bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors motivating women's informal micro‐entrepreneurship
Authors: Franck Anja K. 
Published: March 2012

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the factors which motivate women's informal micro‐entrepreneurship in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThe qualitative analysis employed in this paper is based upon empirical findings from field work conducted in the state of Penang on the north‐western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. In total, 39 hawkers (petty traders) were interviewed using an interview guide which contained open‐ended questions regarding work‐life history, labor market choices and conditions of work. The paper presents two selected case stories, as well as the general findings across the whole sample.FindingsIn contrast to the view that women's informal micro‐entrepreneurship is motivated only by “involuntary exclusion from the labor market” or “poverty”, this paper has found that women's micro‐entrepreneurship can be motivated by a wide range of factors including: to earn an income; interest in doing business; increased flexibility and autonomy; possibility to combine with family obligations; and re‐negotiating spatial practices. Conclusive with previous studies it also argues that necessity and choice may be “co‐present” in the motives to enter into entrepreneurship.Research limitations/implicationsThe limited sample of this study has implications for the generalizability of results. Further studies into the women's micro‐entrepreneurial activities in Malaysia are therefore encouraged.Social implicationsWomen's micro‐entrepreneurship is increasingly being promoted as a way to create growth and development (particularly through micro‐credit schemes). Increasing knowledge around motivational factors, performance and conditions of work for women informal micro‐entrepreneurs is therefore important when trying to establish appropriate policies.Originality/valueThere are very few studies in the Malaysian context which focus upon women's informal micro‐entrepreneurship in general and hawking in particular. This study therefore presents new knowledge around women's informal micro‐entrepreneurship in Malaysia.
Design for Six Sigma and lean product development
Authors: Gremyr Ida , Fouquet Jean‐Baptiste 
Published: March 2012

PurposeSix Sigma and lean production are established concepts in industry and academia. Both have given rise to associated concepts that have been applied in product development: Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) and Lean Product Development (LPD), respectively. Proposals are being published for the merger of DFSS and LPD, and the purpose of this paper is to discuss potential benefits and risks of such proposals.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on an interview study encompassing 11 interviews at seven companies.FindingsThe results show that a possible merger of DFSS and LPD could prove beneficial in providing guidance both on the structure and the content of improvement efforts. Further, a merger has a potential of supporting radical, as well as incremental, improvements. However, differences in industrial practices that should be considered in applications of a merged initiative are the overall goal of the improvement work (cost reduction versus waste reduction), the emphasis on what to do or on how to do it, and the documentation demanded (extensive versus short and visual).Research limitations/implicationsThis study has taken DFSS and LPD applications as its starting point, as the merged initiative of DFSS and LPD has started to develop further studies based on the implementation of the merged initiative would be of value. These studies could especially focus on the organisation of improvement work, identified in this paper as a potential area of conflict.Originality/valueThis paper discusses potential benefits as well as risks of merging DFSS and LPD based on industrial experiences. Consideration of the differences addressed, by practitioners as well as academics, will contribute to a well thought‐out design of a merger of the two concepts.
The empirical research of banks' capital buffer and risk adjustment decision making
Authors: Zheng Changjun , Xu Tinghua , Liang Wanxia 
Published: March 2012

