bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Industrial sector and financial distress
Authors: Smith Malcolm , Liou Dah‐Kwei 
Published: April 2007

PurposeA number of authors have noted that industrial sector is a significant factor in the design and construction of failure prediction models, suggesting that organisational structures dictate the construction of separate models for different sectors. However, most modellers have been content to amalgamate sub‐sectors of the “manufacturing” classification (often because of otherwise facing sample size difficulties) to produce a single manufacturing sector model. This paper seeks to examine the differences that exist across the manufacturing sector to identify those sub‐sectors for which such amalgamation is inadvisable.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the correlation of traditional financial ratios with sector performance for a large sample of UK companies. A proprietary Z‐score failure prediction model is used to evaluate the solvency of 340 manufacturing companies, in order to determine the pattern of misclassification errors, and their association with industrial sector.FindingsThe paper identifies sub‐sectors whose inclusion would make traditional models vulnerable to error, and makes suggestions regarding their continued inclusion for modelling purposes.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper makes suggestions for data selection in the construction of failure prediction models.Practical implicationsThe classificatory ability of failure prediction models should be improved, notably through a reduction in the incidence of Type 2 errors. Users of financial models for evaluating companies as investments and/or their worthiness as suppliers or creditors will have more reliable information at their disposal.Originality/valueContribution to knowledge of the explanatory factors associated with corporate failure.
CONTEXT: the shared knowledge enigma
Authors: Bennet Alex , Bennet David 
Published: April 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a systems perspective of context avenues that impact the knowledge‐sharing process.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a brief introduction of the meaning of context, an example of face‐to‐face interaction is used to explore the term “context‐sensitive” in terms of sharing knowledge in a one‐way single exchange from a source to a perceiver. Eight different context avenues are presented, their relationship to the conscious and unconscious mind addressed, and their impact on the sharing of knowledge considered.FindingsThe authors posit that there are eight primary context avenues that potentially impact the creation of knowledge in terms of shared understanding and meaning, and that the higher the number of related patterns forwarded through content and context the greater the resonance of shared understanding. Further, that the unconscious mind plays a significant role in embedding context and creating meaning.Originality/valueThis paper provides a shift in perception from the transmission of information to the sharing and re‐creation of knowledge in terms of shared understanding and meaning. It also presents a new model of context avenues impacting the sharing of knowledge.
Using RP to promote collaborative design of customised medical implants
Authors: Truscott Michèle , de Beer Deon , Vicatos George , Hosking Keith , Barnard Ludrick , Booysen Gerrie , Ian Campbell R. 
Published: April 2007

PurposeThe last decade has seen major advances in rapid prototyping (RP), with it becoming a multi‐disciplinary technology, crossing various research fields, and connecting continents. Process and material advancements open up new applications and manufacturing (through RP) is serving non‐traditional industries. RP technology is used to support rapid product development (RPD). The purpose of this paper is to describe how the Integrated Product Development research group of the Central University of Technology, Free State, South Africa is applying various CAD/CAM/RP technologies to support a medical team from the Grootte Schuur and Vincent Palotti hospitals in Cape Town, to save limbs – as a last resort at a stage where conventional medical techniques or practices may not apply any longer.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses action research to justify the proposal of a new method to use CAD/CAM/RP related technologies to substitute lost/damaged bone regions through the use of CT to CAD to.STL manipulation.FindingsA case study where RP related technologies were used to support medical product development for a patient with severe injuries from a road accident is discussed.Originality/valueThe paper considers current available technologies, and discusses new advancements in direct metal freeform fabrication, and its potential to revolutionise the medical industry.
Meeting the needs of the workplace and the learner through work‐based learning
Authors: Rhodes Garth , Shiel Gillian 
Published: April 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the value and learning potential of work‐based projects to both worker‐researchers and their organisations.Design/methodology/approachWithin the School of Health, Community and Education Studies at Northumbria University, work‐based learning (WBL) programmes are becoming increasingly important as a vehicle to enable individuals to gain academic credit and qualifications through developing their personal and professional repertoire of skills and knowledge, and also as a mechanism to improve organisational practice/change. To this end the School has used work‐based projects (WBPs) to work innovatively in partnership with employers. Three short case studies are used to explore how WBPs have been used effectively to meet the particular needs of both the workplace and the learner and to discuss the challenges that these initiatives pose in higher education (HE).FindingsThe paper finds that a number of identified issues currently challenging the authors' approaches to WBL have a wider resonance across the WBL community: issues concerning individuals undertaking work‐based‐learning who are unfamiliar with academic learning and how they can be supported to use the skills of enquiry as a tool to implement change in practice; the complexities of using WBL approaches within multi‐ professional groups at differing stages in the continuum from novice to expert and who present individual diverse entry behaviour and learning needs; and the challenges facing the WBL academic working, to recognise and assess the diverse learning acquired throughout the WBL journey so that it can be formally recognised within an HE setting.Originality/valueThe interrelation between action learning, action research and WBPs is introduced and discussed and the impact of the WBL process on the learner, the HE academic and the organisation scrutinised.
Sustainable development cognitive map: a new method of evaluating student understanding
Authors: Lourdel Nathalie , Gondran Natacha , Laforest Valérie , Debray Bruno , Brodhag Christian 
Published: April 2007

