bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laws of large numbers without additivity
Authors: Terán Pedro
Published: June 2014

The law of large numbers is studied under a weakening of the axiomatic properties of a probability measure. Averages do not generally converge to a point, but they are asymptotically confined in a limit set for any random variable satisfying a natural ‘finite first moment’ condition. It is also shown that their behaviour can depart strikingly from the intuitions developed in the additive case.
Automorphy lifting for residually reducible 𝑙-adic Galois representations
Authors: Thorne Jack
Published: June 2014

We prove automorphy lifting theorems for residually reducible Galois representations in the setting of unitary groups over CM fields. Our methods are inspired by those of Skinner-Wiles in the setting of

GL

2

\mbox {GL}_2

.
Well-posedness of the Prandtl equation in Sobolev spaces
Authors: Alexandre R. , Wang Y.-G. , Xu C.-J. , Yang T.
Published: June 2014

We develop a new approach to study the well-posedness theory of the Prandtl equation in Sobolev spaces by using a direct energy method under a monotonicity condition on the tangential velocity field instead of using the Crocco transformation. Precisely, we firstly investigate the linearized Prandtl equation in some weighted Sobolev spaces when the tangential velocity of the background state is monotonic in the normal variable. Then to cope with the loss of regularity of the perturbation with respect to the background state due to the degeneracy of the equation, we apply the Nash-Moser-Hörmander iteration to obtain a well-posedness theory of classical solutions to the nonlinear Prandtl equation when the initial data is a small perturbation of a monotonic shear flow.
Bi-Lipschitz embedding of projective metrics
Authors: Kovalev Leonid
Published: June 2014

We give a sufficient condition for a projective metric on a subset of a Euclidean space to admit a bi-Lipschitz embedding into Euclidean space of the same dimension.
Improving translation initiation site and stop codon recognition by using more than two classes
Authors: Pérez-Rodríguez Javier , Arroyo-Peña Alexis G. , García-Pedrajas Nicolás
Published: June 2014

Motivation: The recognition of translation initiation sites and stop codons is a fundamental part of any gene recognition program. Currently, the most successful methods use powerful classifiers, such as support vector machines with various string kernels. These methods all use two classes, one of positive instances and another one of negative instances that are constructed using sequences from the whole genome. However, the features of the negative sequences differ depending on the position of the negative samples in the gene. There are differences depending on whether they are from exons, introns, intergenic regions or any other functional part of the genome. Thus, the positive class is fairly homogeneous, as all its sequences come from the same part of the gene, but the negative class is composed of different instances. The classifier suffers from this problem. In this article, we propose the training of different classifiers with different negative, more homogeneous, classes and the combination of these classifiers for improved accuracy.

Results: The proposed method achieves better accuracy than the best state-of-the-art method, both in terms of the geometric mean of the specificity and sensitivity and the area under the receiver operating characteristic and precision recall curves. The method is tested on the whole human genome. The results for recognizing both translation initiation sites and stop codons indicated improvements in the rates of both false-negative results (FN) and false-positive results (FP). On an average, for translation initiation site recognition, the false-negative ratio was reduced by 30.2% and the FP ratio decreased by 10.9%. For stop codon prediction, FP were reduced by 41.4% and FN by 31.7%.

Availability and implementation: The source code is licensed under the General Public License and is thus freely available. The datasets and source code can be obtained from http://cib.uco.es/site-recognition .

Contact:  npedrajas@uco.es
Obesity Trends and Body Mass Index Changes After Starting Antiretroviral Treatment: The Swiss HIV Cohort Study
Authors: Hasse Barbara , Iff Martin , Ledergerber Bruno , Calmy Alexandra , Schmid Patrick , Hauser Christoph , Cavassini Matthias , Bernasconi Enos , Marzolini Catia , Tarr Philip E. ,   The Swiss HIV Cohort Study, Aubert V. , Barth J. , Battegay M. , Bernasconi E. , Böni J. , Bucher H.C. , Burton-Jeangros C. , Calmy A. , Cavassini M. , Egger M. , Elzi L. , Fehr J. , Fellay J. , Furrer H. , Fux C.A. , Gorgievski M. , Günthard H. , Haerry D. , Hasse B. , Hirsch H.H. , Hösli I. , Kahlert C. , Kaiser L. , Keiser O. , Klimkait T. , Kouyos R. , Kovari H. , Ledergerber B. , Martinetti G. , Martinez de Tejada B. , Metzner K. , Müller N. , Nadal D. , Pantaleo G. , Rauch A. , Regenass S. , Rickenbach M. , Rudin C. , Schöni-Affolter F. , Schmid P. , Schultze D. , Schüpbach J. , Speck R. , Staehelin C. , Tarr P. , Telenti A. , Trkola A. , Vernazza P. , Weber R. , Yerly S.
Published: June 2014

Background.  The factors that contribute to increasing obesity rates in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive persons and to body mass index (BMI) increase that typically occurs after starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) are incompletely characterized.

Methods.  We describe BMI trends in the entire Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) population and investigate the effects of demographics, HIV-related factors, and ART on BMI change in participants with data available before and 4 years after first starting ART.

