bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Balancing competences: How institutional cosmopolitanism can manage jurisdictional conflicts
Authors: KLATT MATTHIAS 
Published: July 2015

AbstractConflicts of competences are ubiquitous in law. They represent a serious challenge, in particular, to global constitutionalism and institutional cosmopolitanism. This article argues from a participant’s perspective, following a normative-analytical approach. It develops new taxonomy of competence conflicts. In essence it defends a flexible legal solution to competence conflicts that is inspired by the idea of practical institutional concordance and provides a middle way between strict legal solutions and political appeals for dialogue. Legal authority beyond the state and competence admit of degrees and variability, depending on the legal and factual circumstances of the case at issue. This understanding is enabled by interpreting competences as formal principles. Drawing on research by Alexy and Kumm the details of balancing competences as a distinct legal method are elaborated, using a triadic scale and various factors for determining the concrete weight of a competence. The theory of balancing competences is then applied to the example of competence conflicts in the multilevel system of fundamental rights protection in the EU. In result, a universal but case-sensitive theory is presented that optimally combines flexibility and stability and allows for a pluralist understanding of sovereignty. Institutional cosmopolitanism is thus defended against sceptical pluralism.
Constituent power and people-as-the-governed: About the ‘invisible’ people of political and legal theory
Authors: NOOTENS GENEVIÈVE 
Published: July 2015

AbstractThe core promise of the modern concept of constituent power is to make the people-as-the-governed active participants in the shaping and ruling of political regimes. Its development was related to the consolidation of the modern state. Current circumstances, though, raise the issue of the possibility of a non-state based concept of constituent power, and of appropriate constituencies. The article argues that dominant views have made the people-as-the-governed capacity to act dependent upon state sovereignty, whereas the latter actually was informed by theses antithetical to popular sovereignty. In order to show how a non-state based concept of constituent power may be articulated, the article builds on a critique of Martin Loughlin’s attempt to capture the structure of beliefs that frames the idea of the state and the function of constituent power within that structure. The first part of the article focuses on the main elements of such a theory in order to situate its basic assumptions about constituent power. The second discusses the issues raised by such a conception, amongst other things as to the status granted to the structure of beliefs that frames the idea of the modern polity in Loughlin’s perspective; this discussion opens the way to an alternative conception of constituent power, one that stresses that the core fact of the political is that people are always already embedded in relations of power that are not restricted to the state, relations in the course of which they strive to achieve their civic freedom. Political power is not necessarily made public until the people-as-the-governed, in challenging the boundaries of the polity, claim it.
Adaptation and Validation of a German Multidimensional and	Multicomponent Measure of Social Identification
Authors: Roth Jenny , Mazziotta Agostino 
Published: July 2015

Abstract. The present article describes a reliable and valid German multidimensional multicomponent measure of social identification. A translation of the original Dutch measure of social identification ( Leach et al., 2008 ) was adapted to the German context and validated in three different samples across three distinct identities using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results of Study 1 (organizational identity, N = 419), Study 2 (national identity, N = 274), and Study 3 (gender identity, N = 833) confirm the psychometric qualities of the German measure and replicate the theoretical multidimensional multicomponent model of social identification including the self-definition (individual self-stereotyping, in-group homogeneity) and self-investment (solidarity, satisfaction, and centrality) dimensions. In addition, Studies 2 and 3 provide evidence for the construct validity of the German subscales of the social identification components.
A three-step MTOC fragmentation mechanism facilitates bipolar spindle assembly in mouse oocytes
Authors: Clift Dean , Schuh Melina 
Published: July 2015