PurposeOwing to its complexity, sustainable development (SD) cannot be simply integrated as a supplementary course within the engineer's curricula. The first aim of this paper is to focus on how to reflect pedagogically this complexity. After dealing with these questions, the paper aims to present a tool that can evaluate the student's understanding of SD concepts.Design/methodology/approachA method of analysis of a student's sustainability's comprehension, based on cognitive maps, has been developed. The students are asked to write and connect by arrows all the terms that they associate to the concept of SD. The assessment of the aforementioned cognitive maps is based on an approach via semantic category.FindingsThis study shows that the students' perception of SD before the training seems mainly focalised on environmental and economical aspects. After the SD course, an increase of the number of words quoted is noted for each category (social and cultural aspects; stakeholders, principles of SD and allusions to complexity, temporal and spatial dimensions). Their vision seems richer and wider. The training seemed successful to help the students who did not associate SD to diverse dimension to improve this perception.Practical implicationsThis cognitive map method can be a useful tool to improve learning in quantitative terms but also in qualitative terms. Identifying knowledge gaps and misunderstood ideas allows the improvement in the training.Originality/valueThis study presents a new method that can be used to evaluate the impact of training sessions on students. Another advantage is to analyse how the student's knowledge are interconnected. This seems particularly interesting because the study of this transdisciplinary concept as well, necessitates an integrated vision.
Rural‐based universities in South Africa
Authors: Nkomo Mokubung , Sehoole Chika 
Published: April 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on how two rural‐based universities in South Africa can contribute towards sustainable development especially in their immediate rural communities. It addresses the following questions: what conditions or policy frameworks exist that can engender a sustainable development trajectory? How can rural‐based universities reconstitute themselves so they can become effective agents for sustainable rural development? Historically, because of apartheid policies, these and other black universities were on the margins of the knowledge production process and have not effectively engaged in real development activities that would meaningfully improve the livelihoods of rural dwellers. The research identified policy and legislative instruments and strategies that can promote a dynamic interaction with other institutions thus empowering and promoting sustainability. The aim of the paper is to raise awareness about existing possibilities at the disposal of these institutions.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is the outcome of two research initiatives: one was a doctoral study by one of the authors, and the other was a study conducted at both universities. Both studies involved extensive interviews with a wide spectrum of stakeholders (local and provincial authorities, members of the business and university communities). Both also involved document analyses.FindingsThat rural‐based universities are advantageously situated and possess a variety of characteristics that can enable them to effectively contribute to sustainable development. These include their strategic location within the rural communities; reinventing their mission orientation so as to enhance their research capacity; expanding their intellectual/entrepreneurial/social capital; and the establishment of strong collaborative relationships.Practical implicationsThe first aim of the paper is to raise the awareness of policy makers and other stakeholders about the strategic value of these institutions. The awareness should lead to a series of engagements with appropriate individuals with the view to develop appropriate strategies for application.Originality/valueThe contribution of rural‐based universities to sustainable development has not been sufficiently researched in South Africa and, therefore, the study fills the gap by adding valuable knowledge, new perspectives, and presents possibilities for consideration.
New product development in Chinese SMEs
Authors: Mu Jifeng , Peng Gang , Tan Yi 
Published: April 2007

PurposeThe importance of innovation to the performance of firms has led to numerous studies conducted to identify the critical successful factors in new product development (NPD). However, most of these studies were conducted within the context of the developed economies or for large enterprises; relatively little is known about how firms, especially small and medium‐size enterprises (SMEs), develop new products in many of the emerging markets. This paper tries to bridge the gap by examining the key success factors of NPD in Chinese SMEs. Different from the traditional approach regarding the success factors in each stage of NPD as homogeneous, the key success factors in each stage of the NPD process are examined from a managerial perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe data used in this study were collected through a multi‐stage procedure including in‐depth field interviews and surveys. Two rounds of pretests were used to refine the measurements, and the 74 questionnaires retuned in the third round were used to analyze the key success factors for NPD through score ranking and principal component analysis.FindingsChinese SMEs do not regard financial return as the primary criterion in the idea‐generation stage. Although the key success factors are relatively quite different in various stages, technological, marketing, commercial, and managerial factors are important across all stages.Research limitations/implicationsThe samples were from Beijing Incubator Alliances, which might not be representative.Practical implicationsThe results will be interesting to both researchers and managers who want to know how the Chinese SMEs develop their new products.Originality/valueVery few studies were conducted on how the Chinese SMEs develop new products, and this research contributed to this important topic. Various success factors were examined for each stage of the NPD process from a managerial perspective, rather than viewing the success factors in each stage of NPD as homogeneous, as most previous research has suggested.
Energy vulnerability and its management
Authors: Percebois Jacques 
Published: April 2007