Results.  In the SHCS, overweight/obesity prevalence increased from 13% in 1990 (n = 1641) to 38% in 2012 (n = 8150). In the participants starting ART (n = 1601), mean BMI increase was 0.92 kg/m2 per year (95% confidence interval, .83–1.0) during year 0–1 and 0.31 kg/m2 per year (0.29–0.34) during years 1–4. In multivariable analyses, annualized BMI change during year 0–1 was associated with older age (0.15 [0.06–0.24] kg/m2) and CD4 nadir <199 cells/µL compared to nadir >350 (P < .001). Annualized BMI change during years 1–4 was associated with CD4 nadir <100 cells/µL compared to nadir >350 (P = .001) and black compared to white ethnicity (0.28 [0.16–0.37] kg/m2). Individual ART combinations differed little in their contribution to BMI change.

Conclusions.  Increasing obesity rates in the SHCS over time occurred at the same time as aging of the SHCS population, demographic changes, earlier ART start, and increasingly widespread ART coverage. Body mass index increase after ART start was typically biphasic, the BMI increase in year 0–1 being as large as the increase in years 1–4 combined. The effect of ART regimen on BMI change was limited.
Diversity in Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of Dent, Flint, and Specialty Corns
Authors: Das Amit K. , Sreerama Yadahally N. , Singh Vasudeva
Published: June 2014

Dent, flint, and specialty genotypes of Indian yellow maize were evaluated for phytochemical content and their hydrophilic antioxidant capacity. Solid‐phase extraction coupled with solid–liquid extraction was used to obtain free phenolics and flavonoids from maize samples, reducing the use of excessive solvents and handling time. Bound phenolics were extracted with enhanced acidic hydrolysis to improve extractability. The phenolic contents in Indian maize genotypes ranged from 46 to 79 μmol of ferulic acid equivalents per gram of sample on a dry basis (db). Carotenoids in Indian maize genotypes were found to be equivalent to Chinese yellow maize and ranged from 13 to 24 μg/g of sample (db), whereas tocol content varied greatly in the range of 607–1,238 μg of α‐tocopherol equivalents/g of sample (db). Dent and flint corn did not exhibit differences (P > 0.05) in their phenolic contents, whereas among the specialty genotypes sweet corn contained the highest phenolics but least carotenoids (P < 0.05). Bound extracts appeared to contribute largely to 2,2′‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and ferric reducing antioxidant power of maize genotypes. Sweet corn exhibited higher antioxidant capacity (P < 0.05) among all the genotypes. The antioxidant capacities correlated well with the total phenolic contents of the maize genotypes.
Characterization of Durum Wheat Semolina by Means of a Rapid Shear‐Based Method
Authors: Marti Alessandra , Cecchini Cristina , D'Egidio Maria Grazia , Dreisoerner Jens , Pagani Maria Ambrogina
Published: June 2014

A rapid shear‐based test (the GlutoPeak test, recently proposed by Brabender) was used to investigate gluten aggregation properties of durum wheat semolina and to relate them to pasta cooking behavior. Thirty semolina samples were characterized by means of the conventional approaches used for pasta‐quality prediction (protein content, gluten index, and alveographic indices). All samples were also analyzed by the GlutoPeak test, obtaining three parameters: maximum peak torque, maximum peak time, and area under the peak. The GlutoPeak indices were significantly correlated with protein content, gluten index, and W alveographic parameter. The cooking quality of pasta obtained from the 30 semolina samples was evaluated by sensory analysis in terms of stickiness, bulkiness, firmness, and overall quality. The GlutoPeak indices were significantly correlated with the sensorial parameters. In comparison with the alveographic test, which is presently the most used rheological approach for semolina characterization, GlutoPeak analysis presents some advantages represented by a smaller amount of sample (9 g), a shorter time (less than 5 min), and the possibility that untrained analysts can carry it out. In addition, following testing with larger sample numbers, the GlutoPeak test has the potential to be used instead of the gluten index as a rapid and reliable approach for medium‐quality semolina characterization.
First Report of Orobanche aegyptiaca on Kalanchoe blossfeldiana in Iran
Authors: Yousefi A. R. , Soheily F.
Published: June 2014

The kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) is an important ornamental species belonging to Crassulaceae. This plant is grown in commercial greenhouses. A survey revealed infections of broomrape, Orobanche aegyptiaca Pers. (syn. Phelipanche aegyptiaca Walp.), on kalanchoe plants in the province of Tehran (Pakdasht, 35°26′ N, 51°40′ E, 1,003 m elevation) in northern Iran in January 2014. About 1% of total Kalanchoe pots in a greenhouse were infected. The infection of kalanchoe was confirmed by verifying the attachment of the broomrape to the kalanchoe roots. Broomrape plant heights (from the soil surface) were between 13 and 28 cm, with flowering stems 5 to 14 cm. The stems were erect, unbranched, slender, 2 to 4 mm diameter, glandular-pubescent, pale yellowish, and inflorescent rather than lax. The leaves were reduced to bracts up to 3 to 6 mm long. There was one bract and two bracteoles surrounding each flower. The bracts measured 4 to 5 mm, had ovate lanceolates shorter than the calyces, and filiform, lanceolate bracteoles measured 5 mm. The calyces measured 4 to 6 mm, and were gamosepalous, hairy, and glandular. Corollas measured 22 to 28 mm, and were medium slate blue with darker veins, slightly curved, conspicuously infundibuliform, and glandular-pubescent. Stamens were epipetalous, inserted 5 mm above the corolla base, filaments (10 to 12 mm) hairy below, anthers were villous. Style (18 to 21 mm) and stigma lobes were light steel blue. Ovary measured 5 to 7 mm. O. aegyptiaca is the most important species of the broomrape, which parasitizes important crops, such as tomato, potato, tobacco, carrot, celery, mustard, and spinach, as well as some ornamental plants, such as chrysanthemum (1,2). In this survey, low infection did not lead to visible symptoms or damage to kalanchoe, but allowed seed production by the parasite. However, the parasite weed could pose a serious threat to production of this important ornamental plant at high infection. To our knowledge, this is the first report of O. aegyptiaca parasitism on kalanchoe in Iran. Additionally, to the best of our knowledge, this finding reports the first occurrence of a Crassulaceae plants as a host for O. aegyptiaca.

References: (1) I. Ghannam et al. Am. J. Plant Sci. 3:346, 2012. (2) J. Rumsey and S. L. Jury. Watsonia 18:257, 1991.
Genetic Analysis of Leaf Rust Resistance in Six Durum Wheat Genotypes
Authors: Loladze Alexander , Kthiri Dhouha , Pozniak Curtis , Ammar Karim
Published: June 2014

Leaf rust, caused by Puccinia triticina, is one of the main fungal diseases limiting durum wheat production. This study aimed to characterize previously undescribed genes for leaf rust resistance in durum wheat. Six different resistant durum genotypes were crossed to two susceptible International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) lines and the resulting F1, F2, and F3progenies were evaluated for leaf rust reactions in the field and under greenhouse conditions. In addition, allelism tests were conducted. The results of the study indicated that most genotypes carried single effective dominant or recessive seedling resistance genes; the only exception to this was genotype Gaza, which carried one adult plant and one seedling resistance gene. In addition, it was concluded that the resistance genes identified in the current study were neither allelic to LrCamayoor Lr61, nor were they related to Lr3 or Lr14a, the genes that already are either ineffective or are considered to be vulnerable for breeding purposes. A complicated allelic or linkage relationship between the identified genes is discussed. The results of the study will be useful for breeding for durable resistance by creating polygenic complexes.
Copy number networks to guide combinatorial therapy for cancer and other disorders
Authors: Lin Andy , Smith Desmond J.
Published: June 2014

The dwindling drug pipeline is driving increased interest in the use of genome datasets to inform drug treatment. In particular, networks based on transcript data and protein-protein interactions have been used to design therapies that employ drug combinations. But there has been less focus on employing human genetic interaction networks constructed from copy number alterations (CNAs). These networks can be charted with sensitivity and precision by seeking gene pairs that tend to be amplified and/or deleted in tandem, even when they are located at a distance on the genome. Our experience with radiation hybrid (RH) panels, a library of cell clones that have been used for genetic mapping, have shown this tool can pinpoint statistically significant patterns of co-inherited gene pairs. In fact, we were able to identify gene pairs specifically associated with the mechanism of cell survival at single gene resolution. The strategy of seeking correlated CNAs can also be used to map survival networks for cancer. Although the cancer networks have lower resolution, the RH network can be leveraged to provide single gene specificity in the tumor networks. In a survival network for glioblastoma possessing single gene resolution, we found that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) oncogene interacted with 46 genes. Of these genes, ten (22%) happened to be targets for existing drugs. Here, we briefly review the previous use of molecular networks to design novel therapies. We then highlight the potential of using correlated CNAs to guide combinatorial drug treatment in common medical conditions. We focus on therapeutic opportunities in cancer, but also offer examples from autoimmune disorders and atherosclerosis.
Digital expression profiling of the compartmentalized translatome of Purkinje neurons
Authors: Kratz Anton , Beguin Pascal , Kaneko Megumi , Chimura Takahiko , Suzuki Ana Maria , Matsunaga Atsuko , Kato Sachi , Bertin Nicolas , Lassmann Timo , Vigot Réjan , Carninci Piero , Plessy Charles , Launey Thomas
Published: June 2014

Underlying the complexity of the mammalian brain is its network of neuronal connections, but also the molecular networks of signaling pathways, protein interactions, and regulated gene expression within each individual neuron. The diversity and complexity of the spatially intermingled neurons pose a serious challenge to the identification and quantification of single neuron components. To address this challenge, we present a novel approach for the study of the ribosome-associated transcriptome—the translatome—from selected subcellular domains of specific neurons, and apply it to the Purkinje cells (PCs) in the rat cerebellum. We combined microdissection, translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) in nontransgenic animals, and quantitative nanoCAGE sequencing to obtain a snapshot of RNAs bound to cytoplasmic or rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER)–associated ribosomes in the PC and its dendrites. This allowed us to discover novel markers of PCs, to determine structural aspects of genes, to find hitherto uncharacterized transcripts, and to quantify biophysically relevant genes of membrane proteins controlling ion homeostasis and neuronal electrical activities.
Conditional Auxin Response and Differential Cytokinin Profiles in Shoot Branching Mutants
Authors: Young Naomi F. , Ferguson Brett J. , Antoniadi Ioanna , Bennett Mark H. , Beveridge Christine A. , Turnbull Colin G.N.
Published: June 2014

