bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identification of active transcription factor and miRNA regulatory pathways in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Jiang Wei , Zhang Yan , Meng Fanlin , Lian Baofeng , Chen Xiaowen , Yu Xuexin , Dai Enyu , Wang Shuyuan , Liu Xinyi , Li Xiang , Wang Lihong , Li Xia 
Published: August 2013

AbstractMotivation: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a severe neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that may be caused by perturbation of regulatory pathways rather than the dysfunction of a single gene. However, the pathology of AD has yet to be fully elucidated.Results: In this study, we systematically analyzed AD-related mRNA and miRNA expression profiles as well as curated transcription factor (TF) and miRNA regulation to identify active TF and miRNA regulatory pathways in AD. By mapping differentially expressed genes and miRNAs to the curated TF and miRNA regulatory network as active seed nodes, we obtained a potential active subnetwork in AD. Next, by using the breadth-first-search technique, potential active regulatory pathways, which are the regulatory cascade of TFs, miRNAs and their target genes, were identified. Finally, based on the known AD-related genes and miRNAs, the hypergeometric test was used to identify active pathways in AD. As a result, nine pathways were found to be significantly activated in AD. A comprehensive literature review revealed that eight out of nine genes and miRNAs in these active pathways were associated with AD. In addition, we inferred that the pathway hsa-miR-146a→STAT1→MYC, which is the source of all nine significantly active pathways, may play an important role in AD progression, which should be further validated by biological experiments. Thus, this study provides an effective approach to finding active TF and miRNA regulatory pathways in AD and can be easily applied to other complex diseases.Contact: lixia@hrbmu.edu.cn or lw2247@gmail.com.Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Japanese accounting academics’ perceptions on the global convergence of accounting education in Japan
Authors: Sugahara Satoshi 
Published: August 2013

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a survey on the perception of the globalisation of accounting education among academics teaching at tertiary schools in Japan. With the acceleration of globalism in accounting education, the aim of this exploratory research is to investigate the perceptions of Japanese academics toward this global convergence.

Design/methodology/approach
– The sample was collected from accounting educators who were teaching at the undergraduate and postgraduate level of the tertiary institutes in Japan. The subjects chosen for the survey were 300 members of the Japanese Accounting Association (JAA) and were randomly selected from the 2010 JAA Members’ Directory. A total of 87 responses were received producing an effective response rate of 29 per cent.

Findings
– The analysis of this study found that the majority of Japanese accounting academics’ believed that the International Education Standards had no substantial effect on accounting education. Further it was found that most of the academics did not know how they could confront these obstacles to achieve global convergence, although they were aware of the impediments.

Research limitations
– This study failed to portray any possible suggestions or solutions on how to improve future accounting education. Also the sample size was not large enough to generalise the findings. Finally, this study simply used the samples collected from the one single nation of Japan.

Practical implications
– The findings will provide a positive direction for standard setters, policy makers and regulatory authorities on how they should proceed in both the design of their promotion strategies and on how to address obstacles that have arisen according to these perceptions.

