bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Do intangible investments matter? Evidence from soccer corporations
Authors: Mnzava Bernard 
Published: May 2013

PurposeThe aim of this research is to analyse the impact of intangible assets on firm’s sporting and financial performance.Design/methodology/approachThe hypothesis of this research was developed through grounded theory and previous findings from the literature. This study adopted multiple regression method to analyse the impact of intangible assets on sporting and financial performance.FindingsThe findings indicate that intangible assets affect both sporting and financial performance. This is consistent with resource‐based view theory, which maintains that firms achieve a sustainable competitive advantage and superior financial performance by owning or controlling intangible strategic assets. By intangible strategic assets, it is meant the specific and valuable capability that belongs to the organisation.Research limitations/implicationsThe finding of this study is limited to a sample of UK listed soccer corporations. A possible opportunity of future research is to replicate the current study with other corporations and explore alternative measures of intangible assets.Originality/valueThe main innovation contained in this study relies on the measure of intangible assets. This paper employed players’ registration costs as a measure of intangible assets. To my knowledge this has not been addressed before in finance and accounting research.
Ethnic diversity, distrust and corruption in Afghanistan
Authors: Mujtaba Bahaudin G. 
Published: May 2013

PurposeAfghanistan is an ethnically diverse country which has suffered from many negative consequences caused by mismanagement of diversity, low levels of education, and political acrimony among different groups. The paper seeks to discuss how cultural and ethnic diversity can lead to civil unrest and make management of a country more complex. When diversity is not managed well, its consequences can be high levels of conflict, animosity, discrimination, corruption, and distrust among different ethnic groups.Design/methodologyThis is a conceptual paper. It covers the realities of ethnic, religious and language diversity in Afghanistan based on first hand observations and experience along with findings from the literature.FindingsThe paper suggests that diversity education along with an ethical climate is especially crucial for Afghanistan if the aim is to create an inclusive culture where everyone's voice is heard, understood and integrated for implementation. A diversity continuum model for inclusivity is created for managers, expatriates, diversity officers, government officials, and educators so they can use it for their training and development programs in their efforts to create a fair work climate in Afghanistan.Research limitationsThis paper is limited to personal observations and experiences along with a review of literature from experts who write about diversity and corruption.Practical implicationsManagers, employers, and employees can use this material for training to create diversity awareness, provide diversity management skills, and to reduce unfair, discriminatory, and corrupt practices.Social implicationsEmployees of all ethnicities should know their rights and work toward the creation of an inclusive culture in Afghanistan.OriginalityThis is an original paper and the inclusivity model is created by the author for this study.
Rediscovering “Anekta mein ekta” or “kasrat mein wahdat”
Authors: Syed Jawad , Pio Edwina 
Published: May 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to offer an editorial introduction to the special issue on “Gender and diversity in organizations in South Asia”.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews the state of extant research on equality, diversity and inclusion in South Asia. It also offers an overview of the papers included in the special issue and the unique contributions they make to this field of knowledge.FindingsFindings vary for each paper; however, overall, the special issue brings to the fore theoretical ideas, alternative organizing and organisations and challenges involved in diversity management in South Asia.Research limitations/implicationsThe papers offer fresh insights in theorizing and managing diversity and equality which depart from the dominant Anglo‐centric theorizations in this field.Practical implicationsEducators, policy makers and managers in organisations may take into account various findings and recommendations offered in the papers leading to greater awareness of the challenges and opportunities to formulate context‐sensitive policies and practices of diversity in South Asia.Originality/valueBarring a few exceptions, the topic of gender and diversity management in South Asia, as for example the centrality of national culture and values, remains generally ignored in work and organization studies. Papers that are published appear in a wide variety of journals rarely achieving a critical mass. The current (special) issue of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion addresses these gaps and seeks to strengthen understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion pertaining to the region classified as South Asia.
Perceived diversity climate and employees’ organizational loyalty
Authors: Jauhari Hemang , Singh Shailendra 
Published: May 2013