Strigolactone (SL), auxin, and cytokinin (CK) are hormones that interact to regulate shoot branching. For example, several ramosus (rms) branching mutants in pea (Pisum sativum) have SL defects, perturbed xylem CK levels, and diminished responses to auxin in shoot decapitation assays. In contrast with the last of these characteristics, we discovered that buds on isolated nodes (explants) of rms plants instead respond normally to auxin. We hypothesized that the presence or absence of attached roots would result in transcriptional and hormonal differences in buds and subtending stem tissues, and might underlie the differential auxin response. However, decapitated plants and explants both showed similar up-regulation of CK biosynthesis genes, increased CK levels, and down-regulation of auxin transport genes. Moreover, auxin application counteracted these trends, regardless of the effectiveness of auxin at inhibiting bud growth. Multivariate analysis revealed that stem transcript and CK changes were largely associated with decapitation and/or root removal and auxin response, whereas bud transcript profiles related more to SL defects. CK clustering profiles were indicative of additional zeatin-type CKs in decapitated stems being supplied by roots and thus promoting bud growth in SL-deficient genotypes even in the presence of added auxin. This difference in CK content may explain why rms buds on explants respond better to auxin than those on decapitated plants. We further conclude that rapid changes in CK status in stems are auxin dependent but largely SL independent, suggesting a model in which auxin and CK are dominant regulators of decapitation-induced branching, whereas SLs are more important in intact plants.
Tetraammineplatinum(II) dichloride ammonia tetrasolvate
Authors: Grassl Tobias , Korber Nikolaus
Published: June 2014

The title compound, [Pt(NH3)4]Cl2·4NH3, was crystallized in liquid ammonia from the salt PtCl2. The platinum cation is coordinated by four ammonia molecules, forming a square-planar complex. The chloride anions are surrounded by nine ammonia molecules, either bound within the platinum complex or solvent molecules. The solvent ammonia molecules are packed in such a way that an extended network of N—H...N and N—H...Cl hydrogen bonds is formed. The structure is isotypic with [Pd(NH3)4]Cl2·4NH3[Grassl & Korber (2014).Acta Cryst.E70, i32].
Methyl 5-methyl-1-(1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-1H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylate
Authors: Bai Xiao-Guang , Feng Chao
Published: June 2014

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C8H9N5O2, contains two independent molecules (AandB) in which the dihedral angles between the triazole and pyrazole rings are 4.80 (14) and 8.45 (16)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by N—H...N hydrogen bonds into supramolecular independentAandBchains propagating along theb-axis direction. The crystal structure also features π–π stacking between the aromatic rings of adjacent chains, the centroid–centroid separations being 3.8001 (15), 3.8078 (17), 3.8190 (14) and 3.8421 (15) Å.
A cyclooctatrienone complex of diiron hexacarbonyl
Authors: Corfield Peter W. R.
Published: June 2014

In the title compound, [μ-(2,6,7-η:3,4,5-η)-cycloocta-2,4,6-trienone]bis(tricarbonyliron)(Fe—Fe), [Fe2(C8H8O)(CO)6], the diiron hexacarbonyl moiety has a sawhorse arrangement, with the OC—Fe—Fe—CO fragment forming the horizontal bar of the horse, and the other four carbonyl groups the legs. The Fe—Fe distance is 2.795 (2) Å. Each Fe atom is also bonded to three C atoms of the cyclooctatrienone ring. One Fe atom forms a σ-bond with one ring C atom, with Fe—C = 2.109 (2) Å, and also a metal–olefin π-bond with two C atoms on the other side of the ring, with Fe—C distances of 2.238 (2) and 2.236 (3) Å. The second Fe atom forms a η3-allyl bond with three other ring atoms, with Fe—C bond lengths of 2.158 (2), 2.062 (2), and 2.123 (3) Å. Counting the π- and π-allyl interactions as one bond, the coordinations of the Fe atoms can, respectively, be approximated as octahedral and trigonal bipyramidal.
4-Cyano-1-methylpyridinium perchlorate
Authors: Nguyen Vu D. , McCormick Cameron A. , Koplitz Lynn V. , Mague Joel T.
Published: June 2014

The title salt, C7H7N2+·ClO4−, crystallizes with alternating cations and anions in wavy sheets, which are formed by a number of C—H...O and C—H...N hydrogen bonds, lying approximately parallel to (001).
(5-n-Butyl-10,20-diisobutylporphyrinato)nickel(II)
Authors: Senge Mathias O. , Dahms Katja
Published: June 2014

