bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive mapping of mammalian transcriptomes identifies conserved genes associated with different cell differentiation states
Authors: Yang Yang , Yang Yu-Cheng T. , Yuan Jiapei , Shen Xiaohua , Lu Zhi John , Li Jingyi Jessica 
Published: July 2015

AbstractCell identity (or cell state) is established via gene expression programs, represented by “associated genes” with dynamic expression across cell identities. Here we integrate RNA-seq data from 40 tissues and cell types from human, chimpanzee, bonobo, and mouse to investigate the conservation and differentiation of cell states. We employ a statistical tool, “Transcriptome Overlap Measure” (TROM) to first identify cell-state-associated genes, both protein-coding and non-coding. Next, we use TROM to comprehensively map the cell states within each species and also between species based on the cell-state-associated genes. The within-species mapping measures which cell states are similar to each other, allowing us to construct a human cell differentiation tree that recovers both known and novel lineage relationships between cell states. Moreover, the between-species mapping summarizes the conservation of cell states across the four species. Based on these results, we identify conserved associated genes for different cell states and annotate their biological functions. Interestingly, we find that neural and testis tissues exhibit distinct evolutionary signatures in which neural tissues are much less enriched in conserved associated genes than testis. In addition, our mapping demonstrate that besides protein-coding genes, long non-coding RNAs serve well as associated genes to indicate cell states. We further infer the biological functions of those non-coding associated genes based on their co-expressed protein-coding associated genes. Overall, we provide a catalog of conserved and species-specific associated genes that identifies candidates for downstream experimental studies of the roles of these candidates in controlling cell identity.HighlightsComprehensive transcriptome mapping of cell states across four mammalian speciesBoth protein-coding genes and long non-coding RNAs serve as good markers of cell identityDistinct evolutionary signatures of neural and testis tissuesA catalog of conserved associated protein-coding genes and lncRNAs in different mammalian tissues and cell types
Bribery and corruption in telecommunications – The Republic of Azerbaijan
Authors: Sutherland Ewan 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature and extent of corruption in the telecommunications sector in Azerbaijan and the associated issues of governance.

Design/methodology/approach
– A case study examining a wide range of sources on Azerbaijan.

Findings
– Unusually, perhaps uniquely, ownership of major operators has been concealed. Nonetheless, the presidential family controls one of three mobile operators and has a stake in a second.

Research limitations/implications
– A law from 2012 conceals the beneficial ownership of some operators, others merely use offshore registries.

Originality/value
– One of only half a dozen case studies on corruption in telecommunications. It is very unusual in the extent to which ownership of operators is hidden.
Bidding for private finance initiative projects: an analysis
Authors: Harada Shumpei 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– This paper aims to present a positive analysis of the bidding process for private finance initiative (PFI) projects. The analysis attempts to unravel how value for money (VFM) changes in the bidding process and what factors influence this change. Bidding theory postulates that the winning bid price drops from the effect of competition when the number of bid-participating firms increases.

Design/methodology/approach
– An instrumental variable analysis was conducted using a two-stage least-squares method to remove the influence of endogeneity in the number of bid participants, which, according to prior research and surveys of business operators, possibly explains some of the VFM change. The results were considered robust because no observable change was found in the positive effect of the number of participant firms.

Findings
– This paper provides positive evidence of the relationship between the number of firms and the bidding result. The analysis shows that the number of bid-participating firms clearly has a significant positive effect on VFM change. Specifically, competition lowers the winning bid amount in line with the theoretical proposition.

Originality/value
– This study confirms previous research based on bidding data of Japanese PFI projects, a segment not sufficiently researched so far. Further, increasing the number of participant firms, up to a maximum of six, is shown to raise the VFM, a result consistent with the fact that five major construction companies play a leading role in Japanese PFI projects.
Current CITE-ings from the popular and trade computing literature
Authors: Kesselman Martin 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– This paper aims to play catch up with important articles from this past year with interest and implications for librarians.

Design/methodology/approach
– The approach adopted in this paper is a literature review.

Findings
– This paper found that there has been important developments in popular and trade computing literature which will interest librarians.

