bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
FINRA 2015 regulatory and examinations priorities
Authors: Wirig Matthew T. 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– To summarize the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) 2015 Regulatory and Examinations Priorities Letter.

Design/methodology/approach
– Provides a brief summary of the general compliance and supervisory challenges described by FINRA. Highlights key sales practice concerns raised by FINRA. Briefly summarizes FINRA’s 2015 key financial and operational priorities. Summarizes FINRA market integrity focuses for 2015. Encourages firms to consider the FINRA 2015 regulatory and examination priorities alongside the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) examination priorities for 2015 as they review their policies, procedures and business activities.

Findings
– FINRA’s 2015 Regulatory and Examinations Priorities Letter focuses on: key areas FINRA has observed contributing to member firm compliance and supervisory deficiencies, its observation of an increase in firms failing to file timely responses to information requests in connection with examinations and investigations, key sales practice issues, financial and operational issues, and market integrity matters.

Practical implications
– Firms should review these priorities alongside the SEC’s examination priorities for 2015. Where firms observe deficiencies in their own practices, adjustments should be made before they find themselves the subject of a FINRA or SEC investigation, examination or enforcement action.

Originality/value
– Practical explanation by experienced financial services lawyer.
SEC IM staff issues guidance update on mixed and shared funding
Authors: Robinson Keith T. , Church Kimberley 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– The article alerts investment companies and insurers of important SEC staff interpretive guidance regarding reliance on industry-standard exemptive relief.

Design/methodology/approach
– Current industry practices and the SEC staff’s guidance are summarized, followed by a brief discussion of the potential implications to insurance companies and investment companies.

Findings
– The SEC staff recognizes that the current approach to mixed and shared funding may be outdated, with the result that insurance companies and investment companies may be able to reduce compliance and regulatory burdens.

Practical implications
– It is still too soon to gauge industry reaction, but insurance companies and investment companies should monitor industry practices relating to mixed and shared funding to determine whether they need to obtain and comply with industry-standard exemptive relief.

Originality/value
– The SEC staff clearly recognizes that insurance companies issuing variable insurance contracts, and the funds that serve as their underlying investments, may be able to reduce compliance monitoring burdens and simplify their operations.
FINRA publishes its 2015 “Report on Cybersecurity Practices”
Authors: Kuhlman Richard , Kempf Jason 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– To summarize and comment on FINRA’s report on cybersecurity practices, published on February 4, 2015, which arose from its 2014 targeted examination of firms’ cybersecurity preparedness.

Design/methodology/approach
– Explains the implications of the FINRA report and general guidance FINRA provides and expects all firms to consider in connection with developing their respective cybersecurity programs in eight areas: governance and risk management for cybersecurity; cybersecurity risk assessment; technical controls; incident response planning; vendor management; staff training; cyber intelligence and information sharing; and cyber insurance.

Findings
– There is no doubt that cybersecurity is a key risk facing the financial services industry now. Accordingly, FINRA expects that firms will review the report and assess how the principles and effective practices provided therein could help build or improve cybersecurity readiness. The report reflects FINRA’s risk-management-based approach to cybersecurity issues, identifying principles and “effective practices” for member firms to consider, as opposed to decreeing specific requirements, policies or procedures.

Originality/value
– Expert guidance from experienced securities lawyers.
Identity under challenge
Authors: Nach Hamid 
Published: June 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine how people respond when their identity is challenged as they use computerized information systems in organizational settings. Using the critical realism perspective, the author built on the identity control theory and suggested a set of generative mechanisms that shed light on how individuals respond to the challenges that information technology (IT) poses to their identities when performing their jobs and how it affects their sense of self.Design/methodology/approach– The author conducted a field study in a Canadian health-care institution with the objective to examine how doctors and nurses coped with challenges posed by an Electronic Health Records system to their identities and how these systems shaped their identities. The author’s data are essentially qualitative. The author used retroduction as a mode off inference which combines both induction and deduction. The author hypothesized a set of identity mechanisms that are enacted as a response to a threat posed by IT in the work place. The author uses the evidence from the field study to verify the existence of these mechanisms and uncover new constructs and relationships that could enrich the understanding of the phenomenon.Findings– The results allowed to verify and provide an updated view of the proposed generative mechanisms that are triggered when identity is put to challenge by IT in the workplace. The identified mechanisms are, identity adjusting, IT threat neutralizing and emotion regulating. Their outcomes, which are, reinforced identity, redefined identity, ambivalent identity and anti-identity are much dependent on the availability and the breadth of personal and organizational resources people have at their disposal.Originality/value– The research offers a vantage point on how identities unfold in the course of interaction with technology. It contributes by providing empirically grounded mechanisms that shed light on how people response to threats posed by computerized information systems to identity and the various self-conceptions that ensue.
The dynamic capabilities perspective: from fragments to meta-theory
Authors: Schweizer Lars , Rogbeer Shalini , Michaelis Björn 
Published: June 2015