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to clarify the distinction between vulnerability and energy dependence of a country and to present simple indicators that are used to analyse energy vulnerability.Design/methodology/approachThis paper introduces the different facets of the energy vulnerability concept and discusses the options available to manage risks arising from energy vulnerability.FindingsThe concept of energy vulnerability takes various forms and cannot be reduced to appreciating the degree of dependency of a country concerning energy supplies.Originality/valueThe contribution of the paper lies in offering a coherent set of indicators for analysing the energy vulnerability issue and in identifying a potential research area of developing a composite indicator of vulnerability similar to that of the human development indicator.
CO migration pathways in cytochrome P450cam studied by molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Mouawad Liliane , Tetreau Catherine , Abdel‐Azeim Safwat , Perahia David , Lavalette Daniel 
Published: March 2007

AbstractPrevious laser flash photolysis investigations between 100 and 300 K have shown that the kinetics of CO rebinding with cytochrome P450cam(camphor) consist of up to four different processes revealing a complex internal dynamics after ligand dissociation. In the present work, molecular dynamics simulations were undertaken on the ternary complex P450cam(cam)(CO) to explore the CO migration pathways, monitor the internal cavities of the protein, and localize the CO docking sites. One trajectory of 1 nsec with the protein in a water box and 36 trajectories of 1 nsec in the vacuum were calculated. In each trajectory, the protein contained only one CO ligand on which no constraints were applied. The simulations were performed at 200, 300, and 320 K. The results indicate the presence of seven CO docking sites, mainly hydrophobic, located in the same moiety of the protein. Two of them coincide with xenon binding sites identified by crystallography. The protein matrix exhibits eight persistent internal cavities, four of which corresponding to the ligand docking sites. In addition, it was observed that water molecules entering the protein were mainly attracted into the polar pockets, far away from the CO docking sites. Finally, the identified CO migration pathways provide a consistent interpretation of the experimental rebinding kinetics.
Exploring subdomain cooperativity in T4 lysozyme I: Structural and energetic studies of a circular permutant and protein fragment
Authors: Cellitti Jason , Llinas Manuel , Echols Nathaniel , Shank Elizabeth A. , Gillespie Blake , Kwon Ester , Crowder Scott M. , Dahlquist Frederick W. , Alber Tom , Marqusee Susan 
Published: March 2007

AbstractSmall proteins are generally observed to fold in an apparent two‐state manner. Recently, however, more sensitive techniques have demonstrated that even seemingly single‐domain proteins are actually made up of smaller subdomains. T4 lysozyme is one such protein. We explored the relative autonomy of its two individual subdomains and their contribution to the overall stability of T4 lysozyme by examining a circular permutation (CP13*) that relocates the N‐terminal A‐helix, creating subdomains that are contiguous in sequence. By determining the high‐resolution structure of CP13* and characterizing its energy landscape using native state hydrogen exchange (NSHX), we show that connectivity between the subdomains is an important determinant of the energetic cooperativity but not structural integrity of the protein. The circular permutation results in a protein more easily able to populate a partially unfolded form in which the C‐terminal subdomain is folded and the N‐terminal subdomain is unfolded. We also created a fragment model of this intermediate and demonstrate using X‐ray crystallography that its structure is identical to the corresponding residues in the full‐length protein with the exception of a small network of hydrophobic interactions. In sum, we conclude that the C‐terminal subdomain dominates the energetics of T4 lysozyme folding, and the A‐helix serves an important role in coupling the two subdomains.
Exploring subdomain cooperativity in T4 lysozyme II: Uncovering the C‐terminal subdomain as a hidden intermediate in the kinetic folding pathway
Authors: Cellitti Jason , Bernstein Rachel , Marqusee Susan 
Published: March 2007

