bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Polyploid Evolution of the Brassicaceae during the Cenozoic Era
Authors: Kagale Sateesh , Robinson Stephen J. , Nixon John , Xiao Rong , Huebert Terry , Condie Janet , Kessler Dallas , Clarke Wayne E. , Edger Patrick P. , Links Matthew G. , Sharpe Andrew G. , Parkin Isobel A.P. 
Published: July 2014

Abstract
The Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) family, owing to its remarkable species, genetic, and physiological diversity as well as its significant economic potential, has become a model for polyploidy and evolutionary studies. Utilizing extensive transcriptome pyrosequencing of diverse taxa, we established a resolved phylogeny of a subset of crucifer species. We elucidated the frequency, age, and phylogenetic position of polyploidy and lineage separation events that have marked the evolutionary history of the Brassicaceae. Besides the well-known ancient α (47 million years ago [Mya]) and β (124 Mya) paleopolyploidy events, several species were shown to have undergone a further more recent (∼7 to 12 Mya) round of genome multiplication. We identified eight whole-genome duplications corresponding to at least five independent neo/mesopolyploidy events. Although the Brassicaceae family evolved from other eudicots at the beginning of the Cenozoic era of the Earth (60 Mya), major diversification occurred only during the Neogene period (0 to 23 Mya). Remarkably, the widespread species divergence, major polyploidy, and lineage separation events during Brassicaceae evolution are clustered in time around epoch transitions characterized by prolonged unstable climatic conditions. The synchronized diversification of Brassicaceae species suggests that polyploid events may have conferred higher adaptability and increased tolerance toward the drastically changing global environment, thus facilitating species radiation.
Grocery retail operations and automotive logistics: a functional cross-industry comparison
Authors: G. Sternbeck Michael , Kuhn Heinrich 
Published: July 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe similarities between logistics structures and mid-term planning problems in the grocery retail and automotive industries in a specific internal section of their respective supply chains.Design/methodology/approach– The benchmarking approach is used as a framework for this paper. It is based on insights resulting from several joint projects with grocery retailers and automobile producers. A particular focus of the research was participating in an exchange of ideas and experience between logistics managers in both industry sectors.Findings– The authors have identified parallels when comparing the internal retail supply chain of the grocery retail industry, which consists of distribution centres, transportation and in-store logistics, with the internal logistics network in the automotive industry, which consists of logistics supermarkets, transportation and work zone operations at the assembly line. Strong similarities have been found for three planning problems related to tactical planning tasks: assigning products and parts to delivery modes, selecting packaging units and loading carriers, and determining delivery cycles. In comparison to retailing, there is a clearer trend in the automotive industry to plan line-back and align processes with the operator's requirements at the assembly line.Practical implications– For logisticians in grocery retailing and the automotive industry, this paper provides relevant input for functional benchmarking initiatives and offers an inspirational view beyond the horizon.Originality/value– This paper is the first to focus on similarities in logistics network structures and planning tasks between the two industries from the viewpoint of grocery retailing.
Conceptualizing e-government service quality under credence based settings
Authors: Amritesh  , C. Misra Subhas , Chatterjee Jayanta 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to acknowledge the potential complexities in conventional notions of e-government service environments, which have earlier been conceptualized as a two party interaction system where the government is the service provider and other entities such as businesses, citizens, etc. are the service recipients. In this regard, the authors extend their attention to a core service context and identify the existence of “credence-based” service setting that may involve more than two parties such as government, citizens, and third-party institutions (TPIs).

Design/methodology/approach
– An in-depth literature review is performed to build a conceptual foundation for the proposed service environment. A case of an Indian context is exemplified to understand the credence-based service setting and advocate the suitability of broader dimensions of service quality assessment, and propose a preliminary model of service quality assessment in the given context. The case study approach is adopted for gathering and analyzing the data. The data are collected from government web sites, semi-structured interviews with government officials, and students.

Findings
– The paper finds that the existence of TPIs changes the nature of normal government to citizen (G2C) service interaction. Service quality conceptualization for this particular kind of e-government setting is bi-dimensional in nature which involves two separate but interdependent constructs quality of information, and quality of service Interaction that collectively contributes to service quality and empowerment of the recipients.

Originality/value
– The present work attempts to differentiate the service context of credence-based e-government setting with the traditional conceptualizations of e-government service environments.
Development of a metrological management model using the AHP and SEM techniques
Authors: Beltrán Jaime , Muñuzuri Jesús , Rivas Miguel , Martín Enrique 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– The evaluation of management systems is usually based on a series of assumptions which are never questioned. The purpose of this paper is to focus on two of these assumptions, in order to further develop a quantitative model to evaluate metrological management in companies, based on the ISO 10012:2003 standard.