Purpose– This paper aims to show how researchers can overcome problems of fragmentation and eclecticism in an important strategy paradigm, namely, the Dynamic Capabilities (DC) perspective.Design/methodology/approach– First, the explanandum of the theory of DC, conceptualized as a theory of strategic change, is generates. Second, four main constituent theoretical perspectives of DC were selected and their explanans on the explanandum of a theory of strategic change was mapped. Third, the explanans of a theory of strategic change was parsed out to derive the critical fragmentation sources as illustrated by the classical papers in DC.Findings– First, consistent explanans of a theory of strategic change are integrated to build a meta-theory of strategic change. Second, testable propositions based on the meta-theory, in the context of industry convergence, a context which requires the development of dynamic capabilities in an uncertain and changing environmental context are developed.Originality/value– By developing a meta-theory of strategic change, researchers are provided with the tools to overcome the confusion of fragmentation and eclecticism, specifically in the field of strategy research.
Management of public sector records in Ghana: a descriptive survey
Authors: Akussah Harry , Asamoah Catherine 
Published: June 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to survey and evaluate the management of public sector records in Ghana with a view to making constructive recommendations to ensure efficiency in public administration.

Design/methodology/approach
– Published and unpublished works, in addition to institutional reports, acts and conference materials, were used for the survey and evaluation.

Findings
– Public sector records management has been a very topical issue in Africa and Ghana. It has remained a very fundamental subject in Ghana since the institution of public sector reforms in the 1990s. Before the institution of the reform programme, critical records were inaccessible due to unstructured records systems in the ministries, departments and agencies and other government establishments. It was found out that the reform programme had brought on board immense capital injection into the records management sector which enabled an overhaul of the system. All registries in the public sector were restructured, a new legislative framework was put in place, a functional records centre was established, an omnibus retention schedule was developed and a number of records staff were trained and re-trained. It was however found out that Act 535, having been in operation for 17 years, the needed regulation to make it more operational has not yet been put in place. It is the hope that with adequate funding and structural support, the new system will be sustained to the benefit of efficiency and productivity of the Ghana public sector.

Research limitations/implications
– Being a descriptive survey, the research engaged in very little evaluation of the impact of the new system put in place on the levels of efficiency and productivity in the public sector. This should be the focus of further research to be carried out.

Practical implications
– This paper has established the importance of how structures must be sustained and systems continuously re-tooled to accommodate changing trends in records management for good governance.

Originality/value
– The paper is a descriptive survey of literature, manuals reports and some degree of personal observations. It is more of a situation paper and its value resides in the precedence and the evidential value of system intervention and re-tooling.
A plant strategy approach to understand multidecadal change in community assembly processes in Australian grassy woodlands
Authors: Cross Erika L. , Green Peter T. , Morgan John W. 
Published: June 2015

Summary

The mechanisms of community assembly underpinning plant invasion are contested; limiting similarity predicts divergence in the traits of native and alien species whilst habitat filtering predicts trait convergence. Using site‐based floristic data collected three decades apart, we ask whether the competitor–stress tolerator–ruderal (CSR) strategies of herbaceous alien and native plant species in Australian woodlands show evidence of divergence (indicating limiting similarity) or convergence (indicating habitat filtering). We also ask whether increasing dereliction between the two sampling periods, as a result of declining fire frequency, has influenced habitat filtering processes.

Null models were used to assess the similarity in CSR strategies of native and alien species in order to identify the community assembly processes driving woodland invasions. The observed frequencies of CSR types were also compared to randomly assembled communities from null models for species experiencing increases, decreases or static abundance changes between the two surveys to assess the impacts of dereliction on habitat filters.

The spectrum of CSR strategies of the most common aliens (n = 25) was highly convergent with the strategies of the most common natives (n = 51). Competitive–ruderal species dominated the flora (> 30% of all species), and strict competitors were absent. No aliens exhibited a stress‐tolerant strategy, and ruderals were more common in the alien flora (i.e. 36% vs. 18% of native species). Null models revealed differences in the CSR strategies of increaser and decreaser species at three of the ten sites examined, although none of these trends were consistent across the sites, indicating that increasing dereliction has not dramatically altered the habitat filters determining species admission.