PurposeIn order to improve banks' ability to fight against risks, China's financial regulatory authorities refer to the Basel Accord, and bank capital adequacy ratio is taken as an important means of control. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the internal mechanism between capital buffers and risk adjustment.Design/methodology/approachBased on the dynamic characteristics of a bank's continuing operations, the authors established an unbalanced panel of China's commercial bank balance‐sheet data from 1991 to 2009 and used the Generalized Method of Moments to examine the relationship between short‐term capital buffer and portfolio risk adjustments.FindingsThe authors' estimations show that the relationship between capital and risk adjustments for well capitalized banks is positive, indicating that they maintain their target level of capital by increasing (decreasing) risk when capital increases (decreases). In contrast, for banks with capital buffers approaching the minimum capital requirement, the relationship between adjustments in capital and risk is negative. That is, low capital banks either increase their buffers by reducing their risk, or gamble for resurrection by taking more risk as a means to rebuild the buffer. Moreover, the authors' estimations show that the management of short‐term adjustments in capital and risk is dependent on the size of the capital buffer.Research limitations/implicationsFrom the current research documents, there are few empirical researches on capital buffers and risk adjustment, and the research sample time limits of current papers are a little earlier. The researches did not reflect China's commercial banks' capital buffer and risk adjustment after the new Basel Accord.Practical implicationsBanks' adjustment speed of target level depends on the size of capital buffer, proving that the speed of adjusting capital buffer of banks with smaller capital buffer is significantly faster than their counterparts with larger capital buffers.Originality/valueThe paper uses the dynamic feature of banks' lasting operations as the logical starting point, which is ignored by the current researches, and investigates the internal mechanism between capital buffers and risk adjustment.
OsWRKY22, a monocot WRKY gene, plays a role in the resistance response to blast
Authors: ABBRUSCATO PAMELA , NEPUSZ TAMÁS , MIZZI LUCA , DEL CORVO MARCELLO , MORANDINI PIERO , FUMASONI IRENE , MICHEL CORINNE , PACCANARO ALBERTO , GUIDERDONI EMMANUEL , SCHAFFRATH ULRICH , MOREL JEAN‐BENOÎT , PIFFANELLI PIETRO , FAIVRE‐RAMPANT ODILE 
Published: March 2012

SUMMARYWith the aim of identifying novel regulators of host and nonhost resistance to fungi in rice, we carried out a systematic mutant screen of mutagenized lines. Two mutant wrky22 knockout lines revealed clear‐cut enhanced susceptibility to both virulent and avirulent Magnaporthe oryzae strains and altered cellular responses to nonhost Magnaporthe grisea and Blumeria graminis fungi. In addition, the analysis of the pathogen responses of 24 overexpressor OsWRKY22 lines revealed enhanced resistance phenotypes on infection with virulent M. oryzae strain, confirming that OsWRKY22 is involved in rice resistance to blast. Bioinformatic analyses determined that the OsWRKY22 gene belongs to a well‐defined cluster of monocot‐specific WRKYs. The co‐regulatory analysis revealed no significant co‐regulation of OsWRKY22 with a representative panel of OsWRKYs, supporting its unique role in a series of transcriptional responses. In contrast, inquiring a subset of biotic stress‐related Affymetrix data, a large number of resistance and defence‐related genes were found to be putatively co‐expressed with OsWRKY22. Taken together, all gathered experimental evidence places the monocot‐specific OsWRKY22 gene at the convergence point of signal transduction circuits in response to both host and nonhost fungi encountering rice plants.
Assessment of concordance of symptom reflux association tests in ambulatory pH monitoring
Authors: Kushnir V. M. , Sathyamurthy A. , Drapekin J. , Gaddam S. , Sayuk G. S. , Gyawali C. P. 
Published: March 2012

