bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Measuring client-based corporate reputation in B2B professional services: scale development and validation
Authors: Walsh Gianfranco , Beatty Sharon E , Holloway Betsy Bugg 
Published: April 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a client-based reputation of business-to-business professional services firms scale (PSF-Rep) which measures clients’ perceptions of the reputation of professional service provider firms. So far, no multidimensional scale exists in the literature to measure the reputation of professional service firms, although the reputation dimensions of importance are likely to be very different from other settings.Design/methodology/approach– From an initial pool of fieldwork-based items, an 18-item PSF-Rep scale is developed, which is validated using several samples – corporate financial decision-makers’ views of their accounting firms in a US national sample and organizational clients of one large legal firm with national presence.Findings– The four-dimensional PSF-Rep scale meets all established reliability and validity criteria. Further, reputation and its dimensions (using PSF-Rep) are positively associated with important marketing outcomes, including word of mouth, loyalty intentions, trust and share of wallet.Originality/value– As professional service markets become more competitive, firms recognize the importance of a good reputation in attracting customers. This research is the first to propose a psychometrically robust measure to capture client-based reputation of business-to-business professional services firms.
Shari’ah supervision in the Yemeni Islamic banks: a qualitative survey
Authors: Ayedh Abdullah Mohammed , Echchabi Abdelghani 
Published: April 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this study is mainly to comprehensively investigate the current practices of Islamic banks’ Shari’ah supervisory boards in the specific context of Yemen.

Design/methodology/approach
– The study uses a qualitative approach in the form of in-depth interviews of a number of Shari’ah scholars active within the Yemeni Islamic banks.

Findings
– The findings support the notion that Islamic banking still lacks regulations and standards, as the Yemeni Islamic banks are still following the minimum requirements and only apply the compulsory standards. Another key finding is that Islamic banks in Yemen apply similar principles in Fatwa issuance and Shari’ah compliance assurance, especially in referring to the different Madzhabs’ and scholars’ opinions because of the sensitivity of Yemeni community with regards to the Shari’ah compliance aspect. Finally, the procedure of Shari’ah review of the Islamic banks’ operations varied from the typical set of procedures to the loose ones in terms of the number of staff in the Shari’ah audit department and the application of a comprehensive survey or sampling to review the banks’ transactions.

Originality/value
– This study provides some valuable recommendations to further enhance the Shari’ah supervisory practices not only in Yemen but also in similar settings.
Compliance with AAOIFI guidelines in general presentation and disclosure by Libyan Islamic banks
Authors: Ahmad Nassr Saleh Mohamad , Daw Abdu Samia Daw Ben 
Published: April 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to reveal the level of compliance with Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) guidelines in general presentation and disclosure in the financial statements of Fashlowm Islamic branch of the Gumhouria Bank as the biggest bank in Libya.

Design/methodology/approach
– The study used two-dimensional analysis, which combines a questionnaire with content analysis. It allowed a better understanding of the picture than would have been provided by the questionnaire alone.

Findings
– The results of this study indicate that the level of compliance with AAOIFI guidelines regarding general presentation and disclosure in the financial statements is low. Many reasons were identified as being behind such a low level. The lack of training programmes on AAOIFI standards was at the forefront of these reasons.

Research limitations/implications
– The sample is limited to the Fashlowm Islamic branch of Gumhouria Bank. This is may not be true for other branches and banks. Further research is needed in this area.

Originality/value
– The AAOIFI has existed for over 20 years, but little empirical research has been conducted into compliance with the standards developed by this body in the Libyan context. This paper helps to address this gap and provide a foundation for future research and development in this area. Moreover, the findings of this study may be useful to policy makers and legislators.
Driving local community transformation through participatory rural entrepreneurship development
Authors: Kolawole Oluwatoyin Dare , Ajila Kehinde 
Published: April 2015

Purpose
– Rural entrepreneurship development and employment generation are fundamental to enhancing local-level progress and transformation. Achieving gainful employment in rural communities contributes immensely to the realisation of the potential of people living in remote communities. The purpose of this paper is to present a ten-stage practical approach for enhancing rural entrepreneurship development as a major driver of local community transformation and development.