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Ni(C32H36N4)], contains two independent molecules exhibiting an overall ruffled conformation of the porphyrin macrocycle and differing mainly in the positions of the methyl groups. The average Ni—N bond lengths are 1.912 (2) and 1.910 (2) Å in the two molecules. The molecules form a closely spaced lattice structure in which neighbouring porphyrins are oriented in a nearly perpendicular fashion to each other. The compound was preparedvianucleophilic substitution of (5,15-diisobutylporphyrinato)nickel(II) withn-butyllithium.
Rhetoric and argument in social and environmental reporting: the Dirty Laundry case
Authors: M. Brennan Niamh , M. Merkl-Davies Doris
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the interactive element in social and environmental reporting during a controversy between business organisations and a stakeholder over environmental performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper adopts Aristotle's triangular framework of the rhetorical situation to examine how the writer, the audience, and the purpose of communication interact in the choice of rhetorical strategies used to persuade others of the validity and legitimacy of a claim during a public controversy. The analysis focuses on the strategies (i.e. moves and their rhetorical realisations) in the form oflogos(appealing to logic),ethos(appealing to authority), andpathos(appealing to emotion), with a particular emphasis on metaphor, used to achieve social and political goals. The authors base the analysis on a case study involving a conflict between Greenpeace and six organisations in the sportswear/fashion industry over wastewater discharge of hazardous chemicals. The conflict played out in a series of 20 press releases issued by the parties over a two-month period.

Findings

– All six firms interacting with Greenpeace in the form of press releases eventually conceded to Greenpeace's demand to eliminate hazardous chemicals from their supply chains. The paper attributes this to Greenpeace's ability to harness support from other key stakeholders and to use rhetoric effectively. Results show the extensive use of rhetoric by all parties.

Originality/value

– The authors regard legitimacy construction as reliant on communication and as being achieved by organisations participating in a dialogue with stakeholders. For this purpose, the paper develops an analytical framework which situates environmental reporting in a specific rhetorical situation and links rhetoric, argument, and metaphor.
Chinese aquatic farmers' participation in modern marketing channels
Authors: Geng Xianhui
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The study uses survey data obtained in Jiangsu province, China, in June and August of 2012 to analyse the causal relations between aquatic farmers' relationship networks and trust, specific asset investments, joining in cooperatives and modern marketing channels participation.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors used the structural equation mode to analyze the variables' causal relationships.

Findings

– The research results show that Chinese aquatic farmers' relationship networks can positively impact their participation in modern channels through the mediators of trust, specific assets investments and joining in cooperatives.

Research limitations/implications

– Two constructs are measured by a single item. Further study to incorporate multi-item constructs would be valuable.

Practical implications

– The policy implication is that the government should pay attention to farmers' relationship networks and can provide them with more public goods, especially channel and price information, to assist their evaluations and decision-making, which can help them to access modern marketing channels.

Originality/value

– The authors gave the answers that whether farmers' relationship networks affect their marketing channel selection decision and the function mechanism.
Career development and individuals with physical disabilities
Authors: Villanueva-Flores Mercedes , Valle-Cabrera Ramón , Bornay-Barrachina Mar
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– Few studies have focussed on the situation of employees with physical disabilities from the perspective of human resources management – in particular on the career development expectations of this group. The purpose of this paper is to meet this need by focussing on individuals with physical disabilities in Andalusia (Spain). It analyzes three key aspects: whether the perception of discrimination is related to the perception of inequity due to their disabilities, with this relationship being moderated by gender; whether these perceptions of inequality and discrimination lead to feelings of dissatisfaction with the employing organization; and whether the perception of discrimination mediates the relationship between perceived inequity and job dissatisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using the theoretical framework of organizational justice, regression analysis is applied to test the hypotheses in a population of 459 employed people with physical disabilities.

Findings

– The results show that perceived discrimination is due to perceived inequity when peers who do not have a disability are used as comparative reference; however, this relationship is not moderated by gender. These perceptions of inequity and discrimination cause individuals to feel dissatisfaction in organizations, and a mediating effect is found for the perception of discrimination in professional development opportunities. The control variables considered, age and education, are not significant in the relationships studied.

Originality/value

– An original and valued model is proposed to explain job dissatisfaction among employees with physical disabilities and the possibility of perceiving a dual disadvantage, in their possibilities for professional development. The model links together three variables that have not previously been linked all together in the literature – perceived inequity, perceived discrimination on the grounds of disability, and dissatisfaction – highlighting that perceived discrimination on the grounds of disability mediates the relationship between perceived inequity and dissatisfaction. This model can also examine whether a dual disadvantage is perceived owing to an individual's being a woman and having a disability, considering gender as a variable that moderates the relationship between perceived inequity and perceived discrimination on the grounds of disability.
Others service experiences: emotions, perceived justice, and behavior
Authors: Mattila Anna , Hanks Lydia , Wang Chenya
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– Often, service failures are witnessed by other customers, but little is known about how consumers react to service recovery aimed at other customers. Using the deontic theory of justice, this paper aims to examine consumers' reactions to justice directed toward other customers.

Design/methodology/approach

– Two studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. Both were 2 x 2 between subjects quasi experimental designs using written scenarios and surveys. The scenarios depicted an observing customer witnessing a service failure and recovery happening to another customer.

