bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tone and stress in North-West Indo-Aryan
Authors: Baart Joan
Published: October 2014

Many languages within the northwestern region of Indo-Aryan display contrastive
lexical tone. Most of these languages, and their tone systems, have
not yet been extensively studied. I briefly survey these languages and propose
an initial division into three groups, based (rather simple-mindedly) on the
number of contrasting tones in a language (two vs. three vs. more than three).
Geographically, the three groups correspond to three distinct areas on the map.
I discuss each group and show how they are different from one another, not
only with respect to tone itself, but also in the way tone interacts with word
stress in those languages.
Whose voice is that? Challenges in forensic phonetics
Authors: Cambier-Langeveld Tina , van Rossum Maya , Vermeulen Jos
Published: October 2014

In this paper, we explore speaker recognition as a process that is based partly
on analysis of phonetic and linguistic features and partly on pattern recognition
(Gestalt perception). Central to this paper is the challenge to incorporate the
dual nature of speaker recognition in forensic casework. To meet this challenge,
we propose the so-called “blind grouping” method. Blind grouping does not
require verbal-analytic terminology, but requires the expert to compare anonymised
fragments and arrange them into groups based on same-speaker and
different-speaker judgements. It allows the forensic expert to use any strategy to
reach a result, including pattern recognition and feature analysis. This method
is proposed as a supplement to the traditional auditory-acoustic method.
Pitch accent placement in Dutch as a second language
Authors: Caspers Johanneke
Published: October 2014

How do non-native speakers of Dutch differ from native speakers in pitch
accent placement? Previous investigations report over-accentuation, but there
is also evidence that non-native (L2) speakers have no problems accenting new
information and deaccenting given information. A text was read aloud by L2
speakers with Mandarin, French, Polish and Hungarian as native languages
(L1). Based on native speaker production, the “accentability” of words was
determined. The L2 speakers produced most “obligatory” accents, but not most
“forbidden” accents. Also, L2 speakers accented two thirds of the optionally
accentable words, while L1 speakers accented only a third. These results suggest
that over-accentuation in L2 does not necessarily mean inappropriate pitch
accent location.
Intonation, bias and Greek NPIs
Authors: Gryllia Stella
Published: October 2014

This paper explores question bias in questions with negative polarity items
(Ladusaw, 1979; Krifka, 1995; Giannakidou, 2011) by means of a perception
experiment. For the purpose of the experiment the Greek emphatic and
non-emphatic NPI kanenas ‘no-one/nobody, anyone/anybody’ are used. The
experiment tests two hypotheses. The emphatic NPI in a negative polar question
creates a bias for a negative answer. So listeners are expected to answer
with a negative answer rather than with a positive answer when they listen to
a question that contains an emphatic NPI (Hyp. 1). The non-emphatic NPI in
a negative polar question creates no specific bias for an answer. Positive and
negative answers are expected to be equally chosen by listeners (Hyp. 2). Both
hypotheses were verified.
Information status and L2 prosody
Authors: Gu Yan , Chen Aoju
Published: October 2014

When referring, speakers vary prosody according to the information status of
the referent. There is some work on L2 learners’ use of prosody in encoding
given and new information but not necessarily in the context of reference maintenance.
The current study investigates how Chinese learners of Dutch use prosody
(i.e. duration and pitch-related cues) in reference maintenance at different
proficiency levels (intermediate vs. advanced) in Dutch via a picture-stories
reading task. We have found that despite the similarities in Dutch and Mandarin
Chinese in the use of prosody in reference, the intermediate learners differed
from the advanced learners in not using duration and limited use of pitch. We
propose an L1-transfer based account to explain this effect of proficiency.
The primacy of the weak in Carib prosody
Authors: Hoff Berend J.
Published: October 2014

Accents are normally associated with the lexically stressed syllable of a word.
The Carib language (Cornelis Kondre dialect) is an exception. Instead of association,
we there find dissociation of accent and stress. Accentuation may go to
many places inside a word, but never to its lexically stressed syllable.
As phonetic correlate of stress I relied on the conspicuous difference in duration
between the first and the second syllable that characterizes nearly all
Carib words. Accentuation I held to be the result of prominence-lending pitch
changes. The regularity stated in the first paragraph was tested by comparing
the size of pitch changes during the stress-bearing first foot with those beyond
the first foot.
Doing grammatical semantics as if it were phonetics
Authors: Kirsner Robert S.
Published: October 2014

