bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
MicroRNA156: A Potential Graft-Transmissible MicroRNA That Modulates Plant Architecture and Tuberization in Solanum tuberosum ssp. andigena
Authors: Bhogale Sneha , Mahajan Ameya S. , Natarajan Bhavani , Rajabhoj Mohit , Thulasiram Hirekodathakallu V. , Banerjee Anjan K. 
Published: December 2013

Abstract
MicroRNA156 (miR156) functions in maintaining the juvenile phase in plants. However, the mobility of this microRNA has not been demonstrated. So far, only three microRNAs, miR399, miR395, and miR172, have been shown to be mobile. We demonstrate here that miR156 is a potential graft-transmissible signal that affects plant architecture and tuberization in potato (Solanum tuberosum). Under tuber-noninductive (long-day) conditions, miR156 shows higher abundance in leaves and stems, whereas an increase in abundance of miR156 has been observed in stolons under tuber-inductive (short-day) conditions, indicative of a photoperiodic control. Detection of miR156 in phloem cells of wild-type plants and mobility assays in heterografts suggest that miR156 is a graft-transmissible signal. This movement was correlated with changes in leaf morphology and longer trichomes in leaves. Overexpression of miR156 in potato caused a drastic phenotype resulting in altered plant architecture and reduced tuber yield. miR156 overexpression plants also exhibited altered levels of cytokinin and strigolactone along with increased levels of LONELY GUY1 and StCyclin D3.1 transcripts as compared with wild-type plants. RNA ligase-mediated rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends analysis validated SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING-LIKE3 (StSPL3), StSPL6, StSPL9, StSPL13, and StLIGULELESS1 as targets of miR156. Gel-shift assays indicate the regulation of miR172 by miR156 through StSPL9. miR156-resistant SPL9 overexpression lines exhibited increased miR172 levels under a short-day photoperiod, supporting miR172 regulation via the miR156-SPL9 module. Overall, our results strongly suggest that miR156 is a phloem-mobile signal regulating potato development.
Sharī‘ah risk and corporate governance of Islamic banks
Authors: Ginena Karim 
Published: December 2013

Purpose–The purpose of this paper is to help directors, senior management, and stakeholders of Islamic banks understand sharī‘ah risk, a crucial consideration in the corporate governance of Islamic banks, and its impact on these banks.Design/methodology/approach–This conceptual paper links dispersed insights drawn from the emerging body of sharī‘ah governance literature, and the guidance issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), and the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) with new insights to clarify the sharī‘ah risk that Islamic banks face.Findings–Sharī‘ah risk, an operational risk, poses a credible hazard to Islamic banks and their stakeholders. Possible consequences of sharī‘ah non-compliance include higher costs, financial losses, liquidity problems, bank runs, bank failure, industry smearing and financial instability. This study defines shariah risk, identifies credit, legal, compliance, market, and reputational risk that it may evoke, and categorizes its causes and events.Research limitations/implications–Future research could empirically test the ideas posited. In this paper claims were substantiated by logic and examples.Practical implications–The study devises an instrument for assessing sharī‘ah risk, and suggests measures for directors, senior management, and regulators to mitigate this risk.Originality/value–This is the first study to focus on the implications of sharī‘ah risk, delineate examples of events and incorporate them within the BCBS operational risk causes, and develop a tool for measuring sharī‘ah risk.
What are the antecedents of coopetition?
Authors: Geraudel Mickael , Salvetat David 
Published: December 2013

Purpose– Who is able to cooperate with his or her competitors? The coopetition is a relatively recent concept that is almost always studied at the inter-organizational level. To study coopetition at the individual and inter-individual levels, the authors will analyze the disposition of managers to compete and to cooperate as a function of their centrality to their network and also their personality traits. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach– Using a sample of 110 trainee future managers (quantitative method), the paper shows that the network position and personality traits have different effects on propensity to compete and propensity to cooperate.Findings– The paper concludes that the network position has a strong effect on the propensity to compete and also on the propensity to cooperate, in contrast with that, personality traits are more relevant in the explanation of the propensity to cooperate.Originality/value– It seems there are individual and inter-individual causes which might explain the propensity of actors to coopetite. This body of research suggests that it is important to study the characteristics of managers who are able to create cooperation between competitors.
A novel Laplace decomposition method for non-linear stretching sheet problem in the presence of MHD and slip condition
Authors: Khan Yasir 
Published: December 2013

Purpose
– This paper aims to suggest a novel modified Laplace decomposition method (MLDM) for MHD flow over a non-linear stretching sheet with slip condition by suitable choice of an initial solution.

