiversity ecosystems requires knowledge of how rare and common species share the multidimensional environmental space. Climatic and edaphic conditions can provide a plethora of habitats, supporting different compositional and structural communities where species can adapt and differentiate.

We used a large data set consisting of 580 tropical tree species sampled in 163 25 × 25 m quadrats along an altitudinal gradient covering an area of 160 km2 of tropical rain forest in Jianfengling reserve (Hainan Island, China). For each plot, the data include tree species and abundance, altitude and six soil properties from which a two dimensional environmental space was constructed.

With this extensive data set, we tested the hypothesis that different combination of environmental factors can generate multiple hotspots on three axes of diversity: species richness, Shannon‐equivalent species richness and habitat preference, a measure of evenness in the distribution of individuals across an environmental gradient.

We found that humid and cool areas with more nitrogen availability were occupied by richer and more diverse communities of wide range species. Rare (in terms of number of individuals) and range‐restricted species instead, tended to prefer minor habitats, generally warmer with high potassium, calcium, magnesium and, in particular, phosphorous. As a result, wide and range‐restricted species were segregated across the environmental space.

Synthesis. Our findings indicate rare species tend to occur more frequently where common species are less abundant. A clear pattern of species richness and diversity was driven by a combination of several environmental factors (soil properties and climate). The complexity of the environment not only explains the different species distribution along each habitat, but also determines the relative abundance of each species in the entire community. Although some habitats have low species richness and diversity, they are highly preferred by rare species; therefore, biodiversity conservation efforts should consider protecting these fragile ecosystems.
Edible Filamentous Fungi from the Species Monascus: Early Traditional Fermentations, Modern Molecular Biology, and Future Genomics
Authors: Chen Wanping , He Yi , Zhou Youxiang , Shao Yanchun , Feng Yanli , Li Mu , Chen Fusheng 
Published: June 2015