SummaryBackgroundBoth simple proportions and statistical tests are utilised for symptom‐reflux association. We systematically compared three such tests in a clinical setting.AimTo compare the three commonly used symptom reflux association tests in a large cohort of patients undergoing ambulatory pH monitoring for the evaluation of oesophageal symptoms.MethodsAmbulatory pH data from 772 symptomatic subjects (49.1 ± 0.5 years; 479 F) tested off therapy were assessed for acid exposure time (AET, elevated when pH <4 for ≥4%), symptom index (SI, ≥50% when positive), and symptom association probability (SAP) and Ghillebert probability estimate (GPE, P < 0.05 when positive). Test concordance and discordance were individually assessed; discordance between statistical tests was minor if one had P < 0.1 while the other was positive. Logistic regression determined independent predictors of test discordance.ResultsThe SAP, GPE and SI were positive in 42.7%, 39.3% and 33.9% respectively. GPE performed extremely well compared to SAP (sensitivity 0.95, specificity 0.91), with major discordance in only 2.8%. Positive concordance was significantly higher when AET was abnormal. GPE underestimated symptom association compared to SAP, whereas SAP was subject to symptom over‐counting in 33.3% of discordant cases. GPE‐SAP discordance was associated with higher AET (7.5% vs. 5.1%) and more symptoms (19.3 vs. 10.7, P > 0.001 for each comparison with concordant tests); both remained significant on logistic regression analysis (P ≤ 0.003). SI was discordant with SAP when symptoms were extremely frequent (median 19, IQR 10–32) or limited (median 1, IQR 1–2), and concordant when median 6 symptoms (IQR 3–12) were recorded.ConclusionsThe GPE can be used interchangeably with SAP in symptom reflux association. SI has uncertain value with very high and very low symptom counts.
Supragastric belches are the main determinants of troublesome belching symptoms in patients with gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease
Authors: Kessing B. F. , Bredenoord A. J. , Velosa M. , Smout A. J. P. M. 
Published: March 2012

SummaryBackgroundPatients with gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) frequently report excessive belching but it is not known what determines the severity of these complaints.AimTo determine what causes troublesome belching symptoms in GERD patients.MethodsWe included 90 consecutive patients who were referred for ambulatory 24‐h pH‐impedance measurement as part of the analysis of reflux symptoms. Overall severity of belching was reported by the patients using a 3‐point scale. Furthermore, each belch perceived during the ambulatory measurement was reported by the patients using a symptom diary.ResultsNo significant differences in frequency of gastric belches or combined liquid reflux and gastric belches were observed. However, the number of supragastric belches was significantly higher in patients with severe belching complaints compared to patients with moderate and none to mild complaints. Moreover, the number of supragastric belches which coincided with a liquid reflux episode was significantly higher in patients with severe complaints than in those with moderate and none to mild complaints. Per‐patient analysis showed that belches coinciding with a liquid reflux event were more often symptomatic than isolated belches.ConclusionsThe type of belch determines the burden of belching complaints in patients with GERD. Supragastric belches, not gastric belches determine the severity of belching complaints.
Quantitative trait loci for body growth and sex determination in the hermaphrodite teleost fish Sparus aurata L.
Authors: Loukovitis D. , Sarropoulou E. , Batargias C. , Apostolidis A. P. , Kotoulas G. , Tsigenopoulos C.S. , Chatziplis D. 
Published: March 2012

SummaryGilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) is an important marine fish in Mediterranean aquaculture. Sex determination by age and/or body weight is a critical life‐history trait, the genetic basis for which is largely unknown in this sequential hermaphrodite species. Herein, we performed a partial genome scan to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting body weight and sex using 74 informative microsatellite markers from 10 paternal half‐sib families to construct nine linkage groups (LG). In total, four growth‐related QTL (two chromosome‐wide and two genome‐wide) and six QTL related to sex determination (three pairs in three different LGs) were detected (two chromosome‐wide and one genome‐wide). The proportion of phenotypic variation explained by the body‐weight QTL ranged from 9.3% to 17.2%, showing their potential for use in marker‐assisted selection. The results obtained offer solid ground to investigate the structure and function of the genomic regions involved in the mechanisms of sex reversal.
Keeping pace with climate change: what can we learn from the spread of Lessepsian migrants?
Authors: Hiddink J.G. , Ben Rais Lasram F. , Cantrill J. , Davies A. J. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractSpecies need to move to keep pace with changing climates, but we do not know if species can move at the required speed. Spread rates of native species may underestimate how fast species can move, we therefore assessed how fast Lessepsian species (marine non‐native species that invaded the Mediterranean from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal) can spread to give a ‘best‐case’ assessment of the effects of climate change on marine biodiversity. We show that about 20% of Lessepsian species could not spread fast enough to keep pace with climate change in about 20% of the global seas and this suggests that climate change may lead to biodiversity loss. The velocity of climate change on the seabed is much lower than at the sea surface, and as a result of this the proportion of species that keep pace with climate change at the seabed was much larger than at the sea surface. This suggests that locations at depth could act as refuges for slow dispersing species. Our analysis compared different estimates of the spreading abilities of marine species and showed that the estimate of spread rates strongly affects the predicted effect of climate change on biodiversity. Providing more accurate estimates of the spreading ability of marine species should therefore have priority if we want to predict the effect of climate change on marine biodiversity. This study is a first approximation of the potential scale and distribution of global marine biodiversity loss and can provide benchmark estimates of the spread rates that species could achieve in colonizing suitable habitat. Assisted colonization may be required to maintain biodiversity in the most strongly affected areas.
Use of a white light supercontinuum laser for confocal interference‐reflection microscopy
Authors: CHIU L.‐D. , SU L. , REICHELT S. , AMOS W.B. 
Published: March 2012