Design/methodology/approach
– The governing partial differential equations are converted into dimensionless non-linear ordinary differential equation by similarity transformation, which is solved by MLDM. The method is based on the application of Laplace transform to boundary layers in fluid mechanics. The non-linear term can be easily handled by the use of He's polynomials.

Findings
– The series solution of the MHD flow of an incompressible viscous fluid over a non-linear stretching sheet subject to slip condition is obtained. An excellent agreement between the MLDM and HPM is achieved. Convergence of the obtained series solution is properly checked by using the ratio test.

Practical implications
– Stretching surface is an important type of flow occurring in a number of engineering processes such as heat-treated materials travelling between a feed roll and a wind up roll, aerodynamic extrusion of plastic sheets, glass fiber and paper production, cooling of an infinite metallic plate in a cooling path, manufacturing of polymeric sheets are few examples of flow due to stretching surfaces. This work provides a very useful source of information for researchers on this subject.

Originality/value
– Such flow analysis is even not available yet for the hydrodynamic fluid. The series solution for MHD boundary layer problem with slip condition by means of MLDM is yet not available in the literature.
Consumers' perspectives on service staff with disabilities in the hospitality industry
Authors: Kuo Pei-Jou , Kalargyrou Valentini 
Published: December 2013

Purpose
– This exploratory study aims to investigate consumers' perceptions, attitudes, and purchase intention for restaurants that employ a significant amount of service staff with disabilities. The influences of consumers' characteristics and dining occasions on purchase intention were also examined.

Design/methodology/approach
– The authors employed a single-factor (dining occasion) experimental design. A convenient sample was used and a total of 192 consumers participated in this study.

Findings
– Consumers demonstrated a moderately positive purchase intention for a restaurant that employs a significant amount of service staff with disabilities; however, the purchase intention varied by dining occasions. The likelihood of choosing this type of restaurant was higher in a family/friends occasion than in business or romantic occasions.

Research limitations/implications
– This study employed a convenient sample and the findings might be limited to the casual dining restaurant context. Future research should examine the relationship between purchase intention and perceived social responsibility, restaurant image, or specific disabilities.

Practical implications
– This study suggests that hiring a significant amount of service staff with disabilities might be a better strategy for restaurants that target family/friends gatherings. Meanwhile, managers need to be more strategic when they assign employees with disabilities to serve guests who are in a business or romantic dining situation.

Originality/value
– This is the first study that empirically investigates consumers' perspectives on restaurant service staff with disabilities in the USA.
Measuring food and beverage service quality in spa hotels
Authors: Giritlioglu Ibrahim , Jones Eleri , Avcikurt Cevdet 
Published: December 2013

Purpose
– The aim of this study was three-fold: first, to develop an instrument to evaluate food and beverage service quality in spa hotels; second, to identify aspects of food and beverage service quality of which customers had the highest expectations, i.e. the key dimensions of food and beverage service quality in spa hotels; third, to measure customer perceptions of the spa hotels in this study and to identify those dimensions with the largest gap between customer expectations and perceptions.

Design/methodology/approach
– A self-administrated questionnaire was distributed to 331 customers at four different spa hotels in Balikesir, Turkey. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used to identify service quality dimensions. Cronbach Alpha indicated the reliability of the factors identified. Customer expectations, perceptions and gaps between expectations and perceptions for each dimension were measured.

Findings
– Factor analysis revealed six quality dimensions: “assurance and employee knowledge”; “healthy and attractive food”; “empathy”; “tangibles”; “responsiveness of service delivery”; “reliability”. Customer expectations were highest for “tangibles” and “assurance and employee knowledge”. The largest gaps between perceptions and expectations were for “healthy and attractive food” and “tangibles”.

Practical implications
– Key dimensions for food and beverage service quality in spa hotels were identified and a reliable instrument for measuring provision was developed. This should be applied by managers on an ongoing basis to evaluate their performance and give them a better understanding of food and beverage service quality in spa hotels. The study provides specific information on the performance of Turkish spa hotels in relation to food and beverage service quality.