Design/methodology/approach
– The action research was preceded by a preliminary study, which identified some crucial factors associated with the success of rural entrepreneurial activities in rural Lagos, Nigeria. The research, which is an offshoot of the earlier field survey, was designed to engage viable community-based organisations (CBOs) in Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry and Lekki communities for the implementation of context-specific rural entrepreneurship development projects through the provision of “non-serviceable” revolving loans.

Findings
– Successful funded rural entrepreneurs and CBOs served as veritable models for driving entrepreneurship development and employment promotion in rural Lagos, Nigeria. Projects funded included artisanal fisheries, barbering salons, piggeries and snail production.

Practical implications
– The projects which generated employment opportunities for rural youths and other able-bodied community members serve as a strategy for lifting people out of poverty. The action research was designed to inform rural development policy in Nigeria and other similar economies in the south.

Originality/value
– The study outlines a step-by-step process of entrepreneurship development project implementation.
Herbivore cross‐scale redundancy supports response diversity and promotes coral reef resilience
Authors: Nash Kirsty L. , Graham Nicholas A. J. , Jennings Simon , Wilson Shaun K. , Bellwood David R. 
Published: April 2015

Summary

Functional redundancy contributes to resilience if different species in the same functional group respond to disturbance in different ways (response diversity). If species in a functional group perform their functional role at different spatial scales (cross‐scale redundancy), they are expected to respond differently to scale‐specific disturbance. Consequently, variance in the spatial scales over which species perform their functional role may provide a proxy for resilience.

Coral reefs are diverse systems that provide key ecosystem services and are subject to increasing anthropogenic disturbances. Algal grazing by herbivorous fish contributes to the maintenance of coral‐dominated reefs. To date, there has been little evaluation of the traits driving response diversity among herbivorous fish and how this relates to coral recovery following acute disturbances.

Using body size as a proxy for the spatial scale at which fish function, we tested whether cross‐scale redundancy in herbivores was an effective indicator of response diversity and coral recovery on 21 reefs monitored through a climate‐induced disturbance that caused coral bleaching and widespread coral mortality.

When herbivorous fish assemblages that operated over a broader range of spatial scales were present on reefs prior to disturbance, the reefs were more likely to recover to coral‐dominated states after the disturbance. After the temperature‐induced disturbance, the loss of small herbivores was compensated for through increases in large herbivores. This was indicative of high response diversity and drove the overall increase in herbivore biomass at recovering sites. These compensatory mechanisms were not found at sites where herbivores operated over a narrower range of spatial scales.

Synthesis and applications. Cross‐scale redundancy provides managers with an indicator of coral reef resilience, although the contribution of cross‐scale redundancy to resilience will vary among sites. Maintaining high cross‐scale redundancy at a given site requires that no size classes of reef herbivores are disproportionately depleted by fishing. Balanced harvesting, where species are all fished in proportion to their potential production, would help achieve this.
Fuels and fires influence vegetation via above‐ and belowground pathways in a high‐diversity plant community
Authors: Gagnon Paul R. , Passmore Heather A. , Slocum Matthew , Myers Jonathan A. , Harms Kyle E. , Platt William J. , Paine C. E. Timothy 
Published: April 2015