SummaryShortly after its development, the white light supercontinuum laser was applied to confocal scanning microscopy as a more versatile substitute for the multiple monochromatic lasers normally used for the excitation of fluorescence. This light source is now available coupled to commercial confocal fluorescence microscopes. We have evaluated a supercontinuum laser as a source for a different purpose: confocal interferometric imaging of living cells and artificial models by interference reflection. We used light in the range 460–700 nm where this source provides a reasonably flat spectrum, and obtained images free from fringe artefacts caused by the longer coherence length of conventional lasers. We have also obtained images of cytoskeletal detail that is difficult to see with a monochromatic laser.
Extensive proteolysis of head and inner body proteins by a morphogenetic protease in the giant Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage φKZ
Authors: Thomas Julie A. , Weintraub Susan T. , Wu Weimin , Winkler Dennis C. , Cheng Naiqian , Steven Alasdair C. , Black Lindsay W. 
Published: March 2012

SummaryEncased within the 280 kb genome in the capsid of the giant myovirus φKZ is an unusual cylindrical proteinaceous ‘inner body’ of highly ordered structure. We present here mass spectrometry, bioinformatic and biochemical studies that reveal novel information about the φKZ head and the complex inner body. The identification of 39 cleavage sites in 19 φKZ head proteins indicates cleavage of many prohead proteins forms a major morphogenetic step in φKZ head maturation. The φKZ head protease, gp175, is newly identified here by a bioinformatics approach, as confirmed by a protein expression assay. Gp175 is distantly related to T4 gp21 and recognizes and cleaves head precursors at related but distinct S/A/G‐X‐E recognition sites. Within the φKZ head there are six high‐copy‐number proteins that are probable major components of the inner body. The molecular weights of five of these proteins are reduced 35–65% by cleavages making their mature form similar (26–31 kDa), while their precursors are dissimilar (36–88 kDa). Together the six abundant proteins sum to the estimated mass of the inner body (15–20 MDa). The identification of these proteins is important for future studies on the composition and function of the inner body.
Evidence of oligodendrogliosis in 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)‐induced Parkinsonism
Authors: Annese V. , Barcia C. , Ros‐Bernal F. , Gómez A. , Ros C. M. , De Pablos V. , Fernández‐Villalba E. , De Stefano M. E. , Herrero M.‐T. 
Published: March 2012