AbstractMonascus spp. are filamentous fungi famous for their fermented products, especially red mold rice (RMR), a traditional fermented food in East Asian areas with a very long edible history documented back to the Han dynasty (BC 202‐AD 220) in China. Nowadays, RMR and its related products involve a very large industry from artisanal traditional fermentations to food companies to medicine manufacturers, which are distributed worldwide. Modern studies have shown that Monascus spp. are able to produce abundant beneficial secondary metabolites, such as monacolins (cholesterol‐lowering agents), γ‐amino butyric acid (an antihypertensive substance), dimerumic acid (an antioxidant), and pigments (food‐grade colorants), and some strains can also secrete citrinin, a nephrotoxic metabolite. Monascus‐related studies have received much attention because of their wide applications. However, to our knowledge, no systematic review on the progress of Monascus research has ever been published. In this review, the progress of research on Monascus is summarized into 3 stages: Monascus fermentation, Monascus molecular biology, and Monascus genomics. This review covers the past history, current status, and future direction of Monascus research, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of Monascus research progress.
Earnings Management: Do Firms Play “Follow the Leader”?
Authors: Bratten Brian , Payne Jeff L. , Thomas Wayne B. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractIn this study we examine whether the reported performance of one firm affects the discretionary reporting behavior of another firm. We do this by identifying the leader within each industry, defined as the first large announcing firm. We find that the discretionary performance of followers (those firms announcing after the leader) relates positively to the leader's reported performance. Specifically, when the leader misses analysts’ expectations, followers report lower discretionary accruals, have fewer income‐decreasing special items, and are less likely to meet analysts’ expectations. In contrast, when leaders report good news, followers report higher discretionary accruals and are more likely to meet expectations (although we do not find evidence of a positive association between leaders’ good news and followers’ income‐decreasing special items). Overall, the results are consistent with managers of followers perceiving that earnings news of the leader will affect investors’ and others’ performance expectations for their firms.
Bats like vintage: managing exotic eucalypt plantations for bat conservation in a Mediterranean landscape
Authors: Cruz J. , Sarmento P. , Rydevik G. , Rebelo H. , White P. C. L. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThe transformation of native habitats into forest plantations for industrial purposes frequently has negative consequences for biodiversity. We evaluated the impact of eucalypt plantations on native bats in a Mediterranean area, taking Portugal as a case study. We compared the overall bat activity, species richness and Kuhl's bat Pipistrellus kuhlii (the most abundant bat species in the area) activity between eucalypt plantations and native montado habitat, and examined the influence of stand, landscape and survey variables within plantations on the response variables. A set of 11 plantation stands, three landscape and two survey variables were employed as predictor variables using a zero‐inflated Poisson generalized linear mixed model. Hawking and generalist bats of the genus Pipistrellus were the most frequently detected species. Bat activity, species richness and P. kuhlii activity were higher in native montado than in any of the eucalypt stands. Mature eucalypt plantations showed the highest bat activity, while clear‐cut areas showed the lowest. Generally, within eucalypt stands, complex high‐level vegetation structure, from the ground level up to 3 m high, and proximity to water points were associated with higher levels of bat and P. kuhlii activity and species richness. The results suggest that in order to promote bat diversity and activity in exotic eucalypt plantations in the Mediterranean region, it is important to provide a high density of water points, maintain plots of mature plantations and promote understorey clutter.
Pathophysiological mechanisms of exercise‐induced anaphylaxis: an EAACI position statement
Authors: Ansley L. , Bonini M. , Delgado L. , Del Giacco S. , Du Toit G. , Khaitov M. , Kurowski M. , Hull J. H. , Moreira A. , Robson‐Ansley P. J. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThis document is the result of a consensus on the mechanisms of exercise‐induced anaphylaxis (EIAn), an unpredictable and potentially fatal syndrome. A multidisciplinary panel of experts including exercise physiologists, allergists, lung physicians, paediatricians and a biostatistician reached the given consensus. Exercise‐induced anaphylaxis (EIAn) describes a rare and potentially fatal syndrome in which anaphylaxis occurs in conjunction with exercise. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying EIAn have not yet been elucidated although a number of hypotheses have been proposed. This review evaluates the validity of each of the popular theories in relation to exercise physiology and immunology. On the basis of this evidence, it is concluded that proposed mechanisms lack validity, and it is recommended that a global research network is developed with a common approach to the diagnosis and treatment of EIAn in order to gain sufficient power for scientific evaluation.
Semiparametric Estimation in the Proportional Hazard Model Accounting for a Misclassified Cause of Failure
Authors: Ha Jinkyung , Tsodikov Alexander 
Published: June 2015

Summary
Misclassified causes of failures are a common phenomenon in competing risks survival data such as cancer mortality. We propose new estimating equations for a semiparametric proportional hazards (PH) model with misattributed causes of failures. Unlike other methods, the estimator does not require any parametric assumptions on baseline cause-specific hazard rates. It is shown that the estimators for regression coefficients are consistent and asymptotically normal. Simulation results support the theoretical analysis in finite samples. The methods are applied to analyze prostate cancer survival.
Improving problem solving in primary school students: The effect of a training programme focusing on metacognition and working memory
Authors: Cornoldi Cesare , Carretti Barbara , Drusi Silvia , Tencati Chiara 
Published: June 2015

BackgroundDespite doubts voiced on their efficacy, a series of studies has been carried out on the capacity of training programmes to improve academic and reasoning skills by focusing on underlying cognitive abilities and working memory in particular. No systematic efforts have been made, however, to test training programmes that involve both general and specific underlying abilities. If effective, these programmes could help to increase students’ motivation and competence.AimsThis study examined the feasibility of improving problem‐solving skills in school children by means of a training programme that addresses general and specific abilities involved in problem solving, focusing on metacognition and working memory.ParticipantsThe project involved a sample of 135 primary school children attending eight classes in the third, fourth, and fifth grades (age range 8–10 years).MethodThe classes were assigned to two groups, one attending the training programme in the first 3 months of the study (Training Group 1) and the other serving as a waiting‐list control group (Training Group 2). In the second phase of the study, the role of the two groups was reversed, with Training Group 2 attending the training instead of Training Group 1.ResultsThe training programme led to improvements in both metacognitive and working memory tasks, with positive‐related effects on the ability to solve problems. The gains seen in Training Group 1 were also maintained at the second post‐test (after 3 months).ConclusionsSpecific activities focusing on metacognition and working memory may contribute to modifying arithmetical problem‐solving performance in primary school children.
Regeneration inducers in limb regeneration
Authors: Satoh Akira , Mitogawa Kazumasa , Makanae Aki 
Published: June 2015