SummaryFire strongly influences plant populations and communities around the world, making it an important agent of plant evolution. Fire influences vegetation through multiple pathways, both above‐ and belowground. Few studies have yet attempted to tie these pathways together in a mechanistic way through soil heating even though the importance of soil heating for plants in fire‐prone ecosystems is increasingly recognized.Here we combine an experimental approach with structural equation modelling (SEM) to simultaneously examine multiple pathways through which fire might influence herbaceous vegetation. In a high‐diversity longleaf pine groundcover community inLouisiana,USA, we manipulated fine‐fuel biomass and monitored the resulting fires with high‐resolution thermocouples placed in vertical profile above‐ and belowground.We predicted that vegetation response to burning would be inversely related to fuel load owing to relationships among fuels, fire temperature, duration and soil heating.We found that fuel manipulations altered fire properties and vegetation responses, of which soil heating proved to be a highly accurate predictor. Fire duration acting through soil heating was important for vegetation response in ourSEMs, whereas fire temperature was not.Our results indicate that in this herbaceous plant community, fire duration is a good predictor of soil heating and therefore of vegetation response to fire. Soil heating may be the key determinant of vegetation response to fire in ecosystems wherein plants persist by resprouting or reseeding from soil‐stored propagules.Synthesis. OurSEMs demonstrate how the complex pathways through which fires influence plant community structure and dynamics can be examined simultaneously. Comparative studies of these pathways across different communities will provide important insights into the ecology, evolution and conservation of fire‐prone ecosystems.
Selective blockade of mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors is protective against hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction in 6‐OHDA lesioned Parkinsonian rats
Authors: Ferrigno Andrea , Vairetti Mariapia , Ambrosi Giulia , Rizzo Vittoria , Richelmi Plinio , Blandini Fabio , Fuzzati‐Armentero Marie‐Therese 
Published: April 2015

SummaryNon‐motor symptoms including those involving the splanchnic district are present in Parkinson's disease (PD). The authors previously reported that PD‐like rats, bearing a lesion of the nigrostriatal pathway induced by the injection of 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA), have impaired hepatic mitochondrial function. Glutamate intervenes at multiple levels in PD and liver pathophysiologies. The metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) is abundantly expressed in brain and liver and may represent a pharmacological target for PD therapy. This study investigated whether and how chronic treatment with 2‐methyl‐6‐(phenylethynyl)‐pyridine (MPEP), a well‐characterized mGluR5 antagonist, may influence hepatic function with regard to neuronal cell loss in PD‐like rats. Chronic treatment with MPEP was started immediately (Early) or 4 weeks after (Delayed) intrastriatal injection of 6‐OHDA and lasted 4 weeks. Early MPEP treatment significantly prevented the decrease in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production/content and counteracted increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in isolated hepatic mitochondria of PD‐like animals. Early MPEP administration also reduced the toxin‐induced neurodegenerative process; improved survival of nigral dopaminergic neurons correlated with enhanced mitochondrial ATP content and production. ATP content/production, in turn, negatively correlated with ROS formation suggesting that the MPEP‐dependent improvement in hepatic function positively influenced neuronal cell survival. Delayed MPEP treatment had no effect on hepatic mitochondrial function and neuronal cell loss. Antagonizing mGluR5 may synergistically act against neuronal cell loss and PD‐related hepatic mitochondrial alterations and may represent an interesting alternative to non‐dopaminergic therapeutic strategies for the treatment of PD.
Pubertal administration of antiserum against nerve growth factor regresses renal vascular remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Ohara Maiko , Tomoda Fumihiro , Koike Tsutomu , Liu Hexing , Uno Kyosuke , Nitta Atsumi , Inoue Hiroshi 
Published: April 2015

SummaryTo investigate the role of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the development of hypertensive renal vascular remodeling, antiserum against NGF (anti‐NGF) or vehicle was injected at 3 weeks of age in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) rats (n = 9 for each treatment in each strain). Flow‐pressure (F‐P) and pressure‐glomerular filtration rate (P‐GFR) relationships at vasodilated perfused kidneys were determined at 10 weeks of age. In the vehicle rats, blood pressure, renal noradrenaline content, the gradient of F‐P (minimal vascular resistance at pre‐ and post‐glomerular vasculature) and the X‐intercept of P‐GFR (preglomerular : postglomerular vascular resistance ratio) were greater in SHR than in WKY rats, although the gradient of P‐GFR (glomerular filtration capacity) did not differ significantly between the strains. Blood pressure and renal noradrenaline content were lower in SHR receiving anti‐NGF than in SHR receiving vehicle, although such difference was not observed in WKY rats. The gradient of F‐P was less but the gradient of P‐GFR was greater in SHR receiving anti‐NGF compared with SHR receiving vehicle, although the similar differences did not occur in WKY rats. Blood pressure and renal noradrenaline content remained greater in SHR treated with anti‐NGF compared with WKY rats treated with vehicle; however, the gradient of F‐P did not differ significantly between them. Contrary, anti‐NGF did not affect the X‐intercept of P‐GFR in either strain. In conclusion, NGF could contribute to the genesis of renal vascular remodeling, at least in part, through modification of renal sympathetic activity and blood pressure in SHR.
Decomposing Inequality Changes: Allowing for Leisure in the Evaluation of Tax and Transfer Policy Effects
Authors: Creedy John , Hérault Nicolas 
Published: April 2015