Originality/value
– This paper provides an update to the computing literature found in Library Hi Tech News over the previous year.
The power of Australian small accounting firms’ unethical exposure
Authors: Zheng Connie S , Mirshekary Soheila 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate small business owner/manager’s exposure to unethical behavior, and to examine the influence of unethical exposure on organizational intention to implement ethical policies and practices.Design/methodology/approach– Using a sample of 209 Australian small accounting firms with a path analysis, this paper adopts a modified ethical decision-making model to test the relationship between exposure and personal attitudes toward unethical behavior, and the relationship between exposure and intentions to implement ethical policies and practices at firm level.Findings– The results show that increased exposure to unethical behavior triggered stronger personal attitudes with small accounting firm owners/managers tending toward accepting unethical behavior. In contrast, at the firm level, more exposure to unethical behavior creates cautious overtones and motivates owners/managers to take action and implement more ethical policies, with the underlying aim of addressing serious ethical issues.Research limitations/implications– The study tests the ethical decision-making model but focuses only on three constructs (i.e. exposure, attitude and response). The aim is to examine whether extensive exposure to unethical behavior would change personal attitudes toward accepting such behavior, and whether unethical exposure would trigger firm owner/managers to take action and address the ethical dilemma by establishing some ethical guidelines. Other important variables (such as subjective norm, personallocusof control) embedded in the ethical decision-making model should be included in future research.Practical implications– The study draws attention to ethical dilemmas encountered by many small accounting professionals and their organizations. It addresses the importance of upholding the ethical standard and avoiding the extensive exposure to unethical behavior. It also emphasizes the needs for small businesses to establish some ethical policies and practices.Originality/value– The paper is purposely set out to reduce the gap in studying how small accounting firms make decisions in implementing their ethical policies and practices to address the rampant ethical dilemma faced by their employees as a result of many corporate scandals and financial crises of the past decade. The results are particularly valuable for small accounting firm owners/managers. The findings also have educational and policy implications.
Influence of theory, seniority, and religiosity on the ethical awareness of accountants
Authors: Uyar Ali , Kuzey Cemil , Güngörmüs Ali Haydar , Alas Ruth 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– This study aims to investigate the influence of ethical theories, religiosity and seniority on the ethical awareness of accountants.

Design/methodology/approach
– The data were collected by using a questionnaire survey completed by 219 accountants located in various locations in Turkey. To investigate the relationship between constructs, the partial least square structural equation model was implemented.

Findings
– The findings indicated that seniority in the profession and religiosity have a positive influence on ethical awareness. Within the theoretical approaches, deontology has a positive influence on ethical awareness, whereas egoism has a negative one.

Research limitations/implications
– The study has some implications regarding enhancing the ethical awareness of accountants: accountants who are in the early stages of their career development should be made aware of the ethical issues they face in their professional life; accountants should be taught laws and regulations of accountancy profession from the entry level throughout their working life; through professional associations, some initiatives may be taken to involve accountants in social responsibility programs to curb selfish behavior and improve empathy. However, a questionnaire survey does not permit an investigation from a qualitative perspective (the whys and hows of the answers); thus, further case studies might be necessary to make detailed investigations.

Originality/value
– This study is unique in that it tries to answer what factors comprehensively influence the ethical awareness of accountants in an emerging market context.
Corporate social responsibility: what motivates management to disclose?
Authors: Ling Tay Chia , Sultana Nigar 
Published: July 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence on the significance of signal breaches from technical trading indicators in explaining variations in the level of corporate social responsibility disclosures (CSRD) by firms. The authors seek to determine whether firms disclose corporate social responsibility (CSR) information in a genuine attempt to report their impact on society and environment or whether firms use CSRD as a shield to legitimise their business operations.Design/methodology/approach– Signal breaches from the Moving Average Convergence Divergence and Chande’s TrendScore technical trading indicators were utilised, while the voluntary environmental and social accounting disclosure index developed by Williams (1998) was adapted to measure the extent of CSRD by Singaporean firms in 2011. Ordinary least squares regression was the principal multivariate statistical technique used to analyse the data collected.Findings– Findings of this paper indicate a positive and significant association between the number of technical indicator signal breaches for a firm and the level of CSRD by that firm, particularly in the environment, energy, human resources and products and customers categories.Research limitations/implications– The collection of CSRD information is based solely on annual reports and within the context of Singapore. Results, therefore, are not completely generalisable to different jurisdictional settings.Practical implications– Findings suggest that firms with a volatile stock price trend provide greater CSRD, possibly as a legitimacy strategy to distract or change the perceptions of investors from its current legitimacy status. Findings, therefore, highlight to regulators the need to strengthen regulatory requirements and implement stricter guidelines on CSR reporting, given the importance of CSRD to users.Social implications– Findings from this study have several implications for various stakeholders including investors, regulators and society in general. Overall, findings also suggest that stakeholders should not rely solely on CSRD in their decision-making process.Originality/value– This is the first paper that has proxied stock price movement by using breaches in technical trading indicators when examining reported levels of CSRD by firms. Moreover, results greatly build on the sparse CSR research on Singapore.
Rock music fans’ subculture in Tehran
Authors: Moghaddam Kimia 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to the investigate the rock music, and in particular the genre known as heavy metal, subculture in Iran and identify its relationship to social responsibility.