Limb regeneration ability, which can be observed in amphibians, has been investigated as a representative phenomenon of organ regeneration. Recently, an alternative experimental system called the accessory limb model was developed to investigate early regulation of amphibian limb regeneration. The accessory limb model contributed to identification of limb regeneration inducers in urodele amphibians. Furthermore, the accessory limb model may be applied to other species to explore universality of regeneration mechanisms. This review aims to connect the insights recently gained to emboss universality of regeneration mechanisms among species. The defined molecules (BMP7 (or2) + FGF2 + FGF8) can transform skin wound healing to organ (limb) regeneration responses. The same molecules can initiate regeneration responses in some species.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Fetal Interrupted Aortic Arch Type A by Two‐Dimensional Echocardiography and Four‐Dimensional Echocardiography with B‐Flow Imaging and Spatiotemporal Image Correlation
Authors: Zhang Dongyu , Zhang Ying , Ren Weidong , Sun Feifei , Guo Yajun , Sun Wei , Wang Yu , Huang Liping , Cai Ailu 
Published: June 2015

BackgroundFetal interrupted aortic arch (IAA) is a rare cardiac anomaly and its prenatal diagnosis is challenging. The purpose of our report is to evaluate the use of two‐dimensional echocardiography (2DE) and 4D echocardiography with B‐flow imaging and spatiotemporal image correlation (4D BF‐STIC) in detecting IAA type A (IAA‐A).Materials & MethodsTwenty‐three cases of confirmed IAA‐A identified by fetal echocardiography were involved in the study. The fetal echocardiography image data were reviewed to analyze the ratio of right ventricle to left ventricle (RV/LV) diameter, the ratio of main pulmonary artery to ascending aorta (MPA/AAO) diameter, and the correlation of RV/LV diameter ratio and size of ventricular septal defect (VSD). 4D BF‐STIC was performed in 21 fetuses using the sagittal view (4D BF‐STIC‐sagittal) and the four‐chamber view (4D BF‐STIC‐4CV) as initial planes of view. An additional 183 normal fetuses were also included in our study. RV/LV and MPA/AAO ratios were calculated and compared with that of IAA‐A fetuses. Fetal 2DE, 4D BF‐STIC‐sagittal, and 4D BF‐STIC‐4CV were used to visualize the aortic arch and its associated neck vessels. Six subgroups were evaluated according to gestational age.ResultsFetal 2DE, 4D BF‐STIC‐sagittal, and 4D BF‐STIC‐4CV made the correct prenatal diagnosis of IAA‐A in 19/23 (82.6%), 14/21 (66.7%), and 19/21 (90.5%) of patients, respectively. A significantly enlarged MPA combined with symmetric ventricles was found in the IAA‐A fetuses, while the size of the VSD was negatively correlated with RV/LV ratio. 4D BF‐STIC‐sagittal and 4D BF‐STIC‐4CV were better than traditional 2D ultrasound in detecting the aortic arch and neck vessels between 17 and 28 gestational weeks and 29 to 40 gestational weeks in normal fetuses.ConclusionIt is demonstrated that IAA‐A could be diagnosed by traditional fetal echocardiography, while 4D technique could better display the anatomic structure and the spatial relationships of the great arteries. Use of volume reconstruction may promote its clinical usage and help prenatal diagnosis.