This paper revisits two articles co-authored with van Heuven which study the
semantics of grammatical signals quantitatively – as if semantics were phonetics.
Kirsner & van Heuven (1988) demonstrates that the Dutch demonstrative
adjective deze ‘this/these’ refers back in texts over more sentence boundaries
than die ‘that/those’ does, indicating that its referent is more central in the
discourse. Van Heuven & Kirsner (1999) shows that the perceived forcefulness
of the Dutch verb stem imperative (Doe de deur dicht! ‘Close the door’) is more
sensitive to the pitch level of the speaker than the perceived forcefulness of the
infinitivus pro imperativo (De deur dichtdoen) is, suggesting that the verb stem
imperative has less semantic content than the infinitivus pro imperativo.
Etymological sub-lexicons constrain the graphematic solution space
Authors: Neijt Anneke
Published: October 2014

Graphematics comprises of the theory of writing systems dissociated from the
normative aspects of orthography. Neef (2005, 2012) adds the notion of graphematic
solution space, the orthographic options available for the words in a
language. These options may be different for the words of different sub-lexicons,
an issue that calls for a definition of such sub-lexicons. This paper proposes
to use the filter approach of Van Heuven, Neijt, & Hijzelendoorn (1994). This
paper concludes with critical remarks about Neef ’s assumption of a subset relation
between vocabulary levels and the more general claim of the graphematics
enterprise that the study of writing systems can escape the norms and conventions
of orthography.
Field notes from a phonetician on Tundra Yukaghir orthography
Authors: Odé Cecilia
Published: October 2014

The present article sketches problems with respect to the orthography of the
highly endangered isolated Paleo-Siberian language Tundra Yukaghir, spoken in
the far northeast of the Republic of Sacha, Russian Federation. Though an official
orthography exists, no consensus on the orthography exists among native
speakers of the language. As a result, confusion occurs in the spelling, especially
of vowel phoneme /ö/ and phonemic long vs. short vowels. These vowels are not
well described and not always pronounced and perceived correctly. Two experiments
are discussed describing the nature of vowel /ö/ and vowel length. Finally,
reasons for the confusing orthography, also in language teaching, are presented.
Phonetic accounts of timed responses in syllable monitoring experiments
Authors: Rietveld Toni , Schiller Niels O.
Published: October 2014

This paper reports a syllable monitoring experiment that examines the role of
segmental phonetic information in Dutch. Participants were presented with
lists of spoken words and were required to detect auditorily specified targets
that matched or did not match the initial syllable of the spoken target-bearing
carrier word. The often-reported effect of syllabic match – the so-called syllable
match effect – was not observed in this experiment. Instead, our results revealed
that listeners make use of fine-grained acoustic information during syllable
monitoring: Reaction times to CVC-targets were found to be predictable by the
duration of the pre-consonantal vowel in case the extent of VC-coarticulation
was small (i.e. for stops).
The independent effects of prosodic structure and information status on tonal coarticulation
Authors: Scholz Franziska , Chen Yiya
Published: October 2014

Various factors constrain the production of a sequence of lexical tones. This
study aims to test the joint influence of three important ones: tonal coarticulation,
prosodic structure, and information status. F0 realization of rising and
falling tones, in both compatible and conflicting tonal contexts, was compared
across two prosodic conditions (prosodic headedness and boundary depth) and
two focus conditions (with vs. without narrow focus). Results show that in conflicting
tonal contexts, where salient coarticulatory adjustment of F0 trajectories
is to be expected, both prosodic structure and information status influenced
the implementation of F0 slopes, albeit in different ways. These findings lend
support to the proposal that information status and prosodic structure exert
independent prosodic strengthening effects on tonal implementation.
The use of Chinese dialects
Authors: Tang Chaoju
Published: October 2014

This survey on the use of the Chongqing dialect found that: (1) Age-dependent
differences of dialectal competence of the Chongqing dialect are not prominent,
(2) The Putonghua (Standard Chinese) competence of Chongqing speakers is
age-related in urban areas, (3) The changes in the frequency of use between
Putonghua and Chongqing dialect are explained by their different communication
purposes; most informants (89%) prefer to use the dialect – unless required
officially to use Standard Mandarin. The Policy of Promoting Putonghua and
its educational effects are discussed as the major reasons for the age-dependent
Putonghua competence differences between older and younger generations.
Durational effects of phrasal stress
Authors: Turk Alice
Published: October 2014