AbstractAssembly of a bipolar microtubule spindle is essential for accurate chromosome segregation. In somatic cells, spindle bipolarity is determined by the presence of exactly two centrosomes. Remarkably, mammalian oocytes do not contain canonical centrosomes. This study reveals that mouse oocytes assemble a bipolar spindle by fragmenting multiple acentriolar microtubule-organizing centres (MTOCs) into a high number of small MTOCs to be able to then regroup and merge them into two equal spindle poles. We show that MTOCs are fragmented in a three-step process. First, PLK1 triggers a decondensation of the MTOC structure. Second, BicD2-anchored dynein stretches the MTOCs into fragmented ribbons along the nuclear envelope. Third, KIF11 further fragments the MTOCs following nuclear envelope breakdown so that they can be evenly distributed towards the two spindle poles. Failure to fragment MTOCs leads to defects in spindle assembly, which delay chromosome individualization and congression, putting the oocyte at risk of aneuploidy.
Suppression of the alternative lengthening of telomere pathway by the chromatin remodelling factor ATRX
Authors: Clynes David , Jelinska Clare , Xella Barbara , Ayyub Helena , Scott Caroline , Mitson Matthew , Taylor Stephen , Higgs Douglas R. , Gibbons Richard J. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractFifteen per cent of cancers maintain telomere length independently of telomerase by the homologous recombination (HR)-associated alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway. A unifying feature of these tumours are mutations in ATRX. Here we show that expression of ectopic ATRX triggers a suppression of the pathway and telomere shortening. Importantly ATRX-mediated ALT suppression is dependent on the histone chaperone DAXX. Re-expression of ATRX is associated with a reduction in replication fork stalling, a known trigger for HR and loss of MRN from telomeres. A G-quadruplex stabilizer partially reverses the effect of ATRX, inferring ATRX may normally facilitate replication through these sequences that, if they persist, promote ALT. We propose that defective telomere chromatinization through loss of ATRX promotes the persistence of aberrant DNA secondary structures, which in turn present a barrier to DNA replication, leading to replication fork stalling, collapse, HR and subsequent recombination-mediated telomere synthesis in ALT cancers.
The GATA transcription factor GtaC regulates early developmental gene expression dynamics in Dictyostelium
Authors: Santhanam Balaji , Cai Huaqing , Devreotes Peter N. , Shaulsky Gad , Katoh-Kurasawa Mariko 
Published: July 2015

AbstractIn many systems, including the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, development is often marked by dynamic morphological and transcriptional changes orchestrated by key transcription factors. However, efforts to examine sequential genome-wide changes of gene regulation in developmental processes have been fairly limited. Here we report the developmental regulatory dynamics of GtaC, a GATA-type zinc-finger transcription factor, through the analyses of serial ChIP- and RNA-sequencing data. GtaC is essential for developmental progression, decoding extracellular cAMP pulses during early development and may play a role in mediating cell-type differentiation at later stages. We find that GtaC exhibits temporally distinctive DNA-binding patterns concordant with each developmental stage. We identify direct GtaC targets and observe cotemporaneous GtaC-binding and developmental expression regulation. Our results suggest that GtaC regulates multiple physiological processes as Dictyostelium transitions from a group of unicellular amoebae to an integrated multicellular organism.
Gas Sensing Properties of Epitaxial LaBaCo2O5.5+δ Thin Films
Authors: Liu M. , Ren S. P. , Zhang R. Y. , Xue Z. Y. , Ma C. R. , Yin M. L. , Xu X. , Bao S. Y. , Chen C. L. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractChemical reactivity and stability of highly epitaxial mixed-conductive LaBaCo2O5.5+δ (LBCO) thin films on (001) LaAlO3 (LAO) single-crystalline substrates, fabricated by using pulsed laser deposition system, were systematically investigated. Microstructure studies from x-ray diffraction indicate that the films are c-axis oriented with the interface relationship of [100]LBCO//[100]LAO and (001)LBCO//(001)LAO. LBCO thin films can detect the ethanol vapor concentration as low as 10ppm and the response of LBCO thin film to various ethanol vapor concentrations is very reliable and reproducible with the switch between air and ethanol vapor. Moreover, the fast response of the LBCO thin film, as the p-type gas sensor, is better than some n-type oxide semiconductor thin films and comparable with some nanorods and nanowires. These findings indicate that the LBCO thin films have great potential for the development of gas sensors in reducing/oxidizing environments.
SiNG-PCRseq: Accurate inter-sequence quantification achieved by spiking-in a neighbor genome for competitive PCR amplicon sequencing
Authors: Oh Soo A. , Yang Inchul , Hahn Yoonsoo , Kang Yong-Kook , Chung Sun-Ku , Jeong Sangkyun 
Published: July 2015