AbstractIn this paper, we present two alternative methods of accounting for changes in leisure time in decomposing the inequality effects of tax and transfer policy changes. Three components are identified: tax policy, labour supply responses to tax policy changes and other population effects. The methods are used to decompose inequality changes in Australia between 2001 and 2006. Inequality is first defined in non‐welfarist terms as a function of disposable income: the independent judge places no value on leisure. Then, this is modified to allow for evaluations using a weighted geometric mean of disposable income and leisure. This is seen to modify the evaluation of changes in important ways. The results are found to differ from those obtained using a ‘welfarist’ evaluation in terms of money metric utility, where separate labour supply effects cannot be isolated.
Egg clutch patterning in Lestes virens (Odonata, Lestidae) with evolutionary emphasis on endophytic oviposition in lestid dragonflies
Authors: Matushkina Natalia A. , Buy Denis , Lambret Philippe 
Published: April 2015

AbstractEgg deposition within plants is one of the most widely distributed and ancient behaviors in Odonata. The resulting clutch consists of eggs placed in peculiar pattern that can be a characteristic for certain groups of Odonata. Despite their importance for paleontological and evolutionary research, data on egg‐clutch positioning are missing or insufficient for most species. Here, patterning of egg clutches in Lestes virens was measured and described in detail for the first time. The female usually produces a linear row of single eggs directed at an angle rightward or leftward to the longitudinal axis of plant substrate. Less often eggs are arranged in egg‐sets consisting of up to 4 eggs. Apparently, the female insect follows the rigid behavior stereotypes during oviposition and is unable to easily switch to the alternate stereotypical behavior of single egg deposition or production of multiegg sets. Based on a literature review and original data, egg clutch patterning of European Lestidae is overlaid on preexisting phylogenies. The resulting evolutionary scenario of egg‐clutch patterning can be considered in the framework of egg‐laying behavior in Lestidae.
Differential kinetics of response and toxicity using stereotactic radiation and interventional radiological coiling for pulmonary arterio‐venous shunting from metastatic leiomyosarcoma
Authors: Wong Annie Ngai Man , Siva Shankar , Manser Renee , Dowling Richard , Antippa Phillip , Chin Kwang , Mileshkin Linda Rose 
Published: April 2015

SummaryCase report demonstrating the differential kinetics of response and toxicity using stereotactic radiation and interventional radiological coiling for pulmonary arterio‐venous shunting from leiomyosarcoma pulmonary metastases.
Interpreting the flock algorithm from a statistical perspective
Authors: Anderson Eric C. , Barry Patrick D. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractWe show that the algorithm in the program flock (Duchesne & Turgeon 2009) can be interpreted as an estimation procedure based on a model essentially identical to the structure (Pritchard et al. 2000) model with no admixture and without correlated allele frequency priors. Rather than using MCMC, the flock algorithm searches for the maximum a posteriori estimate of this structure model via a simulated annealing algorithm with a rapid cooling schedule (namely, the exponent on the objective function →∞). We demonstrate the similarities between the two programs in a two‐step approach. First, to enable rapid batch processing of many simulated data sets, we modified the source code of structure to use the flock algorithm, producing the program flockture. With simulated data, we confirmed that results obtained with flock and flockture are very similar (though flockture is some 200 times faster). Second, we simulated multiple large data sets under varying levels of population differentiation for both microsatellite and SNP genotypes. We analysed them with flockture and structure and assessed each program on its ability to cluster individuals to their correct subpopulation. We show that flockture yields results similar to structure albeit with greater variability from run to run. flockture did perform better than structure when genotypes were composed of SNPs and differentiation was moderate ( 0.022–0.032). When differentiation was low, structure outperformed flockture for both marker types. On large data sets like those we simulated, it appears that flock's reliance on inference rules regarding its ‘plateau record’ is not helpful. Interpreting flock's algorithm as a special case of the model in structure should aid in understanding the program's output and behaviour.
Downregulation of miR‐21 is Involved in Direct Actions of Ursolic Acid on the Heart: Implications for Cardiac Fibrosis and Hypertrophy
Authors: Dong Xingli , Liu Shangkun , Zhang Lingling , Yu Siming , Huo Linman , Qile Muge , Liu Lu , Yang Baofeng , Yu Jinling 
Published: April 2015