In this chapter, I discuss experimental evidence for the stretches of speech
whose durations are affected by phrasal stress (also called the domain of
accentual lengthening). This topic relates to Vincent van Heuven’s work on
the phonetic correlates of stress. I summarize two findings, namely (1) phrasal
stress can affect the duration of multiple syllables, and (2) the durational effects
of phrasal stress can be influenced by constituent structure. I then discuss two
interpretations of these findings (1) that phrasal stress lengthens a continuous
domain, and (2) that it targets multiple sites, some of which appear to be
optional. I present evidence that supports the second interpretation, and end by
discussing remaining problems and questions.
Prism adaptation in virtual and natural contexts: Evidence for a flexible adaptive process
Authors: Veilleux Louis-Nicolas , Proteau Luc
Published: October 2014

Prism exposure when aiming at a visual target in a virtual condition (e.g., when the hand is represented by a video representation) produces no or only small adaptations (after-effects), whereas prism exposure in a natural condition produces large after-effects. Some researchers suggested that this difference may arise from distinct adaptive processes, but other studies suggested a unique process. The present study reconciled these conflicting interpretations. Forty participants were divided into two groups: One group used visual feedback of their hand (natural context), and the other group used computer-generated representational feedback (virtual context). Visual feedback during adaptation was concurrent or terminal. All participants underwent laterally displacing prism perturbation. The results showed that the after-effects were twice as large in the “natural context” than in the “virtual context”. No significant differences were observed between the concurrent and terminal feedback conditions. The after-effects generalized to untested targets and workspace. These results suggest that prism adaptation in virtual and natural contexts involves the same process. The smaller after-effects in the virtual context suggest that the depth of adaptation is a function of the degree of convergence between the proprioceptive and visual information that arises from the hand.
The Biobanking Analysis Resource Catalogue (BARCdb): a new research tool for the analysis of biobank samples
Authors: Galli Joakim , Oelrich Johan , Taussig Michael J. , Andreasson Ulrika , Ortega-Paino Eva , Landegren Ulf
Published: October 2014

We report the development of a new database of technology services and products for analysis of biobank samples in biomedical research. BARCdb, the Biobanking Analysis Resource Catalogue, is a freely available web resource, listing expertise and molecular resource capabilities of research centres and biotechnology companies. The database is designed for researchers who require information on how to make best use of valuable biospecimens from biobanks and other sample collections, focusing on the choice of analytical techniques and the demands they make on the type of samples, pre-analytical sample preparation and amounts needed. BARCdb has been developed as part of the Swedish biobanking infrastructure (BBMRI.se), but now welcomes submissions from service providers throughout Europe. BARCdb can help match resource providers with potential users, stimulating transnational collaborations and ensuring compatibility of results from different labs. It can promote a more optimal use of European resources in general, both with respect to standard and more experimental technologies, as well as for valuable biobank samples. This article describes how information on service and reagent providers of relevant technologies is made available on BARCdb, and how this resource may contribute to strengthening biomedical research in academia and in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
Pathogenicity ofPhytophthora lateralisLineages on Different Selections ofChamaecyparis lawsoniana
Authors: Robin C. , Brasier C. , Reeser P. , Sutton W. , Vannini A. , Vettraino A. M. , Hansen E.
Published: October 2014

Phytophthora lateralis, the cause of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana root disease, was introduced in North America about 1920, and has since killed trees along roads and streams throughout the tree’s range. Recent results suggest an Asian origin for this oomycete and four genetic lineages were identified. This raised questions for the genetic exapted resistance demonstrated in 1989 within the wild population of C. lawsoniana but with only one P. lateralis lineage. The main goal of the present research was to test the durability of the demonstrated resistance and to compare the pathogenicity of isolates representing the four lineages. No breakdown of resistance was observed in five separate tests using different inoculation techniques, resistant and susceptible C. lawsoniana trees, and seedling families. Differences in mortality and lesion length were observed between the lineages. The higher aggressiveness of isolates of the TWJ and PNW lineages and the lower aggressiveness of the TWK lineage are discussed in view of the hypotheses on the history of spread and evolutionary history of the P. lateralis lineages.
Case Investigation and Forensic Evidence for a New Plant Disease: The Case of Lettuce Corky Root
Authors: van Bruggen Ariena H. C. , Francis Isolde M.
Published: October 2014