Design/methodology/approach
– First, the paper uses structural equations to identify the underlying relations between the different variables of the model and conclude that it follows the typical continuous improvement cycle formulated by Deming. And second, the paper processes the opinion of experts using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) techniques in order to prove that not all the variables included in the model are equally relevant in metrological management.

Findings
– The first SME analysis validates the model itself and its integration with the other management schemes in the company, all based on the Deming cycle. The second AHP analysis leads to a reformulation of the model, assigning weights to the different variables and providing better guidelines for companies to improve their metrological management.

Originality/value
– This constitutes a development of the management guidelines contained in the ISO 10012:2003 standard for metrological management, establishing the appropriate evaluation procedures.
Corporate social responsibility and stock market actors: a comprehensive study
Authors: Arvidsson Susanne 
Published: July 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this study is to analyse the views stock market actors have on corporate communication of corporate social responsibility (CSR) information grounded on legitimacy and stakeholder theory. Recent findings suggest that management teams experience an increased interest and demand for CSR information from the actors on the stock market and that this underlie a focus shift. This is quite astonishing considering that the interest from just stock market actors in CSR information always has been meagre. However, due to lack of recent studies, it has not been confirmed thatde factothere has been a trend shift among stock market actors towards an increased interest in CSR information.Design/methodology/approach– The data are derived from in-depth semi-structured interviews with financial analysts at international investment banks.Findings– The study confirms that the focus shift is not at all driven by the actors in the stock market. Quite the opposite. They express mistrust towards this information and a continued meagre interest in it.Research limitations/implications– Findings from the study suggest the need for more research on how different stakeholders view CSR information. It also opens up for discussions on regulations concerning CSR information.Practical implications– The findings imply that management teams might have deluded themselves and become victim to what Christensen and Cheney (2000) refer to as self-seduces, i.e. seeing things that are not really there. The findings might also indicate an enlargement of the stakeholder perspective. Thus, a subtle shift from a bilateral relationship (company – shareholders) towards a multilateral set of relationships (company – stakeholders) camouflaged under the justification from management teams that the increased interest comes from the stock market.Originality/value– The study contributes to the scarce research on how actors in the stock market view CSR. The findings are of interest and relevance to the business and academic communities in their ongoing quest of unravelling the core of CSR and business ethics.
Regulatory pressure, blockholders and corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures in China
Authors: Zheng Lin , Balsara Nauzer , Huang Haiyu 
Published: July 2014

Purpose– This paper aims to investigate the relationship between external regulation pressure and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting decision and comprehensiveness and the relationship between block ownership and CSR in China.Design/methodology/approach– This paper provides descriptive statistics of the current state of CSR reporting in China. In addition, regression models are utilized to analyze the behavior of CSR reporting of a sample of 5,334 listed firms in China.Findings– Our paper records a significant increase of CSR reporting in the period of 2008-2010. Using a sample of 5,334 listed firms in China, we find a positive yet weak association between centrally controlled state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and CSR reports. Moreover, we find that firms with more concentrated block ownership are less likely to issue CSR reports.Research limitations/implications– Taken as a whole, our analyses suggest that the entrenchment effect from blockholders seems to dominate the incentive effect and this depresses the quality of CSR reports.Practical implications– Despite the well-known effect of economic factors on CSR decision, corporate governance such as ownership structure could complicate the final results. Furthermore, the institutional background of the country and its implications for corporate governance should be considered jointly and concurrently.Social implications– The positive effect from regulatory pressure on centrally owned SOEs suggests that regulation remains an effective tool to encourage CSR reporting in emerging markets.Originality/value– First, our study confirms prior research that CSR disclosure decision is primarily driven by economic and strategic considerations. Moreover, our results suggest that a country’s institutional background, in addition to economic and strategic considerations, influences the decision and quality of CSR disclosures. Second, we extend the literature on ownership structure, particularly with respect to blockholders. Third, our research design addresses a weakness in earlier studies which are biased exclusively on state ownership to the exclusion of all other blockholders.
Social responsibility clusters arising from social partnerships
Authors: McDonald Sharyn 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– This paper aims to identify models of best practice and examines the manner in which such social partnerships attract new partners and scale-up their solutions. Social responsibility initiatives that incorporate multiple sectors have the capacity to challenge unsustainable practice and pave the way for model solutions towards the societal problems we face globally.