AbstractDespite the recent technological advances in DNA quantitation by sequencing, accurate delineation of the quantitative relationship among different DNA sequences is yet to be elaborated due to difficulties in correcting the sequence-specific quantitation biases. We here developed a novel DNA quantitation method via spiking-in a neighbor genome for competitive PCR amplicon sequencing (SiNG-PCRseq). This method utilizes genome-wide chemically equivalent but easily discriminable homologous sequences with a known copy arrangement in the neighbor genome. By comparing the amounts of selected human DNA sequences simultaneously to those of matched sequences in the orangutan genome, we could accurately draw the quantitative relationships for those sequences in the human genome (root-mean-square deviations <0.05). Technical replications of cDNA quantitation performed using different reagents at different time points also resulted in excellent correlations (R2 > 0.95). The cDNA quantitation using SiNG-PCRseq was highly concordant with the RNA-seq-derived version in inter-sample comparisons (R2 = 0.88), but relatively discordant in inter-sequence quantitation (R2 < 0.44), indicating considerable level of sequence-dependent quantitative biases in RNA-seq. Considering the measurement structure explicitly relating the amount of different sequences within a sample, SiNG-PCRseq will facilitate sharing and comparing the quantitation data generated under different spatio-temporal settings.
Credit cycles: freewheeling, driving or driven?
Authors: Mouatt Simon 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The discourse on credit cycles has been reinvigorated following the global crisis. The purpose of this paper is to contrast the positions of mainstream, Marxist, Austrian and post-Keynesian (PK) schools of thought on these matters. It is posited that most notions underplay the significance of real economy factors in shaping the fluctuations of credit levels and relations. It is argued these ideas are best illustrated by Marx (as interpreted by the Temporal Single System Interpretation) and tendency for the profit rate to fall with accumulation. Empirical evidence on the UK profit rate is provided as supporting evidence.Design/methodology/approach– The paper explores the theoretical work on credit and business cycles from the relevant schools of thought and contrasts them. The aim is to consider which approach best describes the reality. Empirical work on the profit rate provides supporting evidence.Findings– It is argued that the mainstream view of monetary neutrality is an insufficient explanation of the financial reality associated with credit and business cycles. Instead, it is posited that the PK approach, which emphasizes productive and financial factors, is more preferable. This contrasts with the usual singular financialization commentary that is used to describe the financial crisis and real economy stagnation that followed. It is argued that Marx’s notion of falling profit and its ramifications best explain the reality of both the credit and business cycle. This is supported by the evidence.Research limitations/implications– It is problematic to calculate a Marxian rate of profit given the lack of suitable reported statistics. The research illustrates the significance of productive factors, especially the tendency for the profit rate to fall, in driving business cycles. There are, therefore, implications for government fiscal/monetary/industrial policies to reflect these factors when seeking to influence the business cycle.Practical implications– Policies that are designed to target levels of profitability are likely to be beneficial for capitalist sustainability.Social implications– The focus on profitability in the paper informs individuals working in business organizations of some of the imperatives facing corporations in a modern competitive environment.Originality/value– Whether financial factors drive the business cycle, or are themselves driven by it, is an important question given that policy prescriptions will differ depending on the answer. The recent financialization commentary, for instance, suggests that better regulation or reform of the financial sector will preclude unstable business cycles. The paper argues, in contrast, that the cause of the credit instability is rooted in production (following Marx) and that, therefore, a more production-focused policy response is required whilst recognizing the instabilities of the credit system. This latter point has a measure of originality in the current discourse.
University quality and emotional attachment of undergraduate students in a private higher education in Malaysia
Authors: Abdullah Aznur Hajar , Wasiuzzaman Shaista , Musa Rosidah 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to measure the influence of six university qualities, namely academic quality, academic staff quality, management quality, industrial linkage quality and facilities’ quality, on students’ total experience (STE) and emotional attachment.Design/methodology/approach– Judgmental sampling is used to collect data from a sample of 489 undergraduate students of a private higher academic institution. The data are then analyzed using structural equation modeling.Findings– This study finds that only management quality forms a significant direct relationship with emotional attachment, whereas facility quality and industrial linkage form a significant relationship with emotional attachment only when mediated with STE.Originality/value– The results provide important findings to researchers and management of higher education institutions for future research directions.
The impact of agricultural extension on households’ welfare in Ethiopia
Authors: Gebrehiwot Kidanemariam Gebregziabher 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the Integrated Household Extension Program (IHEP) on participant households’ welfare and see the policy effectiveness. The government of Ethiopia – in contrast to the majority of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa – invests heavily in agricultural extension but very little empirical evidence is available on the impact of the services on farm performance and household welfare that could justify these investments. The IHEP program is a particularly interesting case as it is an example on how agricultural extension systems in developing countries changed during the past two decades, from centralized top-down technology-transfer-orientated approaches to decentralized, participatory and more integrated approaches.Design/methodology/approach– The authors use household survey data from 730 farm households (361 treated and 369 control) in the Tigray region of Ethiopia and propensity score matching methods to estimate the impact.Findings– The authors find that the extension program had a large positive impact on household welfare – increasing income with about 10 percent – and on investment but have not impacted on income diversification. In addition to the main variable of interest (extension), household characteristics, such as household head age, gender, adult labor availability in the household, asset holdings and social capital variables were found to have an influence on income, investment and income diversification.Originality/value– The paper has tried to assess the impact of a program which claiming substantial public money using primary data. Hence, the findings will serve to inform policy makers as how the program is running.
Determinants of health professionals’ migration in Africa: a WHO based assessment
Authors: Simplice Asongu 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– How do economic prosperity, health expenditure, savings, price-stability, demographic change, democracy, corruption control, press freedom, government effectiveness, human development, foreign aid, physical security, trade openness and financial liberalization play-out in the fight against health-worker crisis when existing emigration levels matter? Despite the acute concern of health-worker crisis in Africa owing to emigration, lack of relevant data has made the subject matter empirically void over the last decades. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
– A quantile regression approach is used to assess the determinants of health-worker emigration throughout the conditional distributions of health-worker emigration. This provides an assessment of the determinants when existing emigrations levels matter.