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the impact of a company's diversity strategy on employees’ attitudes and behaviors at the workplace. Specifically, the paper seeks to test the relationship between perceived diversity climate and employee's organizational loyalty with mediating role of perceived organizational support.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on survey based empirical research. Measurements of predictor and criterion variables were temporally separated and the hypothesized relationships were investigated by using a structural equation modelling approach.FindingsThe findings show that perceived organizational support mediates the positive relationship between perceived diversity climate and employee's organizational loyalty, after controlling for the demographic factors.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper relies on self‐report surveys for data collection from a single organization. Future studies should consider multiple organizations for generalizability and collect data through multiple methods to avoid common‐method bias.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests that management should adopt a strategic approach to diversity management for building employees’ organizational loyalty, which will help them counter talent attraction and retention problems.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the diversity management literature by investigating how the company's diversity strategy influences employees’ attitudes and behaviors at the workplace.
Association between MEFV gene mutations and recurrent aphthous stomatitis in a cohort of Turkish patients
Authors: Kalkan Göknur , Yigit Serbulent , Karakus Nevin , Baş Yalçın , Pancar Günseli Ş. , Balta İlknur 
Published: May 2013

AbstractRecurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) has a multifactorial etiopathogenesis, an interaction between predisposing factors and/or systemic conditions and immunological components in genetically predisposed subjects. The Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene has already been identified as being responsible for familial Mediterranean fever. Because the association between MEFV gene mutations and Behçet's disease has been reported before in several studies, we considered that the role of MEFV gene mutations should be studied in patients with RAS, because of the clinical similarities of both diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the frequency and clinical significance of MEFV gene mutations in a cohort of Turkish patients with RAS. The study population comprised 100 unrelated patients with a clinical diagnosis of RAS and 156 healthy controls. Genomic DNA was isolated and genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism for the four MEFV gene mutations (M694V, M680I, V726A and E148Q). There were statistically significant differences of the MEFV gene mutation carrier rates and allele frequencies between RAS patients and healthy controls (P = 0.042, odds ratio [OR] = 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01–3.41; and P = 0.039, OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.02–3.14, respectively). Even if it is not statistically significant, the E148Q allele frequency was higher in patients with RAS than the control group. A statistically significant increased prevalence of MEFV variants in RAS patients was found. This is the first study to report that missense mutations of MEFV is associated with RAS in the Turkish population.
Collapse of the keratin filament network through the expression of mutant keratin 6c observed in a case of focal plantar keratoderma
Authors: Kubo Akiharu , Oura Yuiko , Hirano Takashige , Aoyama Yumi , Sato Showbu , Nakamura Kaori , Takae Yujiro , Amagai Masayuki 
Published: May 2013

AbstractFocal palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) with severe pain is a hallmark of pachyonychia congenita, a rare autosomal dominant disorder involving PPK and hypertrophic nail dystrophy. Some families present focal PPK with either minimal or no nail changes. Dominant‐negative mutations in any of the four identified keratin genes, KRT6A, KRT6B, KRT16 or KRT17, lead to pachyonychia congenita. However, the majority of families with focal PPK showing minimal or no nail changes do not harbor mutations in these genes. Recently, mutations of KRT6C were identified in families with focal PPK alone. Here, we report a 26‐year‐old Japanese man with focal plantar hyperkeratosis that developed at approximately 10 years of age with no palmar involvement and no nail alterations. We identified a missense KRT6C mutation c.1414G>A resulting in an p.Glu472Lys substitution, as reported in other Japanese patients. When the mutant keratin 6c protein is exogenously expressed in human HaCaT cells, a collapse of the keratin filament network is observed in a dose‐dependent manner, suggesting the mutation has a dominant‐negative effect on keratin filament network formation. The mutated residue is located at the helix termination motif of keratin 6c. The peptide sequence around this residue is highly conserved among type II, III and IV intermediate filament proteins. Glu to Lys mutations of the equivalent residue have been reported in a variety of inherited diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, corneal dystrophy and skin disorders, suggesting that this residue is vital to keratin function.
Prevalence of staphylococcal enterotoxins inStaphylococcus pseudintermediusisolates from dogs with pyoderma and healthy dogs
Authors: Tanabe Taishi , Toyoguchi Midori , Hirano Fumitaka , Chiba Mei , Onuma Kenta , Sato Hisaaki 
Published: May 2013

ABSTRACTTo investigate the role of staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) produced byStaphylococcus pseudintermediusin the pathogenesis of pyoderma, isolates from dogs with pyoderma and healthy dogs were analyzed. According to reverse passive latex agglutination, 14/184 isolates (7.6%) from dogs with pyoderma and 9/87 (10.3%) from healthy dogs produced SEs (SEA, SEC or SED). According to multiplex PCR, 99 isolates (53.7%) from dogs with pyoderma and 97 (90.8%) from healthy dogs possessed one or moresegenes. There was no significant difference regardingsesbetween dogs with pyoderma and healthy dogs. Therefore, SEs may not be a direct virulence factor in pyoderma.
Phenotypic clines, energy balances and ecological responses to climate change
Authors: Buckley Lauren B. , Nufio César R. , Kingsolver Joel G. 
Published: May 2013