The process of disease diagnosis reminds of the process of solving a crime. This starts with a so-called ‘crime scene investigation’ (CSI) carried out in a highly systematic manner. The CSI is followed by ‘forensic investigation’ in specialized laboratories. The final step in solving a crime is the ‘crime scene reconstruction’ process, which involves systematic elimination of unlikely scenarios and comparison of results from the analysis of physical evidence with eye witness accounts. If more evidence becomes available, an ‘old case may be reactivated’. In this review, the same sequence of activities is followed to solve a plant disease problem using a case study of a disease that was difficult to diagnose, namely the ‘case’ of corky root of lettuce.
Facial width-to-height ratio predicts self-reported dominance and aggression in males and females, but a measure of masculinity does not
Authors: Lefevre Carmen E. , Etchells Peter J. , Howell Emma C. , Clark Andrew P. , Penton-Voak Ian S.
Published: October 2014

Recently, associations between facial structure and aggressive behaviour have been reported. Specifically, the facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) is thought to link to aggression, although it is unclear whether this association is related to a specific dimension of aggression, or to a more generalized concept of dominance behaviour. Similarly, an association has been proposed between facial masculinity and dominant and aggressive behaviour, but, to date, this has not been formally tested. Because masculinity and fWHR are negatively correlated, it is unlikely that both signal similar behaviours. Here, we thus tested these associations and show that: (i) fWHR is related to both self-reported dominance and aggression; (ii) physical aggression, verbal aggression and anger, but not hostility are associated with fWHR; (iii) there is no evidence for a sex difference in associations between fWHR and aggression; and (iv) the facial masculinity index does not predict dominance or aggression. Taken together, these results indicate that fWHR, but not a measure of facial masculinity, cues dominance and specific types of aggression in both sexes.
Complex contagion process in spreading of online innovation
Authors: Karsai Márton , Iñiguez Gerardo , Kaski Kimmo , Kertész János
Published: October 2014

Diffusion of innovation can be interpreted as a social spreading phenomenon governed by the impact of media and social interactions. Although these mechanisms have been identified by quantitative theories, their role and relative importance are not entirely understood, as empirical verification has so far been hindered by the lack of appropriate data. Here we analyse a dataset recording the spreading dynamics of the world's largest Voice over Internet Protocol service to empirically support the assumptions behind models of social contagion. We show that the rate of spontaneous service adoption is constant, the probability of adoption via social influence is linearly proportional to the fraction of adopting neighbours, and the rate of service termination is time-invariant and independent of the behaviour of peers. By implementing the detected diffusion mechanisms into a dynamical agent-based model, we are able to emulate the adoption dynamics of the service in several countries worldwide. This approach enables us to make medium-term predictions of service adoption and disclose dependencies between the dynamics of innovation spreading and the socio-economic development of a country.
Mechanisms of interpersonal sway synchrony and stability
Authors: Reynolds Raymond F. , Osler Callum J.
Published: October 2014

Here we explain the neural and mechanical mechanisms responsible for synchronizing sway and improving postural control during physical contact with another standing person. Postural control processes were modelled using an inverted pendulum under continuous feedback control. Interpersonal interactions were simulated either by coupling the sensory feedback loops or by physically coupling the pendulums with a damped spring. These simulations precisely recreated the timing and magnitude of sway interactions observed empirically. Effects of firmly grasping another person's shoulder were explained entirely by the mechanical linkage. This contrasted with light touch and/or visual contact, which were explained by a sensory weighting phenomenon; each person's estimate of upright was based on a weighted combination of veridical sensory feedback combined with a small contribution from their partner. Under these circumstances, the model predicted reductions in sway even without the need to distinguish between self and partner motion. Our findings explain the seemingly paradoxical observation that touching a swaying person can improve postural control.
Error bounds and exponential improvement for the asymptotic expansion of the Barnes
G
-function
Authors: Nemes Gergő
Published: October 2014