Synthesis. The similarity of CSR types between alien and native species indicates that habitat filtering is the principal community assembly process operating in the study region. We discuss our findings with respect to suggestions that limiting similarity and environmental filtering may be occurring simultaneously to structure plant communities. Species abundance changes due to dereliction were not evident as a coordinated shift in the functional composition of woodland dominants suggesting that time lags between altered management regimes (dereliction) and the functional response of species to habitat filters may still be playing out.
An interim framework for assessing the population consequences of disturbance
Authors: King Stephanie L. , Schick Robert S. , Donovan Carl , Booth Cormac G. , Burgman Mark , Thomas Len , Harwood John 
Published: June 2015

SummaryChanges in natural patterns of animal behaviour and physiology resulting from anthropogenic disturbance may alter the conservation status of a population if they affect the ability of individuals to survive, breed or grow. However, information to forecast population‐level consequences of such changes is often lacking.We developed an interim framework to assess the population consequences of disturbance when empirical information is sparse. We show how daily effects of disturbance, which are often straightforward to estimate, can be scaled to the disturbance duration and to multiple sources of disturbance.We used expert elicitation to estimate parameters that define how changes in individual behaviour or physiology affect vital rates and incorporated them into a stochastic population model. Model outputs can be used to evaluate cumulative impacts of disturbance over space and time. As an example, we forecast the potential effects of disturbance from offshore wind farm construction on theNorthSea harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) population.Synthesis and applications. The interim framework can be used to forecast the effects of disturbances from human activities on animal populations, to assess the effectiveness of mitigation measures and to identify priority areas for research that reduces uncertainty in population forecasts. The last two applications are likely to be important in situations where there is a risk of unacceptable change in a species' conservation status. The framework should, however, be augmented with empirical data as soon as these are available.
An approach to estimate short‐term, long‐term and reaction norm repeatability
Authors: Araya‐Ajoy Yimen G. , Mathot Kimberley J. , Dingemanse Niels J. 
Published: June 2015

Summary

Evolutionary ecologists increasingly study reaction norms that are expressed repeatedly within the same individual's lifetime. For example, foragers continuously alter anti‐predator vigilance in response to moment‐to‐moment changes in predation risk. Variation in this form of plasticity occurs both among and within individuals. Among‐individual variation in plasticity (individual by environment interaction or I × E) is commonly studied; by contrast, despite increasing interest in its evolution and ecology, within‐individual variation in phenotypic plasticity is not.

We outline a study design based on repeated measures and a multilevel extension of random regression models that enables quantification of variation in reaction norms at different hierarchical levels (such as among and within individuals). The approach enables the calculation of repeatability of reaction norm intercepts (average phenotype) and slopes (level of phenotypic plasticity); these indices are not specific to measurement or scaling and are readily comparable across data sets.

The proposed study design also enables calculation of repeatability at different temporal scales (such as short‐ and long‐term repeatability), thereby answering calls for the development of approaches enabling scale‐dependent repeatability calculations.

We introduce a simulation package in the R statistical language to assess power, imprecision and bias for multilevel random regression that may be utilised for realistic data sets (unequal sample sizes across individuals, missing data, etc).

We apply the idea to a worked example to illustrate its utility. We conclude that consideration of multilevel variation in reaction norms deepens our understanding of the hierarchical structuring of labile characters and helps reveal the biology in heterogeneous patterns of within‐individual variance that would otherwise remain ‘unexplained’ residual variance.
Accuracy of information on medication use and adverse drug reactions recorded in pregnancy hand‐held records
Authors: Nash Lauren , Dixon Rowena , Eaton Vaughn , Grzeskowiak Luke E 
Published: June 2015

BackgroundPregnancy hand‐held records (PHR) are a personally controlled health record utilised in the promotion of continuity of care across pregnancy by providing a single resource for the recording of pregnancy‐related health information.AimsTo determine the accuracy of the PHR in relation to information on medications and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and to examine the frequency and nature of any identified discrepancies.Materials and MethodsA 12‐week prospective clinical audit of 300 women admitted to either the antenatal or postnatal ward at a tertiary‐level maternity hospital. A detailed medication history was completed for each woman by a pharmacist, with women interviewed about medication use prior to and during their pregnancy as well as any ADRs. The medication history and PHR were compared to identify discrepancies.ResultsMedication discrepancies were extremely common, with 254 (84.7%; 95% CI 80.6–88.8%) women having at least one or more medication‐related discrepancy involving 686 (55%; 95% CI 52.2–57.8%) prescription and nonprescription medications. Most common reasons for prescription medication discrepancies included the medication details being incomplete (44%), missing (29%) or incorrect (17%). ADRs and allergy discrepancies were also common, identified among 59 (20%; 95% CI 15.5–24.5%) women.ConclusionsThe PHR is of low accuracy in relation to the recording of medications and ADRs. This warrants further research to examine the impact of these discrepancies on patient care and outcomes. The identification of strategies for improving the recording of information on medications and ADRs in the PHR is also required.
Investigation of cancer mortality inequalities between rural and urban areas in South Korea
Authors: Choi Kyung‐Mee 
Published: June 2015