AbstractIntermediates along a protein's folding pathway can play an important role in its biology. Previous kinetics studies have revealed an early folding intermediate for T4 lysozyme, a small, well‐characterized protein composed of an N‐terminal and a C‐terminal subdomain. Pulse‐labeling hydrogen exchange studies suggest that residues from both subdomains contribute to the structure of this intermediate. On the other hand, equilibrium native state hydrogen experiments have revealed a high‐energy, partially unfolded form of the protein that has an unstructured N‐terminal subdomain and a structured C‐terminal subdomain. To resolve this discrepancy between kinetics and equilibrium data, we performed detailed kinetics analyses of the folding and unfolding pathways of T4 lysozyme, as well as several point mutants and large‐scale variants. The data support the argument for the presence of two distinct intermediates, one present on each side of the rate‐limiting transition state barrier. The effects of circular permutation and site‐specific mutations in the wild‐type and circular permutant background, as well as a fragment containing just the C‐terminal subdomain, support a model for the unfolding intermediate with an unfolded N‐terminal and a folded C‐terminal subdomain. Our results suggest that the partially unfolded form identified by native state hydrogen exchange resides on the folded side of the rate‐limiting transition state and is, therefore, under most conditions, a “hidden” intermediate.
The first step of hen egg white lysozyme fibrillation, irreversible partial unfolding, is a two‐state transition
Authors: Xu Ming , Shashilov Victor A. , Ermolenkov Vladimir V. , Fredriksen Laura , Zagorevski Dmitri , Lednev Igor K. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractAmyloid fibril depositions are associated with many neurodegenerative diseases as well as amyloidosis. The detailed molecular mechanism of fibrillation is still far from complete understanding. In our previous study of in vitro fibrillation of hen egg white lysozyme, an irreversible partially unfolded intermediate was characterized. A similarity of unfolding kinetics found for the secondary and tertiary structure of lysozyme using deep UV resonance Raman (DUVRR) and tryptophan fluorescence spectroscopy leads to a hypothesis that the unfolding might be a two‐state transition. In this study, chemometric analysis, including abstract factor analysis (AFA), target factor analysis (TFA), evolving factor analysis (EFA), multivariate curve resolution–alternating least squares (ALS), and genetic algorithm, was employed to verify that only two principal components contribute to the DUVRR and fluorescence spectra of soluble fraction of lysozyme during the fibrillation process. However, a definite conclusion on the number of conformers cannot be made based solely on the above spectroscopic data although chemometric analysis suggested the existence of two principal components. Therefore, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) was also utilized to address the hypothesis. The protein ion charge state distribution (CSD) envelopes of the incubated lysozyme were well fitted with two principal components. Based on the above analysis, the partial unfolding of lysozyme during in vitro fibrillation was characterized quantitatively and proven to be a two‐state transition. The combination of ESI‐MS and Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies with advanced statistical analysis was demonstrated to be a powerful methodology for studying protein structural transformations.
Estrogen receptor–ligand complexes measured by chip‐based nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry: An approach for the screening of endocrine disruptors
Authors: Bovet Cédric , Wortmann Arno , Eiler Sylvia , Granger Florence , Ruff Marc , Gerrits Bertran , Moras Dino , Zenobi Renato 
Published: March 2007

AbstractIn the present report, a method based on chip‐based nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry (nanoESI‐MS) is described to detect noncovalent ligand binding to the human estrogen receptor α ligand‐binding domain (hERα LBD). This system represents an important environmental interest, because a wide variety of molecules, known as endocrine disruptors, can bind to the estrogen receptor (ER) and induce adverse health effects in wildlife and humans. Using proper experimental conditions, the nanoESI‐MS approach allowed for the detection of specific ligand interactions with hERα LBD. The relative gas‐phase stability of selected hERα LBD–ligand complexes did not mirror the binding affinity in solution, a result that demonstrates the prominent role of hydrophobic contacts for stabilizing ER–ligand complexes in solution. The best approach to evaluate relative solution‐binding affinity by nanoESI‐MS was to perform competitive binding experiments with 17β‐estradiol (E2) used as a reference ligand. Among the ligands tested, the relative binding affinity for hERα LBD measured by nanoESI‐MS was 4‐hydroxtamoxifen ≈ diethylstilbestrol > E2 >> genistein >> bisphenol A, consistent with the order of the binding affinities in solution. The limited reproducibility of the bound to free protein ratio measured by nanoESI‐MS for this system only allowed the binding constants (Kd) to be estimated (low nanomolar range for E2). The specificity of nanoESI‐MS combined with its speed (1 min/ligand), low sample consumption (90 pmol protein/ligand), and its sensitivity for ligand (30 ng/mL) demonstrates that this technique is a promising method for screening suspected endocrine disrupting compounds and to qualitatively evaluate their binding affinity.