Design/methodology/approach
– Comparisons of three Australian case studies were analysed. These cases were purposefully selected as they all represented relationships that demonstrated social partnerships characteristics, and they had all attracted acclaim by their peers. They differed in terms of their societal problems and relationship duration. Semi-structured interviews were held with managers and employees from each social partnership, where they discussed all aspects of the partnership lifecycle from pre-collaborative conditions through to outcomes. In total, 50 semi-structured interviews were held with members of the private, nonprofit and public sectors.

Findings
– Social partnerships pool skills, knowledge and finance across sectors, concentrating on specific societal issues of mutual concern. Resultant successful initiatives act as catalysts in soliciting further support. Three primary pathways exist for successful social partnerships that wish to evolve: expansion, replication and refinement. Focused attention and resources, through the formation of social responsibility clusters, can lead to sustainable solutions.

Practical implications
– There are many organisations wishing to move on from philanthropic exchange towards more meaningful integrated relationships. This paper highlights the value of both within sector and cross-sector collaboration to achieve organisational outcomes. It provides some insight into the entry points for both nonprofit organisations as well as small- to medium-sized private sector organisations that would otherwise consider social investment in large-scale societal problems beyond their reach.

Originality/value
– Social partnerships within the Australian context are under-represented; this paper addresses this by examining three best practice exemplars. The rationale for incorporating new partners and sharing success is discussed and supported by a model of social responsibility cluster formation.
Innovative public governance through cloud computing
Authors: Tsohou Aggeliki , Lee Habin , Irani Zahir 
Published: July 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze challenges and to discuss proposed solutions for innovative public governance through cloud computing. Innovative technologies, such as federation of services and cloud computing, can greatly contribute to the provision of e-government services, through scaleable and flexible systems. Furthermore, they can facilitate in reducing costs and overcoming public information segmentation. Nonetheless, when public agencies use these technologies, they encounter several associated organizational and technical changes, as well as significant challenges.

Design/methodology/approach
– We followed a multidisciplinary perspective (social, behavioral, business and technical) and conducted a conceptual analysis for analyzing the associated challenges. We conducted focus group interviews in two countries for evaluating the performance models that resulted from the conceptual analysis.

Findings
– This study identifies and analyzes several challenges that may emerge while adopting innovative technologies for public governance and e-government services. Furthermore, it presents suggested solutions deriving from the experience of designing a related platform for public governance, including issues of privacy requirements, proposed business models and key performance indicators for public services on cloud computing.

Research limitations/implications
– The challenges and solutions discussed are based on the experience gained by designing one platform. However, we rely on issues and challenges collected from four countries.

Practical implications
– The identification of challenges for innovative design of e-government services through a central portal in Europe and using service federation is expected to inform practitioners in different roles about significant changes across multiple levels that are implied and may accelerate the challenges' resolution.

Originality/value
– This is the first study that discusses from multiple perspectives and through empirical investigation the challenges to realize public governance through innovative technologies. The results emerge from an actual portal that will function at a European level.
Arsenic biotransformation by Streptomyces sp. isolated from rice rhizosphere
Authors: Kuramata Masato , Sakakibara Futa , Kataoka Ryota , Abe Tadashi , Asano Maki , Baba Koji , Takagi Kazuhiro , Ishikawa Satoru 
Published: July 2014

SummaryIsolation and functional analysis of microbes mediating the methylation of arsenic (As) in paddy soils is important for understanding the origin of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) in rice grains. Here, we isolated from the rice rhizosphere a unique bacterium responsible for As methylation. Strain GSRB54, which was isolated from the roots of rice plants grown in As‐contaminated paddy soil under anaerobic conditions, was classified into the genus Streptomyces by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. Sequence analysis of the arsenite S‐adenosylmethionine methyltransferase (arsM) gene revealed that GSRB54 arsM was phylogenetically different from known arsM genes in other bacteria. This strain produced DMA and monomethylarsonic acid when cultured in liquid medium containing arsenite [As(III)]. Heterologous expression of GSRB54 arsM in Escherichia coli promoted methylation of As(III) by converting it into DMA and trimethylarsine oxide. These results demonstrate that strain GSRB54 has a strong ability to methylate As. In addition, DMA was detected in the shoots of rice grown in liquid medium inoculated with GSRB54 and containing As(III). Since Streptomyces are generally aerobic bacteria, we speculate that strain GSRB54 inhabits the oxidative zone around roots of paddy rice and is associated with DMA accumulation in rice grains through As methylation in the rice rhizosphere.
Ten real‐time PCR assays for detection of fish predation at the community level in the San Francisco Estuary–Delta
Authors: Brandl Scott , Schumer Gregg , Schreier Brian M. , Conrad Jessica L. , May Bernie , Baerwald Melinda R. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractThe effect of predation on native fish by introduced species in the San Francisco Estuary–Delta (SFE) has not been thoroughly studied despite its potential to impact species abundances. Species‐specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) is an accurate method for identifying species from exogenous DNA samples. Quantitative PCR assays can be used for detecting prey in gut contents or faeces, discriminating between cryptic species, or detecting rare aquatic species. We designed ten TaqMan qPCR assays for fish species from the SFE watershed most likely to be affected by non‐native piscivores. The assays designed are highly specific, producing no signal from co‐occurring or related species, and sensitive, with a limit of detection between 3.2 and 0.013 pg/μL of target DNA. These assays will be used in conjunction with a high‐throughput qPCR platform to compare predation rates between native and non‐native piscivores and assess the impacts of predation in the system.
Targeted detection of mammalian species using carrion fly‐derived DNA
Authors: Schubert Grit , Stockhausen Melanie , Hoffmann Constanze , Merkel Kevin , Vigilant Linda , Leendertz Fabian H. , Calvignac‐Spencer Sébastien 
Published: July 2014