Findings

– Results show that the valence of the recovery attempt impacted the observing customer's reactions and evaluations, and that the observer's processing frame and loyalty status of the victim impacted the observing customer's judgments of fairness and behavioral intentions.

Originality/value

– These results provide guidance to service providers by shedding light on the impact of service failures and recovery on surrounding customers.
Pricing plans for a financial advisory service
Authors: Schlereth Christian
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– In cooperation with a German online retail bank, the aim of this paper is to investigate how the bank should price a new fee-only financial advisory service. Two types of pricing plans differ in terms of their strategies for determining monthly prices: a fixed monthly price that is identical for all clients (i.e. a flat pricing plan) or a monthly price that varies as a function of each client's assets under management (i.e. a volume pricing plan).

Design/methodology/approach

– With a discrete choice experiment, this article studies client preferences for the two types of plans. To ensure that the respondents understood the financial consequences of their decisions, a price calculator was embedded into the discrete choice experiment to enable the respondents to determine their individual monthly prices based on their assets under management.

Findings

– Methodologically, the price calculator is useful for simplifying mathematically complex decisions, and it provides additional valuable information for analysis. Substantively, the results show that clients perceive both types of pricing plans as equally attractive; however, the service provider's revenues would increase by up to 12 per cent if it uses the volume pricing plan.

Originality/value

– This research extends the stream of literature on the measurement of pricing plan preferences and offers guidance for service industries, such as telecommunications, cloud computing services, insurances, or transportation. It extends the use of discrete choice experiments to study client preferences for different pricing plans and also integrates a decision aid, i.e. a price calculator, in the experiment to assist clients in comparing alternatives more effectively.
An empirical study on measurement of performance through TQM in Pakistani aviation manufacturing industry
Authors: Mahmood Khalid , Mahmood Ahmad Qureshi Ilyas , Nisar Asim
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– Pakistani aviation industry is at the initial stage of its evolution and is undergoing transformation to a high-tech developed industry. However, the processes and practices in this industry are quite primitive and lack performance-measuring techniques for decision makers. The available literature in the total quality management (TQM) suggests a set of standardized factors for evaluating the performance of any organization. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a research with a view to judge the applicability of these TQM factors for measuring the performance of any aviation manufacturing organization in Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

– This research is focussed on performance evaluation of aviation manufacturing industry of Pakistan through TQM. Eight well-established dimensions of TQM frequently used by renowned researchers were used for an evaluation of the Pakistani Aviation Manufacturing Industry (PAMI), namely top management support, quality information availability, quality information usage, employee training, employee involvement, product/process design, supplier quality and customer orientation. An additional dimension of factual approach to decision making was also used based on the outcome of the pilot survey. Both qualitative and quantitative survey techniques were used for gathering the data for subsequent empirical analysis.

Findings

– The authors found that the suggested model of measuring organizational performance in PAMI was in general agreement with the TQM model of renowned researchers and can be useful tool for evaluation of quality profile of PAMI organizations.

Research limitations/implications

– During qualitative interviews with the top management, it was found that some of the PAM organizations did not have the complete data and information about their customers and markets, as well as company's human resource effectiveness, and supplier's performance. Although some of them had started maintaining it recently, but comprehensive longitudinal data were not available, which is quite useful for taking correct decisions.

Practical implications

– The outcome of this research is expected to contribute in the shape of a TQM measuring tool for decision makers in order to evaluate the performance of any aviation manufacturing organization of Pakistan. This model is, however, required to be empirically tested for its applicability in other regions as well for its generalization.

Originality/value

– This paper deals with the cross-sectional analysis study of the manufacturing organizations of the Pakistani aviation industry for application of TQM practices. It is an original work undertaken by the authors of this paper where various models have been studied and most commonly used dimensions have been utilized for testing the Pakistani aviation industry.
FTIR lubricant analysis: Concentration of dispersed sulphuric acid
Authors: A. Sautermeister Falko , Priest Martin , F. Fox Malcolm
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to establish the acid concentration of finely dispersed droplets in hydrocarbon oils. Small quantities of aqueous sulphuric acid (H2SO4) were found to be trapped within hydrocarbon shells, making them inaccessible for concentration evaluation by titration.

Design/methodology/approach

– Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) used in the attenuated total reflection mode (ATR; FTIR-ATR) was applied to study the reaction products of squalane, C30H62, and an API Group I base oil with various concentrations of aqueous H2SO4.

Findings

– The absorbance comparison usually used for estimating acid concentrations was found to fail when small quantities of acid are trapped in the reaction product. It was found that the peak shift and changes in absorbance found for various pure aqueous acid concentrations were useful to establish the remaining concentration of the trapped H2SO4.

Originality/value

– This paper fulfils the identified need to study acid dissociation-dependent peak shifts of H2SO4 to find the acid concentration of finely dispersed droplets in hydrocarbon oils.
Preparation and tribological properties of complex nanoparticle styrene/calcium borate with core-shell structure
Authors: Ping Liu , Dongyun Wang , Yanbin Li , Yanqing Guo , Lifeng Hao
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a potential nanoparticles lubricant additive for solving the problem of the insolubility and stable dispersity; the complex nanoparticles with core-shell structures are less studied in the field. Therefore, this paper determines novel complex nanoparticles and their tribological properties.