Originality/value
– The primary strength of this study was the fact that it was the first study in the literature to shed light on the perceptions of accounting academics in Japan on the global convergence of accounting education.
Sustainable and socially responsible investing
Authors: BinMahfouz Saeed , Kabir Hassan M. 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThere is a great deal of research that has been done to investigate the investment characteristics of conventional socially responsible investment portfolios compared to their broader conventional counterparts. However, the impact of incorporating sustainability criteria into the traditional Sharia screening process has not so far been investigated. Therefore, the study aims to give empirical evidence as to whether or not incorporating sustainability socially responsible criteria in the traditional Sharia screening process has a significant impact on the investment characteristics of the Islamic investment portfolio.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the investment characteristics of four groups of investment portfolios mainly, Dow Jones Global Index, Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, Dow Jones Islamic Market World Index and Dow Jones Islamic Market Sustainability Index. To improve the robustness of the study, the analysis was carried out at different levels. First, absolute mean return and t‐test were used to examine whether the difference between the different groups of investments is statistically significant or not. Second, risk adjusted equilibrium models, both single‐index and Fama and French multi‐index, were employed. This is to control for different risk exposure and investment style bias associated with different investment portfolios examined.FindingsThe paper finds that neither the Sharia nor the sustainability screening process seems to have an adverse impact on the performance and systematic risk of the investment portfolios compared to their unrestricted conventional counterparts. Therefore, Muslim as well as socially responsible investors can choose investments that are consistent with their value systems and beliefs without being forced to sacrifice performance or expose to higher systematic risk.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the existing literature by giving new evidence on the impact of incorporating sustainability criteria into the traditional Sharia screening process that has not so far been investigated.
Quality of private universities in Pakistan
Authors: Halai Nelofer 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the development of education in private sector universities in Pakistan as compared to public universities. Additionally, the purpose is to understand the quality of education in private universities in light of the 2012 higher education commission (HEC), Pakistan ranking data.Design/methodology/approachThe paper utilizes the data shared by HEC at its web site (http://hec.gov.pk) and compares the total scores and the scores for research of private universities in the top ten ranking within the given categories. This comparison is used to evaluate issues related to access and quality of private higher education in Pakistan.FindingsThe private higher education sector is agile and more responsive to market demands. Furthermore, it has allowed the “youth bulge” of Pakistan access to higher education. However, with few exceptions the quality of private higher education is inadequate.Originality/valueThe need for Pakistan to reform its education to counter the grave twin dangers of religious extremism and militancy has been well recognized. High‐quality education at all levels is seen as one of the ways to create a more liberal society. This paper is among the first to evaluate private higher education in Pakistan in light of the most recent HEC rankings published in 2012.
Immigrant perspectives on multicultural competencies of clinicians: a qualitative study with immigrants in Portugal
Authors: Moleiro Carla , Freire Jaclin , Tomsic Masa 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThe recognition of the importance of addressing cultural issues in psychotherapy and counseling has been increasing. The present paper seeks to contribute to the specification of multicultural competencies in the fields of counseling and clinical psychology, based on clients’ perspectives. In particular, its objectives were to explore the experiences of individuals of ethnic minority groups regarding their access to the Portuguese healthcare system and to identify the multicultural competencies of the clinicians (as perceived by the clients) which would be required to improve culturally sensitive treatments.Design/methodology/approachThe sample included 40 adults from different ethnic minority groups in Portugal – a total of 30 women and ten men – with a mean age of 34. Participants took part in one of eight focus groups, which were conducted using a semi‐structured interview plan.FindingsContent analysis revealed that, generally, participants had experienced discrimination in the healthcare system, and that mental healthcare was perceived as mixed (both positive and negative). Furthermore, participants identified specific aspects of multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills required of clinicians to provide culturally sensitive treatments, providing support for the tridimensional model of multicultural competencies.Originality/valueImplications are discussed for ethical guidelines and clinical training of counselors, clinical psychologists, and other social and health professionals in Europe.
Role of resource integration in adoption of medical tourism service
Authors: Rajagopal Saisudha , Guo Lei , Edvardsson Bo 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to identify enabling and inhibiting factors that influence patients during their consideration of medical tourism for their healthcare requirement. The research provides marketing and practice implications that help in promoting medical tourism service. Furthermore, the paper provides evidence from medical tourism service to establish the relationship between resource integration and adoption of the service.Design/methodology/approachThe article takes a two‐pronged exploratory study approach, with study one focusing on analysing prospective medical tourists' emotional impediments in their consideration of the service, while study two analyses the factors that helped medical tourists who have already availed the service, overcome the impediments.FindingsIn this article, it is identified that resource integration, particularly social resources, has a major impact on individual's decision to adopt a service. The exploratory study indicates that perceived knowledge disadvantage, lack of perceived control, and lack of social support in the destination country lead causes emotional discomfort to medical tourists. The study also indicates that the ability to integrate social resources available to them helped prospective medical tourists in their assessment of medical tourism service prior to adopting it. The article establishes that integration of social resources enables the patients to overcome the emotional discomfort and thus pursues to adopt medical tourism service.Originality/valueWhile previous medical tourism service research has primarily focused on cognitive factors in patients' decision making such as quality and cost of healthcare services in destination countries, this article throws light on the enabling and inhibiting factors that influence adoption of medical tourism service.
Socio‐cultural retailing: what can retail marketing learn from this interdisciplinary field?
Authors: Fuentes Christian , Hagberg Johan 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to contribute to the on‐going cultural turn in retail marketing by offering an overview of the interdisciplinary field of socio‐cultural retailing and discussing how this body of work can contribute conceptually, methodologically and substantively to the field of retail marketing.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on a literature review of socio‐cultural retail studies in marketing, cultural geography, sociology, and anthropology. The literature is analysed in relation to the substantive, conceptual and methodological domains of retail marketing.FindingsDrawing on the literature review, the authors argue that socio‐cultural retail studies can contribute to the field of retail marketing substantively, conceptually and methodologically, thus broadening its current scope and domains.Originality/valueThis paper provides an overview of an interdisciplinary field and identifies how it can contribute to the field of retail marketing. It is valuable for retailing researchers interested in socio‐cultural approaches to the study of contemporary retailing.
The persistence of delegitimated structures
Authors: Ogata Ken , Spraakman Gary 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to ascertain whether the deinstitutionalization of management accounting is better described using structuration theory (techniques are reproduced until replaced) or sedimentation (layering of a new technique upon an earlier technique).Design/methodology/approachAn archival study of management accounting at the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) between 1670 and 2005.FindingsWith the delegitimation of management accounting at the HBC, both structuration and sedimentation processes occurred. However, delegitimation did not mean all of the techniques within a set were eliminated. Several management accounting techniques often continued from one set to another (e.g. indents, outfits, standards of trade) reflecting continued reproduction of existing practices. Sometimes new techniques were added to allegedly make the set more effective, but these overlays did not always replace the former.Research limitations/implicationsThe usual limitations of single firm study generalizations.Practical implicationsThe research provides practitioners with insights into how management accounting practices change. With change some aspects of management accounting will remain the same.Originality/valueThis case study is based upon a unique primary archival. The HBC has made its accounting and other corporate records available to the public for the period 1670‐1970. The archival data set is supplemented by access to some of the Company's private (and more recent) corporate records, plus interviews with retired and existing senior managers about these changes to their management accounting techniques, up to 2005. Therefore, this study is based upon an extensive, unique and robust longitudinal data set.
Survey on customer related studies in Islamic banking
Authors: Hafsa Orhan Åström Z. 
Published: August 2013