Originality/value
– This research addresses the paucity of research on customer perspectives of food and beverage provision in spa hotels and contributes to enhanced understanding of spa tourists and their expectations and perceptions of the service quality of food and beverage service quality.
Travelers' behavioral intention toward hotel self-service kiosks usage
Authors: Kim Miyoung , Qu Hailin 
Published: December 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of this study is to propose a refined technology acceptance model (TAM) to examine the relationship between factors that affect travelers' use of hotel self-service kiosks.

Design/methodology/approach
– The target population of the study is domestic travelers whose e-mail addresses are in a publicly available database. The measures in this study were developed based on a thorough review of the previous literature. A self-administered questionnaire was developed and distributed through online, and a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted by LISREL 8.0 to test the proposed extended technology acceptance model (TAM).

Findings
– Results suggested that all external variables (i.e. perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, compatibility, and perceived risks) have significant direct effects on travelers' attitude toward using hotel self-service kiosks. However, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use did not have significant effects on travelers' satisfaction. Specifically, compatibility was the most important factor that influences travelers' attitude toward using hotel self-service kiosks, followed by perceived ease of use. Further, perceived risks have a significant influence on travelers' satisfaction, followed by compatibility.

Research limitations/implications
– This paper provides guidance which will be useful to hotel managers and marketers seeking to improve travelers' acceptance of hotel self-service kiosks when utilizing these in their service delivery as well as to manage travelers' satisfaction of their experience with hotel self-service kiosks.

Originality/value
– The new refined model of factors affecting travelers' use of hotel self-service kiosks comprises three new factors, including compatibility, perceived risks, and satisfaction.
Experiences of university students regarding transformation in South Africa
Authors: Seabi Joseph , Seedat Jaishika , Khoza-Shangase Katijah , Sullivan Lakeasha 
Published: December 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ perceptions of the challenges that they face and the factors that facilitate and impede teaching and learning within the context of transformation at the University of the Witwatersrand. The paper also explores students’ perceptions of transformation directly and their ideas related to facilitating this process. The authors reflect briefly on colonialism and apartheid in South Africa and the state of higher education after 18 years of democracy.

Design/methodology/approach
– A qualitative, explorative, descriptive survey research design was employed to gain a deeper understanding of how students experience living, learning and teaching in higher education. A sample of 194 students with a mean age of 22.40 participated in the study.

Findings
– The results revealed positive facilitative factors such as quality of teaching, social support, material resources and practical/clinical training; as well as negative hindering factors that included high workload, English as a medium of instruction and limited access to “other” resources which impacted the learning processes. There was a general feeling of dissatisfaction with the current status of the school regarding transformation.

Originality/value
– This study makes novel contributions to the literature, especially related to the South African context. For instance, white students in professional degree programs reported that their inability to speak indigenous African languages hindered their provision of services to clients. This finding contrasts with previous literature that suggests that students who speak English as a first language have greater advantages than multilingual students whose mother tongue is not English.
Exploring new ways to ensure interoperability under the Digital Agenda
Authors: Graef Inge , Valcke Peggy 
Published: December 2013

Purpose
– This article seeks to analyze the initiative of the European Commission that studied the feasibility of measures that would lead significant market players to license their interoperability information under the Digital Agenda.

Design/methodology/approach
– The significance of the abuse of dominance regime and the electronic communications framework in ensuring access to interoperability information in the ICT sector is studied by way of analyzing legislation and case law. Against the background of these two existing regulatory regimes, the proposals that the Commission made in its recently published Staff Working Document are evaluated.

Findings
– The Microsoft case illustrates that the abuse of dominance regime under European competition law is not very effective to remedy interoperability issues in a structural way. An ex ante regime will enable the ICT industry to reap the full benefits of interoperability on a broader scale. Since the Commission's initiative seems to target interoperability among software products, the electronic communications regime is not applicable. A new regulatory regime should therefore be established. As the desirability of a mandatory regime can be questioned, the adoption of soft law measures seems to be the preferred option.