SummaryPurposeMyocardial fibrosis contributes to cardiac remodeling and loss of cardiac function in myocardial infarction and heart failure. This study used in vitro and in vivo models to examine the effects of ursolic acid (UA) on myocardial fibrosis and to explore its potential mechanism.MethodsTransverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery was performed in mice to induce cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. UA was orally administered 1 week prior to TAC. Two weeks after TAC, myocardial pathology was detected using Masson's trichrome staining and transmission electron microscopy, and heart‐to‐body weight ratio was measured. For in vitro studies, cultured cardiac fibroblasts were treated with serum in the presence or absence of UA. The relative levels of miR‐21 and p‐ERK/ERK, collagen content and cell viability were measured.ResultsUrsolic acid attenuated pathological cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis in vivo induced by TAC. Downregulation of miR‐21 and p‐ERK/ERK were observed in myocardial fibroblasts treated with UA in a dose‐dependent manner compared with the control group both in vitro and in vivo.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that UA can inhibit myocardial fibrosis both in vitro and in vivo, and the effects of UA on myocardial fibrosis may be due to the inhibition of miR‐21/ERK signaling pathways.
Modulation of Adhesion Molecules by Cholesterol‐Lowering Therapy in Mononuclear Cells from Hypercholesterolemic Patients
Authors: Cerda Alvaro , Rodrigues Alice Cristina , Alves Camila , Genvigir Fabiana Dalla Vecchia , Fajardo Cristina Moreno , Dorea Egidio Lima , Gusukuma Maria Cecilia , Pinto Gelba Almeida , Hirata Mario Hiroyuki , Hirata Rosario Dominguez Crespo 
Published: April 2015

SummaryIntroductionCholesterol‐lowering therapy has been related with several pleiotropic effects including anti‐inflammatory action in vascular endothelium; however, their influence on monocyte adhesion molecules is poorly described.AimsTo investigate the effect of inhibitors of synthesis (statins) and absorption (ezetimibe) of cholesterol on expression of adhesion molecules L‐selectin, PSGL‐1, VLA‐4, LFA‐1, and Mac‐1 in mononuclear cells in vivo and in vitro using THP‐1 cells.MethodsThe influence of simvastatin (10 mg/day), ezetimibe (10 mg/day), and their combination (10 mg each/day) on mRNA expression of adhesion molecules was analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from hypercholesterolemics. The effects of atorvastatin, simvastatin, and ezetimibe on mRNA and protein expression of adhesion molecules were also evaluated in THP‐1 cells.ResultsSimvastatin/ezetimibe combination, but not the monotherapies, reduced the mRNA expression of the PSGL‐1, LFA‐1, and Mac‐1 genes in PBMC from hypercholesterolemics. Total and LDL cholesterol in serum correlated with PSGL‐1 mRNA expression, whereas HDL cholesterol negatively correlated with mRNA levels of L‐selectin and VLA‐4 genes (P < 0.05). Plasma hsCRP was also correlated with mRNA levels of VLA‐4, LFA‐1, and Mac‐1 (P < 0.05). Atorvastatin and simvastatin at 10 μM reduced mRNA and protein expression of L‐selectin, PSGL‐1, and VLA‐4 in THP‐1 cells (P < 0.05).ConclusionCholesterol‐lowering therapy modulates gene expression of adhesion molecules in PBMC from hypercholesterolemics and THP‐1 cells. Simvastatin/ezetimibe combination gives more benefits by reducing to a larger extent the expression of adhesion molecules in mononuclear cells.