Purpose
– The aim of this paper is to make a critical review of the selected customer related studies in Islamic banking.

Design/methodology/approach
– In accordance with the aim, the selection criteria is decided to include the studies which have at least one citation according to a publicly available citation count database as of January 2013 and the subjectively selected uncited studies from recent years. According to the selection criteria, in total, 50 journal articles for the period of 1989-2013 are reviewed.

Findings
– This work identifies the main research subjects, the distribution for these subjects, the general characteristics of research methodologies and methods, the strengths and weaknesses of the studies and the direction of the research area.

Practical implications
– The foremost contributions of this work are that a researcher or someone who is interested in Islamic banking based customer related studies can attain a detailed picture about the most common research subjects, methodologies, methods and the country in which the study is conducted. And, the general evaluation can be utilized as a directive element for future research.

Social implications
– The basic implication of this work is the call for more industry connections, i.e. to conduct customer related studies due to the needs, reservations and concerns of Islamic banks.

Originality/value
– There is not yet a literature review work regarding to the research area of Islamic banking based customer related studies. This work is an attempt to fill in this gap.
“Big 4 fee premium” and audit quality: latest evidence from UK listed companies
Authors: Campa Domenico 
Published: August 2013

PurposeUsing the most recent observations (2005‐2011) from a sample of UK listed companies, This paper aims to investigate whether Big 4 audit firms exhibit a “fee premium” and, if this is the case, whether the premium is related to the delivery of a better audit service.Design/methodology/approachUnivariate tests, multivariate regressions and two methodologies that control for self‐selection bias are used to answer the proposed research questions. Data are collected from DataStream.FindingsFindings provide consistent evidence about the existence of an “audit fee premium” charged by Big 4 firms while they do not highlight any significant relationship between audit quality and type of auditor with respect to the audit quality proxies investigated.Research limitations/implicationsEvidence from this paper might signal the need for legislative intervention to improve the competitiveness of the audit market on the basis that its concentrated structure is leading to “excessive” fees for Big 4 clients. Findings might also enhance Big 4 client bargaining power. However, as the paper analyses only one country, generalizability of the results might be a limitation.Originality/valueThis study joins two streams of the extant literature that investigate the existence of a “Big 4 audit fee premium” and different levels of audit quality among Big 4 and non‐Big 4 clients. Evidence supports the concerns raised by the UK House of Lords in 2010 that the concentrated structure of the audit market could be the driver of “excessive” fees for Big 4 clients as it does not find differences in audit quality between Big 4 and non‐Big 4 clients.
Determinants of food choice among adults in an urban community
Authors: Abdul Rahman Suzanah , Muzaffar Ali Khan Khattak Muhammad , Rusyda Mansor Najibatul 
Published: August 2013