AbstractObjectiveLittle is known about rural–urban cancer disparities, particularly in South Korea, and this study is to identify cancer‐specific mortality inequalities between the rural and urban areas of the country.Design, setting, and participantsFor 11 specific cancer sites, age‐standardised mortality rates were analysed for the rural and urban administrative districts of South Korea during 2006–2011.Main outcome measuresThe Poisson log linear regression models were employed to estimate cancer‐specific mortality rates, and Bonferroni comparison method was used to identify rural–urban disparities.ResultsThere were significant rural–urban disparities observed for all cancer sites except prostate, pancreas and leukaemia. The mortality rates of lung, liver and stomach cancers, the three most common cancers in the country, were observed to be significantly higher in rural areas than in metropolitan areas. In contrast, the reverse relationship was observed for the reproductive system (breast and uterus) and colon cancers. Central nervous system cancer mortality was observed to be significantly higher in rural areas than in non‐metro urban areas.ConclusionsFor the first time ever, significant rural–urban disparity patterns in cancer mortality rates in South Korea have been identified in this paper. Future investigations on cancer risk factors for the country should address these disparity patterns.
Estimation of the optimum standardized ileal digestible total sulfur amino acid to lysine ratio in late finishing gilts fed low protein diets supplemented with crystalline amino acids
Authors: Ma Wenfeng , Zhu Jinlong , Zeng Xiangfang , Liu Xutong , Thacker Philip , Qiao Shiyan 
Published: June 2015

AbstractA total of 90 gilts were used to investigate the effects of various standard ileal digestible (SID) total sulfur amino acid (TSAA) to lysine (Lys) ratios on the performance and carcass characteristics of late finishing gilts receiving low crude protein (CP) diets supplemented with crystalline amino acids (CAA). Graded levels of crystalline methionine (Met) (0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8 or 1.1 g/kg) were added to the basal diet to produce diets providing SID TSAA to Lys ratios of 0.48, 0.53, 0.58, 0.63 or 0.68. At the termination of the experiment, 30 gilts (one pig per pen) with an average body weight (BW) of 120 kg were killed to evaluate carcass traits. Increasing the SID TSAA to Lys ratio increased average daily gain (ADG) (linear and quadratic effect, P < 0.05), improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) (linear and quadratic effect, P < 0.05) and decreased serum urea nitrogen (SUN) concentration (linear and quadratic effect, P < 0.05) of finishing gilts. No effects were obtained for carcass traits. The optimum SID TSAA to Lys ratios to maximize ADG as well as to minimize FCR and SUN levels were 0.57, 0.58 and 0.53 using a linear‐break point model and 0.64, 0.62 and 0.61 using a quadratic model.
The trials and hopes for drug development in sickle cell disease
Authors: Ataga Kenneth I. , Stocker Jonathan 
Published: June 2015

SummaryAlthough sickle cell disease (SCD) is highly prevalent worldwide, it is a rare disease in the United States and Europe. Over the past decade, there has been an increased understanding of the pathophysiology of SCD. While multiple drugs have been tested, only one drug, hydroxycarbamide, is approved by the relevant regulatory agencies specifically for this disease. Due to the combination of an improved understanding of disease pathophysiology, governmental support and the success of several recently approved drugs for other orphan diseases, there is an increased interest in the development of targeted drugs for SCD. Novel drugs that are currently being evaluated include haemoglobin F inducers, anti‐sickling agents, anti‐oxidants, anti‐adhesive agents, anti‐inflammatory agents, anticoagulants and anti‐platelet agents. In addition to the evaluation of acute pain crisis as a study endpoint, clinical trials employing other SCD‐related complications, exercise capacity, as well as patient reported outcomes are warranted and necessary in order to advance the development of these novel therapeutic agents. Finally, despite the availability of multiple biomarkers, many of these are of limited clinical value in SCD and require further assessment in prospective studies to validate their prognostic importance before they are acceptable as surrogate endpoints.