Design/methodology/approach
– The research was conducted qualitatively through in-depth interview with more than 100 rock music fans who identify themselves as belonging to the particular subculture under investigation. It also investigates the history of such music within the country to explain that it is marginalized and forbidden in a way which is not generally understood in Western countries.

Findings
– The findings of the paper show that the fans of the music identify themselves as a particular subculture within the society and share not just an interest in the music but also in social concerns, politics and religion.

Social implications
– This paper shows that subcultures are interrelated with social responsibility and that this is dependent upon the nature of the society in which the subculture resides. This is important in understanding the dynamics of change within a country.

Originality/value
– This is one of the very few papers which looks at the link between subcultures and social responsibility and, therefore, is important in showing that social responsibility can develop independently of any organization while not being bounded by the nature of the society which spawns it.
Learning cycles and focus groups
Authors: Tortorella Guilherme Luz , Viana Samanta , Fettermann Diego 
Published: July 2015

Purpose
– This study aims to propose a complementary method to the A3 information collection, data analysis and capturing and sharing knowledge to facilitate problem solving in a general framework. The incorporation of this method minimizes the difficulties identified in the literature focused on continuous improvement of processes. The method comprises combining triangulation techniques utilizing focus groups for a survey of qualitative data and the approach called Look – Ask – Model – Discuss – Act (LAMDA), which was originally designed for cycles of knowledge creation applied in product development processes.

Design/methodology/approach
– The methodology proposed in this work follows the A3 report approach including focus groups’ techniques in the planning step and problem analysis and the use of the LAMDA learning cycle, aiming to fill the gaps in A3 method. Therefore, the methodology includes five macro steps, which are divided into smaller steps. Note that the inclusion of the LAMDA learning cycle in the A3 report is called A3LAMDA. In addition, macro steps from 1 to 4 belong to “knowledge creation” step and macro step 5 deals with the “Capture of knowledge” step. Along the proposed methodology application, greater focus will be given to techniques incorporated in the A3 report, as they represent the main contribution of this method.

Findings
– The proposed approach to the A3 report was more concise and comprehensive, allowing different views and perspectives to be considered to understand the problem and find solutions through the focus groups method. In addition, the development of a structured questionnaire for the interviews encouraged the participants to present their opinions regarding the problem hypotheses. The use of the LAMDA learning cycle was essential to capture and share the knowledge acquired during the problem-solving process. It allowed not only the reflection on the aspects that have either worked or not but also the understanding of how to do the next work differently.

Originality/value
– This study aims to propose a complementary method to the A3 information collection, data analysis and capturing and sharing knowledge to facilitate problem solving in the general framework. The incorporation of this method minimizes the difficulties identified in the literature that focused on continuous improvement of processes.
A pilot evaluation of using symbol‐based information in police custody
Authors: Parsons Sarah , Sherwood Gina 
Published: July 2015

Accessible summary

Many people who commit crimes in the UK have learning difficulties or disabilities.

The police give people information to read in custody, but this information can be confusing.

This project presented this information in an easier‐to‐read way using symbols and simple words.

We asked different people what they thought of the information and most views were very positive.