PurposeThis study was conducted to explore the underlying reasons of food choice and the association with risk perception in an urban community. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachUsing a cross‐sectional design, adults between 20 and 60 years old, selected by convenience sampling from three different races; Malay, Chinese and Indian, in Sungai Petani, Kedah were surveyed. A self‐administered food choice questionnaire was used and data collected were analysed using SPSS Statistic 17.0.FindingsReligion, risk perception and sensory appeal were the most prominent factors affecting food choice of respondents. Age showed significant correlation with mood and sensory appeal. Monthly income was significantly correlated with convenience, weight control and familiarity. Risk perception was found to be correlated with all motives except familiarity and religion.Research limitations/implicationsA larger sample with approximately equal number of respondents from the various races would provide a more substantial overview of the trend of food choice in a multicultural population.Practical implicationsThis study provides an insight on factors determining the food‐buying power of the community which may directly impact the commercial success of food products including modifying provisions and actions of the food industry.Originality/valueThis research investigated the set priorities of an urban community in deciding the type of food for consumption which may be influenced by multicultural interactions and reported risks.
Probiotics as functional foods: gut colonization and safety concerns
Authors: Sarkar S. 
Published: August 2013

PurposeEarly colonization and balance between the beneficial and pathogenic organisms are essential for good nutrition and health. Ability of probiotic cultures to survive and colonize under the intestinal environmental condition led to their application as functional foods. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachEndeavour has been made to explore the mechanism of gut colonization, selection criteria for probiotic cultures, mechanism of probiotic action, postulated health benefits and prerequisites of a probiotics food.FindingsProbiotic organisms influence the physiological and pathological process of the host by modifying the intestinal microbiota, thereby affecting human health. Postulated health beneficial properties of probiotics suggest their application as functional foods.Originality/valueIngestion of cultured milk products containing probiotic cultures may provide health benefits in terms of colonization and normalization of intestinal flora and could be recommended for consumption as functional foods.
Understanding Urban Processes in Flint, Michigan: Approaching ‘Subaltern Urbanism’ Inductively
Authors: Schindler Seth 
Published: August 2013

AbstractAnanya Roy introduces the concept ‘subaltern urbanism’ in her 2011 article ‘Slumdog Cities: Rethinking Subaltern Urbanism’. She challenges researchers to move beyond existing epistemological and methodological limits, and offers four concepts which, taken together, serve as a useful starting point for understanding and representing subaltern urban space. In this article I argue that instead of a deductive approach that begins with an a priori identification of slums as subaltern urban space, an inductive approach of identifying subaltern urban space would expand the concept and show that subaltern urbanism exists in the global North. I present original research to show that Flint, Michigan, can be considered subaltern urban space. In the final section of the article I argue that this inductive approach to subaltern urbanism can foster comparative research across the North‐South divide, and generate the transfer of knowledge from South to North.
MRI scans significantly change target coverage decisions in radical radiotherapy for prostate cancer
Authors: Chang Joe H. , Lim Joon Daryl , Nguyen Brandon T. , Hiew Chee‐Yan , Esler Stephen , Angus David , Chao Michael , Wada Morikatsu , Quong George , Khoo Vincent 
Published: August 2013

AbstractIntroductionConventional clinical staging for prostate cancer has many limitations. This study evaluates the impact of adding MRI scans to conventional clinical staging for guiding decisions about radiotherapy target coverage.MethodsThis was a retrospective review of 115 patients who were treated between February 2002 and September 2005 with radical radiotherapy for prostate cancer. All patients had MRI scans approximately 2 weeks before the initiation of radiotherapy. The T stage was assessed by both conventional clinical methods (cT‐staging) as well as by MRI (mT‐staging). The radiotherapy target volumes were determined first based on cT‐staging and then taking the additional mT staging into account. The number of times extracapsular extension or seminal vesicle invasion was incorporated into target volumes was quantified based on both cT‐staging and the additional mT‐staging.ResultsExtracapsular extension was incorporated into target volumes significantly more often with the addition of mT‐staging (46 patients (40%) ) compared with cT‐staging alone (37 patients (32%) ) (P = 0.002). Seminal vesicle invasion was incorporated into target volumes significantly more often with the addition of mT‐staging (21 patients (18%) ) compared with cT‐staging alone (three patients (3%) ) (P < 0.001). A total of 23 patients (20%) had changes to their target coverage based on the mT‐staging.ConclusionsMRI scans can significantly change decisions about target coverage in radical radiotherapy for prostate cancer.