Design/methodology/approach

– According to the conventional preparation method, the complex nanoparticle styrene/calcium borate (PS/O-CaB) was synthesized. The microstructures of the as-obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Tribological properties of PS/O-CaB used as lubricating oil additive were evaluated on four-ball tribometer. The worn surface of the steel ball was investigated by a three-dimensional non-contact surface profilometer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Findings

– The results of the structure characteristic indicate two different crystalline forms, namely, Ca2B6O11 and Ca2B2O5, and the average size of calcium borate nanoparticles in PS/O-CaB is about 20-40 nm. Moreover, the good tribological properties are due to a wear resistance film containing both depositions and the tribochemical reaction products which comprise B2O3, FeB and Fe2O3.

Originality/value

– Novel complex nanoparticles with core-shell structure (PS/O-CaB) were successfully prepared. Moreover, the PS/O-CaB shows excellent tribological capacity such as load-carrying, friction-reducing and antiwear property.
Ecological generalism and behavioural innovation in birds: technical intelligence or the simple incorporation of new foods?
Authors: Ducatez Simon , Clavel Joanne , Lefebvre Louis
Published: June 2014

Generalist species are more successful than specialists in anthropogenically modified environments or in environments in which they have been introduced, but the nature of the link between generalism and establishment success is unclear.

A higher feeding innovation rate has previously been reported in habitat generalist birds from North America. By allowing them to exploit new resources, this higher feeding innovation rate might explain the generalists' advantage. This result might be due to generalists being more likely to find new resources because they are exposed to more diverse environmental conditions. Alternatively, they might differ from specialists in other traits, in particular cognitive skills that might allow them to innovate more complex food searching and handling techniques.

To test these hypotheses, we separated avian feeding innovations into a ‘technical’ (novel searching and handling behaviour) and a ‘food type’ (incorporation of a new food in a species' diet) category. Technical innovations, but not food type innovations, have previously been shown to correlate with avian brain size, suggesting they reflect cognitive ability. We used a world‐wide data base of 2339 feeding innovations recorded in the literature, covering a total of 765 avian species and assessed the correlations between brain size and feeding innovation rates on one side and habitat and diet generalism on the other.

Habitat generalism was positively related with food type innovation rate, but not technical innovation rate or brain size. This suggests that habitat generalist species are more likely to incorporate new food types in their diet because of higher chances to find new food resources in their environment, or of a higher opportunism, but not enhanced cognitive skills. In contrast, diet generalist species had higher food type and technical innovation rates, as well as larger brains, suggesting that cognitive skills might help species expand their diet breadth or that an increase in diet breadth might favour the evolution of enhanced cognitive abilities.

Our results provide new insights into the nature of the generalists' advantage in the face of environmental changes, and suggest that dietary and habitat generalism are different, but convergent, routes to feeding flexibility and adaptation to changed environments.
Protein kinase FgSch9 serves as a mediator of the target of rapamycin and high osmolarity glycerol pathways and regulates multiple stress responses and secondary metabolism in Fusarium graminearum
Authors: Gu Qin , Zhang Chengqi , Yu Fangwei , Yin Yanni , Shim Won‐Bo , Ma Zhonghua
Published: June 2014

Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein kinase Sch9 is one of the downstream effectors of the target of rapamycin (TOR) complex 1 and plays multiple roles in stress resistance, longevity and nutrient sensing. However, the functions of Sch9 orthologs in filamentous fungi, particularly in pathogenic species, have not been characterized to date. Here, we investigated biological and genetic functions of FgSch9 in Fusarium graminearum. The FgSCH9 deletion mutant (ΔFgSch9) was defective in aerial hyphal growth, hyphal branching and conidial germination. The mutant exhibited increased sensitivity to osmotic and oxidative stresses, cell wall‐damaging agents, and to rapamycin, while showing increased thermal tolerance. We identified FgMaf1 as one of the FgSch9‐interacting proteins that plays an important role in regulating mycotoxin biosynthesis and virulence of F. graminearum. Co‐immunoprecipitation and affinity capture‐mass spectrometry assays showed that FgSch9 also interacts with FgTor and FgHog1. More importantly, both ΔFgSch9 and FgHog1 null mutant (ΔFgHog1) exhibited increased sensitivity to osmotic and oxidative stresses. This defect was more severe in the FgSch9/FgHog1 double mutant. Taken together, we propose that FgSch9 serves as a mediator of the TOR and high osmolarity glycerol pathways, and regulates vegetative differentiation, multiple stress responses and secondary metabolism in F. graminearum.
Saccharide breakdown and fermentation by the honey bee gut microbiome
Authors: Lee Fredrick J. , Rusch Douglas B. , Stewart Frank J. , Mattila Heather R. , Newton Irene L. G.
Published: June 2014