Summary

The Metabolic Theory of Ecology has renewed interest in using energetics to scale across levels of ecological organization. Can scaling from individual phenotypes to population dynamics provides insight into why species have shifted their phenologies, abundances and distributions idiosyncratically in response to recent climate change?

We consider how the energetic implications of phenotypes may scale to understand population and species level responses to climate change using four focal grasshopper species along an elevation gradient in Colorado. We use a biophysical model to translate phenotypes and environmental conditions into estimates of body temperatures. We measure thermal tolerances and preferences and metabolic rates to assess rates of energy use and acquisition.

Body mass declines along the elevation gradient for all species, but mass‐specific metabolic rates increases only modestly. We find interspecific differences in both overall thermal tolerances and preferences and in the variation of these metrics along the elevation gradient. The more dispersive species exhibit significantly higher thermal tolerance and preference consistent with much of their range spanning hot, low elevation areas. When integrating these metrics to consider metabolic constraints, we find that energetic costs decrease along the elevation gradient due to decreasing body size and temperature. Opportunities for energy acquisition, as reflected by the proportion of time that falls within a grasshopper's thermal tolerance range, peak at mid elevations. We discuss methods for translating these energetic metrics into population dynamics.

Quantifying energy balances and allocation offers a viable approach for predicting how populations will respond to climate change and the consequences for species composed of populations that may be locally adapted.
Evidence for a ‘plant community economics spectrum’ driven by nutrient and water limitations in a Mediterranean rangeland of southern France
Authors: Pérez‐Ramos Ignacio M. , Roumet Catherine , Cruz Pablo , Blanchard Alain , Autran Paul , Garnier Eric 
Published: May 2013

Summary

Plant species composition and community functional structure (i.e. trait composition at the community level) result from a hierarchy of environmental filters that constrain which species and traits tend to be dominant in a given habitat.
We quantified variation in community functional structure along natural gradients of soil resources using several above‐ and below‐ground parameters and explored links among these attributes to determine whether plant resource economics can be applied at the community level in a Mediterranean rangeland of southern France.
Limitation by nitrogen, soil water and soil depth were the main ecological factors driving the functional response at the community level. Most of the community functional parameters considered in this study were more dependent on nitrogen limitation than on the other two factors, mostly related with the acquisition–conservation trade‐off at both the leaf and the root level.
We found a strong coordination between above‐ground and below‐ground components, with a high level of concordance along the resource gradients explored. As an example, tissue dry matter content – both in leaves and roots – was positively related to nitrogen limitation. These findings indicate that the leaf economic spectrum paradigm (resource conservation in resource‐poor habitats versus resource acquisition in resource‐rich habitats) can be extrapolated to the below‐ground component and extends to a plant community spectrum.
Changes in the functional structure of communities were promoted by two complementary components of variation: (i) the replacement of species with highly contrasting resource‐use strategies and, to a lesser extent, (ii) the intraspecific variation in several above‐ground traits.
Synthesis. This study showed that soil water and nutrient limitations are the main drivers controlling functional community structure in the Mediterranean rangelands studied and that shifts in this structure were mainly due to species turnover. In addition, we provided evidence for a plant community economics spectrum, based on a strong coordination between above‐ and below‐ground components in these resource‐limited communities.
Short seed‐dispersal distances and low seedling recruitment in farmland populations of bird‐dispersed cherry trees
Authors: Breitbach Nils , Böhning‐Gaese Katrin , Laube Irina , Schleuning Matthias 
Published: May 2013

Summary

In Central Europe, many plant populations are patchily distributed in human‐modified landscapes and depend on animal vectors for seed dispersal. To predict seed‐dispersal distances and locations of seeds of wild cherry trees (Prunus avium L.) in forest and farmland habitats in a human‐modified landscape, we integrate movement data and seed regurgitation times of the Common Blackbird (Turdus merula L.) in a simulation model.