AbstractDNA analysis from carrion flies (iDNA analysis) has recently been promoted as a powerful tool for cost‐ and time‐efficient monitoring of wildlife. While originally applied to identify any mammalian species present in an area, it should also allow for targeted detection of species and individuals. Using carrion flies captured in the Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, we assessed this possibility by (i) screening carrion fly DNA extracts with nonspecific and species‐specific PCR systems, respectively, targeting mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) fragments of any mammal or of Jentink's duiker (Cephalophus jentinki), three colobine monkeys (subfamily Colobinae) and sooty mangabey (Cercocebus atys); and (ii) genotyping carrion fly extracts containing sooty mangabey mtDNA. In comparison with the nonspecific PCR assay, the use of specific PCRs increased the frequency of detection of target species up to threefold. Detection rates partially reflected relative abundances of target species in the area. Amplification of seven microsatellite loci from carrion flies positive for sooty mangabey mtDNA yielded an average PCR success of 46%, showing that the identification of individuals is, to some extent, possible. Regression analysis of microsatellite PCR success and mtDNA concentration revealed that, among all carrion flies analysed for this study, 1% contained amounts of mammal mtDNA sufficient to attempt genotyping with potentially high success. We conclude that carrion fly‐derived DNA analysis represents a promising tool for targeted monitoring of mammals in their natural habitat.
IGF‐I regulates the age‐dependent signaling peptide humanin
Authors: Lee Changhan , Wan Junxiang , Miyazaki Brian , Fang Yimin , Guevara‐Aguirre Jaime , Yen Kelvin , Longo Valter , Bartke Andrzej , Cohen Pinchas 
Published: July 2014

SummaryAging is influenced by endocrine pathways including the growth hormone/insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (GH/IGF) axis. Mitochondrial function has also been linked to the aging process, but the relevant mitochondrial signals mediating the effects of mitochondria are poorly understood. Humanin is a novel signaling peptide that acts as a potent regulator of cellular stress responses and protects from a variety of in vitro and in vivo toxic and metabolic insults. The circulating levels of humanin decline with age in mice and humans. Here, we demonstrate a negative correlation between the activity of the GH‐IGF axis and the levels of humanin, as well as a positive correlation between humanin and lifespan in mouse models with altered GH/IGF‐I axis. Long‐lived, GH‐deficient Ames mice displayed elevated humanin levels, while short‐lived GH‐transgenic mice have reduced humanin levels. Furthermore, treatment with GH or IGF‐I reduced circulating humanin levels in both mice and human subjects. Our results indicate that GH and IGF are potent regulators of humanin levels and that humanin levels correlate with lifespan in mice. This suggests that humanin represents a circulating mitochondrial signal that participates in modulating the aging process, adding a coordinated mitochondrial element to the endocrine regulation of aging.
Pictorial key to adult femaleCulicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera:Ceratopogonidae) from theNorthernTerritory,WesternAustralia andSouthAustralia
Authors: Bellis Glenn A , Halling Luke , Anderson Stacey J 
Published: July 2014

AbstractAn illustrated key to aid in separating adult females of the 64 species ofCulicoidesreported from theNorthernTerritory,WesternAustralia andSouthAustralia, and some important livestock pest species not present in these regions is presented. The key uses characters visible under a stereomicroscope and does not attempt to distinguish those species that are separable only on characters visible on slide‐mounted specimens.C. asianaBellis is proposed as a replacement name forC. asiaticaBellis.