V. Annese, C. Barcia, F. Ros‐Bernal, A. Gómez, C. M. Ros, V. De Pablos, E. Fernández‐Villalba, M.‐E. De Stefano and M. T. Herrero (2013) Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology39, 132–143Evidence of oligodendrogliosis in 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)‐induced ParkinsonismAims: Mice and nonhuman primates administered with 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) represent elective experimental models of Parkinsonism, in which degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway is associated with prominent neuroinflammation, characterized by activated microglia and astrocytes in both substantia nigra (SN) and striatum. To date, it is unknown whether oligodendrocytes play a role in these events. Methods: We performed a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of oligodendrocyte‐associated changes induced by acute and chronic MPTP treatment, in the SN and striatum of mice and macaques respectively. Oligodendrocytes were immunolabelled by cell‐specific markers and analysed by confocal microscopy. Results: In both experimental models, MPTP treatment induces an increase in oligodendrocyte cell number and average size, as well as in the total area occupied by this cell type per tissue section, accompanied by evident morphological changes. This multifaceted array of changes, herein referred to as oligodendrogliosis, significantly correlates with the reduction in the level of dopaminergic innervation to the striatum. Conclusions: This event, associated with early damage of the dopaminergic neurone axons and of the complex striatal circuits of which they are part, may result in an important, although neglected, aspect in the onset and progression of Parkinsonism.
Comparative transcriptomics of three Poaceae species reveals patterns of gene expression evolution
Authors: Davidson Rebecca M. , Gowda Malali , Moghe Gaurav , Lin Haining , Vaillancourt Brieanne , Shiu Shin‐Han , Jiang Ning , Robin Buell C. 
Published: March 2012

SummaryThe Poaceae family, also known as the grasses, includes agronomically important cereal crops such as rice, maize, sorghum, and wheat. Previous comparative studies have shown that much of the gene content is shared among the grasses; however, functional conservation of orthologous genes has yet to be explored. To gain an understanding of the genome‐wide patterns of evolution of gene expression across reproductive tissues, we employed a sequence‐based approach to compare analogous transcriptomes in species representing three Poaceae subgroups including the Pooideae (Brachypodium distachyon), the Panicoideae (sorghum), and the Ehrhartoideae (rice). Our transcriptome analyses reveal that only a fraction of orthologous genes exhibit conserved expression patterns. A high proportion of conserved orthologs include genes that are upregulated in physiologically similar tissues such as leaves, anther, pistil, and embryo, while orthologs that are highly expressed in seeds show the most diverged expression patterns. More generally, we show that evolution of gene expression profiles and coding sequences in the grasses may be linked. Genes that are highly and broadly expressed tend to be conserved at the coding sequence level while genes with narrow expression patterns show accelerated rates of sequence evolution. We further show that orthologs in syntenic genomic blocks are more likely to share correlated expression patterns compared with non‐syntenic orthologs. These findings are important for agricultural improvement because sequence information is transferred from model species, such as Brachypodium, rice, and sorghum to crop plants without sequenced genomes.
Comparison of haemoglobin F detection by the acid elution test, flow cytometry and high‐performance liquid chromatography in maternal blood samples analysed for fetomaternal haemorrhage
Authors: Chambers E. , Davies L. , Evans S. , Birchall J. , Kumpel B. 
Published: March 2012

Background and Objective: All pregnant women undergoing blood grouping at Southmead Hospital are offered haemoglobinopathy screening by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RhD‐negative women who deliver RhD‐positive infants are tested for fetomaternal haemorrhage (FMH) by acid elution (AE). The effectiveness of these two assays for quantitation of FMH was compared with flow cytometry (FC).Materials and Methods: The relationship between expression of haemoglobin F (HbF) in individual cells by AE and FC and quantitation of HbF in haemolysates by HPLC was investigated, using maternal samples with unusually high levels of HbF‐positive maternal cells (F cells) or with large FMH (fetal cells). Standard anti‐D FC was performed to quantitate fetal D‐positive cells in D‐negative women and compared with FMH estimated by AE and HbF FC.Results: AE overestimated FMH when maternal F cells were increased. HbF FC distinguished F cells from fetal cells. Values of HbF determined by HPLC were less than the level of 5% used for investigation of raised fetal haemoglobin, even in the maternal samples with elevated F cells or massive FMH.Conclusions: To quantitate FMH, measurement of HbF using FC was more sensitive and accurate than AE or HPLC. HbF FC is the method of choice when results from routine investigation using AE or standard anti‐D FC are discrepant or when there is maternal and fetal RhD compatibility.