The honey bee, the world's most important agricultural pollinator, relies exclusively on plant‐derived foods for nutrition. Nectar and pollen collected by honey bees are processed and matured within the nest through the activities of honey bee‐derived microbes and enzymes. In order to better understand the contribution of the microbial community to food processing in the honey bee, we generated a metatranscriptome of the honey bee gut microbiome. The function of the microbial community in the honey bee, as revealed by metatranscriptome sequencing, resembles that of other animal guts and food‐processing environments. We identified three major bacterial classes that are active in the gut (γ‐Proteobacteria, Bacilli and Actinobacteria), all of which are predicted to participate in the breakdown of complex macromolecules (e.g. polysaccharides and polypeptides), the fermentation of component parts of these macromolecules, and the generation of various fermentation products, such as short‐chain fatty acids and alcohol. The ability of the microbial community to metabolize these carbon‐rich food sources was confirmed through the use of community‐level physiological profiling. Collectively, these findings suggest that the gut microflora of the honey bee harbours bacterial members with unique roles, which ultimately can contribute to the processing of plant‐derived food for colonies.
Impaired contextual fear extinction and hippocampal synaptic plasticity in adult rats induced by prenatal morphine exposure
Authors: Tan Ji‐Wei , Duan Ting‐Ting , Zhou Qi‐Xin , Ding Ze‐Yang , Jing Liang , Cao Jun , Wang Li‐Ping , Mao Rong‐Rong , Xu Lin
Published: June 2014

Prenatal opiate exposure causes a series of neurobehavioral disturbances by affecting brain development. However, the question of whether prenatal opiate exposure increases vulnerability to memory‐related neuropsychiatric disorders in adult offspring remains largely unknown. Here, we found that rats prenatally exposed to morphine (PM) showed impaired acquisition but enhanced maintenance of contextual fear memory compared with control animals that were prenatally exposed to saline (PS). The impairment of acquisition was rescued by increasing the intensity of footshocks (1.2 mA rather than 0.8 mA). Meanwhile, we also found that PM rats exhibited impaired extinction of contextual fear, which is associated with enhanced maintenance of fear memory. The impaired extinction lasted for 1 week following extinction training. Furthermore, PM rats exhibited reduced anxiety‐like behavior in the elevated plus‐maze and light/dark box test without differences in locomotor activity. These alterations in PM rats were mirrored by abnormalities in synaptic plasticity in the Schaffer collateral‐CA1 synapses of the hippocampus in vivo. PS rats showed blocked long‐term potentiation and enabled long‐term depression in CA1 synapses following contextual fear conditioning, while prenatal morphine exposure restricted synaptic plasticity in CA1 synapses. The smaller long‐term potentiation in PM rats was not further blocked by contextual fear conditioning, and the long‐term depression enabled by contextual fear conditioning was abolished. Taken together, our results provide the first evidence suggesting that prenatal morphine exposure may increase vulnerability to fear memory‐related neuropsychiatric disorders in adulthood.
Amphibian richness patterns inAtlanticForest areas invaded byAmerican bullfrogs
Authors: Both Camila , Madalozzo Bruno , Lingnau Rodrigo , Grant Taran
Published: June 2014

The relationship between invasion success and native biodiversity is central to biological invasion research. New theoretical and analytical approaches have revealed that spatial scale, land‐use factors and community assemblages are important predictors of the relationship between community diversity and invasibility and the negative effects of invasive species on community diversity. In this study we assess if the abundance ofLithobates catesbeianus, theAmerican bullfrog, negatively affects the richness of native amphibian species inAtlanticForest waterbodies inBrazil. Although this species has been invadingAtlanticForest areas since the 1930s, studies that estimate the invasion effects upon native species diversity are lacking. We developed a model to understand the impact of environmental, spatial and species composition gradients on the relationships between bullfrogs and native species richness. We found a weak positive relationship between bullfrog abundance and species richness in invaded areas. The path model revealed that this is an indirect relationship mediated by community composition gradients. Our results indicate that bullfrogs are more abundant in certain amphibian communities, which can be species‐rich. Local factors describing habitat heterogeneity were the main predictors of amphibian species richness and composition and bullfrog abundance. Our results reinforce the important role of habitats in determining both native species diversity and potential invasibility.
Monitoring the brain: processed electroencephalogram and peri‐operative outcomes
Authors: Escallier K. E. , Nadelson M. R. , Zhou D. , Avidan M. S.
Published: June 2014

Although the brain is the target organ of general anaesthesia, the utility of intra‐operative brain monitoring remains controversial. Ideally, the incorporation of brain monitoring into routine practice would promote the maintenance of an optimal depth of anaesthesia, with an ultimate goal of avoiding the negative outcomes that have been associated with inadequate or excessive anaesthesia. A variety of processed electroencephalogram devices exist, of which the bispectral index is the most widely used, particularly in the research setting. Whether such devices prove to be useful will depend not only on their ability to influence anaesthetic management but also on whether the changes they promote can actually affect clinically important outcomes. This review highlights the evidence for the role of bispectral index monitoring, in particular, in guiding anaesthetic management and influencing clinical outcomes, specifically intra‐operative awareness, measures of early recovery, mortality and neurocognitive outcomes.