We performed feeding trials with Common Blackbirds and wild cherries to determine the distribution of regurgitation times. We captured 32 male blackbirds and equipped them with radio tags to follow their movements in forest and farmland habitats. To simulate the movement of cherry seeds through the landscape, we combined the distribution of regurgitation times with bird movement data and modelled seed‐dispersal distances and locations of seed deposition for forest and farmland birds.

According to our simulations, more cherry seeds were deposited under foraging trees in farmland (20.8%) than in forest populations (9.5%). Median seed‐dispersal distances (50.8 vs. 68.2 m) and the proportion of long‐distance dispersal events (distances > 100 m) were predicted to be lower in farmland (14.9%) than in forest populations (28.2%).

In the model, forest‐dwelling blackbirds dispersed more cherry seeds into suitable habitat (98.7%) than farmland blackbirds (85.4%). In both habitats, seed deposition in suitable habitat was much higher than expected from the proportion of suitable habitat within blackbirds' home ranges, indicating directed dispersal.

To test whether differences in seed‐dispersal locations were related to recruitment success, we recorded seedling densities in farmland and forest populations of P. avium and determined survival probabilities of seedlings. Seedling densities and survival were much lower in farmland than in forest populations, even accounting for strong environmental effects on seedling recruitment.

Synthesis: Our findings show that behavioural differences of animal seed dispersers between habitat types can result in substantial changes in seed‐dispersal distances and locations in human‐modified habitats. These changes in seed‐dispersal services for bird‐dispersed plant species may be related to reduced seedling recruitment in farmland populations making such populations prone to extinction in the long term.
Improving approaches to the analysis of functional and taxonomic biotic homogenization: beyond mean specialization
Authors: Gosselin Frédéric 
Published: May 2013

Summary

Abadie et al., Journal of Ecology, 99, 2011, 1134 claim that ‘landscape disturbance causes small‐scale functional homogenization but limited taxonomic homogenization’. This statement does not seem to accurately summarize their results.
Abadie et al. provide no strong arguments in favour of a cause and effect relationship between landscape disturbance and functional homogenization because their approach is correlational.
Abadie et al. associate an index of mean community specialization with functional biotic homogenization (BH), and they in turn associate functional BH with ecosystem functioning. However, the community specialization index is associated with a very specific kind of ‘function’ – the species response – which has no clear link with ecosystem functioning. This problem is frequent in the literature on biotic homogenization.
There is no clear sign in the data shown by Abadie et al. that metrics incorporating species attributes are ‘much more reliable’ than taxonomic diversity indices.
As frequently observed in the literature on biotic homogenization within communities, their results show no sign of loser or winner species or of ‘extirpation of specialist species’. Therefore, there seems to be no evidence in support of the biotic homogenization model they propose.
Synthesis. The Average Community Specialization – a mean specialization index– is in itself incapable of identifying loser and winner species and has no clear link with ecosystem functioning. Methods other than mean trait approaches should be used to study either functional homogenization or the extirpation of specialist species.
Do niche‐structured plant communities exhibit phylogenetic conservatism? A test case in an endemic clade
Authors: Araya Yoseph N. , Silvertown Jonathan , Gowing David J. , McConway Kevin J. , Linder H. P. , Midgley Guy 
Published: May 2013

Summary

The growing literature on the phylogenetic structure of plant communities places great emphasis on the role of phylogenetic niche conservatism (PNC) in community assembly. However, the patterns revealed by such analyses are difficult to interpret in the absence of independent data on niche structure. While there is increasing evidence that plant coexistence does depend upon niche differences, it is still not clear in most cases what the relevant niche axes are.

We address this problem by testing for PNC within the African Restionaceae (‘restios’), a clade endemic to the Western Cape where we have shown niche segregation along soil moisture gradients to be common.

Significant niche segregation on soil moisture gradients occurred among restios in 7 of 10 communities sampled, but PNC was detectable in only one of these and then only by one of three methods used.

Phylogenetic analysis of the evolution of hydrological niche traits for the species pool of 37 Restionaceae in the study showed tolerance of drought to be convergent rather than conserved.

Synthesis. The demonstration that clear niche segregation may occur among related species without PNC being detectable supports the hypothesis that hydrological niche responses are evolutionarily labile. More generally, the results demonstrate that phylogenetic analysis can be a poor guide to the process of community assembly. We argue that it may in future be better to apply ecological data to the interpretation of phylogenies, rather than to follow the current preoccupation with the application of phylogenies to ecology.