Originality/value
– By putting the initiative of the Commission to examine measures that promote access to interoperability information under the Digital Agenda into its broader regulatory context, the article contributes to the discussion on the possible ways to ensure interoperability in the ICT sector.
Using a digitization index to measure the economic and social impact of digital agendas
Authors: Katz Raul , Koutroumpis Pantelis , Martin Callorda Fernando 
Published: December 2013

Purpose–The purpose of this paper is to measure the cumulative, holistic impact of discrete information and communication technologies. It also provides a glimpse of applications and service adoption, which complements more traditional perspectives such as technology penetration. This approach is utilized to measure achievements in implementing a policy such as Europe's Digital Agenda.Design/methodology/approach–Measuring digitization should cover the transition to digitally intensive societies across multiple sets of metrics, capturing not only technology penetration, but also its use in order to understand the full impact of digitization. For this purpose, a composite index was developed based on six overarching components: affordability, infrastructure investment, network access, capacity, usage, and human capital.Findings–These concepts were utilized to assess Europe's performance in terms of its digitization. Significant gaps were highlighted both in terms of its uneven development, but also in terms of lags in the areas of infrastructure investment and digital technology usage. The economic payback to be generated by pro-actively addressing these gaps promises to be significant.Practical implications–From a policy standpoint, the paper raises an interesting hypothesis to be explored in the European context: while the implementation of the Digital Agenda could be tackled in an overarching continental manner, particularities in each member country digitalization might raise the need for a more differentiated approach. In particular, European countries at the transitional stage should emphasize the creation of necessary incentives to accelerate investment in telecommunications networks. Additionally, demand promotion strategies focused on digital literacy and content development appear to be a critical lever to enhancing digitization. On the other hand, the policy challenges for the advanced countries appear to cluster around investment in infrastructure and the development of human capital.Originality/value–Previous attempts to measure the impact of ICT have focused primarily on measuring and assessing the economic effects of widespread access to either wireless or broadband technology. This approach puts additional emphasis on two dimensions: cumulative impact of information and communication technologies and usage.
Build it! … but what if they don't come?
Authors: Scott Marcus J. , Elixmann Dieter 
Published: December 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of the paper is to address the issue of demand for broadband access and the specific role that bandwidth plays in this context. The aim is to assess available empirical evidence regarding the dynamics of bandwidth consumption in different countries and to discuss implications for public policy regarding the deployment of ultra-fast broadband infrastructures, in particular vis-à-vis the Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE).

Design/methodology/approach
– The approach adopted uses publicly available empirical data in order to derive patterns of the development of broadband demand in previous years as well as regarding current demand in specific countries. The authors contrast these findings with information on the deployment of broadband infrastructures in these countries.

Findings
– The relationship between availability of fast broadband and the use of bandwidth by consumers appears to be richer and more complex than many have assumed. Availability of fast broadband does not alone appear to determine the level of use. This suggests that a more balanced approach between supply side and demand side measures is likely to be warranted.

Originality/value
– The paper provides new evidence on the relationship between the speed of fast broadband infrastructure and its use by consumers.
Is the South African effort toward reducing money laundering optimal?
Authors: Schlenther Bernd 
Published: December 2013

Purpose
– A measure of how much money is laundered is required to determine the effectiveness of any anti-money laundering regime and the reduction of money laundering in targeted areas. In the absence of useful estimates, authorities need to look at the best quality data available to arrive at a meaningful estimate and a consequent target for reduction of money laundering. Since tax crimes are viewed as one of the top three sources of laundered money, an understanding of the underlying predicate offence – tax evasion – may be indicative of the values or volumes involved in order to facilitate a target setting process. It is suggested that a “whole of government approach”, as is advanced by the OECD, is applied between the tax administration and the financial intelligence centre in South Africa. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
– By reviewing tax gap and money laundering estimation models and results from South Africa's first tax amnesty, it is proposed that micro analysis methodologies are applied to arrive at an estimate of the size and impact of money laundering which results from tax evasion practices.

Findings
– By making basic inferences from the results of the 2003 voluntary disclosure programme, it is estimated that a potential revenue gap of between ZAR4 billion and ZAR12 billion exists for personal income tax alone and that the value of personal assets acquired from the proceeds of crime can, at any time, be as high as ZAR1.4 trillion.

Originality/value
– In the absence of empirical and statistical data, it is necessary for authorities in developing countries to identify and make use of the most relevant and detailed data to assess its effectiveness in identifying, quantifying and reducing money laundering.