SummaryAt least 20–30% of offenders within the criminal justice system (CJS) have learning disabilities or difficulties. This creates significant challenges in relation to meeting their information needs about rights, entitlements, processes and procedures. We report a pilot project where widgit Symbols were used to create more accessible information about rights and entitlements for people entering custody. The widgit Symbol custody sheets were used in two Hampshire Constabulary custody centres for a 4‐week period and feedback gathered from 14 custody officers and inspectors. The views of 27 other important stakeholders, including young people with autism and their families, appropriate adults, and senior personnel within the CJS, were gathered about the sheets through interviews and focus groups. The reaction to the sheets was overwhelmingly positive with many participants suggesting that symbol‐based information in custody could be rolled out nationally and also extended more widely to include other parts of the CJS.
Presence of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia‐3 in a background of chronic pancreatitis in pancreatic cancer patients
Authors: Hwang In Kyeom , Kim Haeryoung , Lee Yoon Suk , Kim Jaihwan , Cho Jai Young , Yoon Yoo‐Seok , Han Ho‐Seong , Hwang Jin‐Hyeok 
Published: July 2015

The clinical significance of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) lesions in non‐neoplastic pancreata of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients remains controversial. As chronic inflammation has been recently demonstrated to promote dissemination of in situ precancerous lesions, we investigated the prognostic significance of PanINs associated with chronic pancreatitis (CP) in PDAC patients. This retrospective study analyzed 125 curatively resected PDAC specimens for the presence of PanIN and CP. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify significant predictive factors for poor disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Immunohistochemical staining for E‐cadherin and S100A4, markers of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition, was performed on resected specimens containing PanIN‐3 lesions. CP was observed in 27.2% (34/125) and PanIN‐3 in 25.6% (32/125) of specimens. In the presence of CP, PanIN‐3 was significantly associated with decreased survival (DFS: 4.3 vs 15.5 months, P = 0.021; OS: 16.3 vs 30.9 months, P = 0.004). PanIN‐3 was not a prognostic factor in the absence of CP. The presence of both PanIN‐3 and CP was associated with a reduced survival compared to the other cases, in both univariate (DFS: P = 0.039; OS: P = 0.023) and multivariate (DFS: P = 0.020; OS: P = 0.076) analyses. Furthermore, E‐cadherin loss and S100A4 expression were more frequently observed in PanIN‐3 lesions of CP specimens than in those of non‐CP specimens, although not statistically significant. PanIN‐3 in association with CP is a significant prognostic factor for decreased survival in PDAC patients, suggesting that chronic inflammation may accelerate the progression of preinvasive high‐grade PanIN.
Socio‐economic benefits from protected areas in southeastern Australia
Authors: Heagney E.C. , Kovac M. , Fountain J. , Conner N. 
Published: July 2015

AbstractInternational case studies of protected area performance increasingly report that conservation and socio‐economic outcomes are interdependent. Effective conservation requires support and cooperation from local governments and communities, which in turn requires that protected areas contribute to the economic well‐being of the communities in which they are sited. Despite increasing recognition of their importance, robust studies that document the socio‐economic impacts of protected areas are rare, especially in the developed world context. We proposed 3 potential pathways through which protected areas might benefit local communities in the developed world: the improved local housing value, local business stimulus, and increased local funding pathways. We examined these pathways by undertaking a statistical longitudinal analysis of 110 regional and rural communities covering an area of approximately 600,000 km2 in southeastern Australia. We compared trends in 10 socio‐economic indicators describing employment, income, housing, business development and local government revenue from 2000 to 2010. New protected areas acquisitions led to an increased number of new dwelling approvals and associated developer contributions, increased local business numbers, and increased local government revenue from user‐pays services and grants. Longer‐term effects of established protected areas included increased local council revenue from a variety of sources. Our findings provide support for each of our 3 proposed benefit pathways and contribute new insights into the cycling of benefits from protected areas through the economy over time. The business and legislative models in our study are typical of those operating in many other developed countries; thus, the benefit pathways reported in our study are likely to be generalizable. By identifying and communicating socio‐economic benefits from terrestrial protected areas in a developed world context, our findings represent an important step in securing local support and ongoing high‐level protection for key components of the world's biodiversity.
INTEREST GROUPS, DEMOCRACY, AND POLICY VOLATILITY
Authors: Heckelman Jac C. , Wilson Bonnie 
Published: July 2015

AbstractDemocratic polities appear to produce more stable policy than do autocracies. In this paper, we explore a potential source of the policy stability observed in democracies: special‐interest groups. We find that interest groups are associated with greater stability in some measures of policy and that groups mediate the stabilizing impact of democracy on policy. We also find that the impact of interest groups on policy volatility depends on the degree of polarization in a society. (JEL P16, O43, D7)