Findings
– Findings provide a broad range of tools for the fight against health-worker brain-drain. As a policy implication, blanket emigration-control policies are unlikely to succeed equally across countries with different levels of emigration. Thus to be effective, immigration policies should be contingent on the prevailing levels of the crisis and tailored differently across countries with the best and worst records on fighting health-worker emigration.

Originality/value
– This paper has examined the theoretical postulations of a World Health Organization report on determinants of health-worker migration.
Gender, trust and risk-taking: a literature review and proposed research model
Authors: Zeffane Rachid 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– This paper aims to review and discuss recent literature on gender, trust, risk-taking and entrepreneurship. On this basis, a hypothetical model as a basis for theoretical and hypothetical development in future research is proposed.Design/methodology/approach– This paper presents a review of the literature on gender, trust, risk-taking and entrepreneurship. A hypothetical model that can form the basis of future research in the field of entrepreneurship is developed.Findings– In recent years, the issue of gender and its effect on entrepreneurship has been the subject of much debate and controversies. While some studies have shown that gender differences tend to affect intentions to become an entrepreneur, other studies deny any significant differences in this regard. Among these, a significant number of studies reveal that women are less likely to engage in entrepreneurial activities than their male counterparts. One of the major reasons provided for these gender disparities is the tendency of women to be less predisposed to taking risk than their male counterparts. This may in itself be the resultant of gender differences in their predisposition to trust.Research limitations/implications– The arguments and proposed model are in need of empirical testing and verifications. Future research may consider and test the validity of the model. Use of structural equation modeling in this regard may prove beneficial.Practical implications– The proposed model may also be considered by governments and stakeholders vested with tasks of promoting the participation of females in entrepreneurial activities in various contexts. This would entail that the factors of risk-taking/aversion and propensity to trust be considered and alleviated.Originality/value– In examining the underlying reasons for gender differences in entrepreneurial activities, the research to date has not incorporated the interplay of risk propensity and the propensity to trust. The proposed model incorporates these to help unravel the “enigma” of gender differences in entrepreneurship.
Immunocytochemical localization of GAD isoforms in the CNS ganglia of the cobweb spider, Achaearanea tepidariorum
Authors: Hwang Heejun , Kim Hoon , Moon Myung‐Jin 
Published: July 2015

AbstractGlutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is an enzyme that catalyzes the decarboxylation of glutamate to γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) and CO2. It has been discovered that the GAD has a restricted tissue distribution and it is highly expressed in the cytoplasm of GABAergic neurons in the CNS where GABA is used as a neurotransmitter. We have examined the microstructure of ganglionic neurons and nerves arising from the CNS and describe here the immunocytochemical localization of GAD isoforms to reveal the ecophysiological significance of GABA for the web‐building spider's behavior. In the CNS of the cobweb spider, Achaearanea tepidariorum, immunocytochemical localization of GAD isoforms can be detected in the neurons and neuropiles of the optic lobes. In addition, GAD‐like immunoreactive cell bodies are observed at the intrinsic cell bodies near the central body and the symmetric cell clusters of the protocerebrum. However, the fibrous masses within the protocerebral ganglion are not labeled at all. Based on its interconnection with other regions of the CNS, our findings suggest that the central body in the web‐building spider may act as an association center as well as a visual center.
Lower plasma pantoprazole level predicts Helicobacter pylori treatment failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Sapmaz Ferdane , Kalkan Ismail H , Suslu Incilay , Demirci Hüseyin , Atasoy Pinar , Guliter Sefa 
Published: July 2015

ObjectiveWe aimed to compare the plasma pantoprazole level (PPL) between patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and non‐diabetic patients during Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication treatment and to explore the role of PPL in predicting the treatment success rates.MethodsThis study included 40 diabetic and 40 non‐diabetic treatment‐naive H. pylori‐infected patients. Bismuth‐based standard quadruple treatment for H. pylori eradication was used for 14 days in both groups. PPL was measured using the square‐wave voltammetry method.ResultsH. pylori eradication rate (60.0% vs 87.5%, P = 0.005) and PPL (0.25 ± 0.03 μg/mL vs 0.34 ± 0.03 μg/mL, P < 0.001) was significantly lower in the diabetic group compared with the controls. Patients with treatment failure had lower PPL than those with successful treatment (P < 0.001). The receiver operating characteristics curve demonstrated that PPL had a significant predictive value for the outcome of H. pylori eradication.ConclusionType 2 diabetic patients had lower PPL than the non‐diabetic controls, which led to their lower H. pylori eradication rates.