In this paper, we establish new integral representations for the remainder term of the known asymptotic expansion of the logarithm of the Barnes
G
-function. Using these representations, we obtain explicit and numerically computable error bounds for the asymptotic series, which are much simpler than those obtained earlier by other authors. We find that along the imaginary axis, suddenly infinitely many exponentially small terms appear in the asymptotic expansion of the Barnes
G
-function. Employing one of our representations for the remainder term, we derive an exponentially improved asymptotic expansion for the logarithm of the Barnes
G
-function, which shows that the appearance of these exponentially small terms is in fact smooth, thereby proving the Berry transition property of the asymptotic series of the
G
-function.
Female, but not male, nematodes evolve under experimental sexual coevolution
Authors: Fritzsche K. , Timmermeyer N. , Wolter M. , Michiels N. K.
Published: October 2014

Coevolution between the sexes is often considered to be male-driven: the male genome is constantly scanned by selection for traits that increase relative male fertilization success. Whenever these traits are harmful to females, the female genome is scanned for resistance traits. The resulting antagonistic coevolution between the sexes is analogous to Red Queen dynamics, where adaptation and counteradaptation keep each other in check. However, the underlying assumption that male trait evolution precedes female trait counteradaptation has received few empirical tests. Using the gonochoristic nematode
Caenorhabditis remanei
, we now show that 20 generations of relaxed versus increased sexual selection pressure lead to female, but not to male, trait evolution, questioning the generality of a male-driven process.
Vitamin supplementation by gut symbionts ensures metabolic homeostasis in an insect host
Authors: Salem Hassan , Bauer Eugen , Strauss Anja S. , Vogel Heiko , Marz Manja , Kaltenpoth Martin
Published: October 2014

Despite the demonstrated functional importance of gut microbes, our understanding of how animals regulate their metabolism in response to nutritionally beneficial symbionts remains limited. Here, we elucidate the functional importance of the African cotton stainer's (
Dysdercus fasciatus
) association with two actinobacterial gut symbionts and subsequently examine the insect's transcriptional response following symbiont elimination. In line with bioassays demonstrating the symbionts' contribution towards host fitness through the supplementation of B vitamins, comparative transcriptomic analyses of genes involved in import and processing of B vitamins revealed an upregulation of gene expression in aposymbiotic (symbiont-free) compared with symbiotic individuals; an expression pattern that is indicative of B vitamin deficiency in animals. Normal expression levels of these genes, however, can be restored by either artificial supplementation of B vitamins into the insect's diet or reinfection with the actinobacterial symbionts. Furthermore, the functional characterization of the differentially expressed thiamine transporter 2 through heterologous expression in
Xenopus laevis
oocytes confirms its role in cellular uptake of vitamin B1. These findings demonstrate that despite an extracellular localization, beneficial gut microbes can be integral to the host's metabolic homeostasis, reminiscent of bacteriome-localized intracellular mutualists.
Fluctuations in neighbourhood fertility generate variable signalling effort
Authors: Taff Conor C. , Patricelli Gail L. , Freeman-Gallant Corey R.
Published: October 2014

Studies of sexual signalling generally focus on interactions between dyadic pairs, yet communication in natural populations often occurs in the context of complex social networks. The ability to survey social environments and adjust signal production appropriately should be a critical component of success in these systems, but has rarely been documented empirically. Here, we used autonomous recording devices to identify 118 472 songs produced by 26 male common yellowthroats (
Geothlypis trichas
) over two breeding seasons, coupled with detailed surveys of social conditions on each territory. We found strong evidence that common yellowthroat males adjusted their total song production in response to both changes in within-pair social context and changes in the fertility of neighbouring females up to 400 m away. Within the social pair, males drastically reduced their song production when mated, but the magnitude of this reduction depended on both the time of day and on the fertility status of the social mate. By contrast, when fertile females were present on nearby territories, males increased their song output, especially during daytime singing. At this time, it is unclear whether males actively gathered information on neighbouring female fertility or whether the patterns that we observed were driven by changes in social interactions that varied with neighbourhood fertility. Regardless of the mechanism employed, however, subtle changes in the social environment generated substantial variation in signalling effort.
Natural Variation in Sensitivity to a Loss of Chloroplast Translation in Arabidopsis
Authors: Parker Nicole , Wang Yixing , Meinke David
Published: October 2014

Mutations that eliminate chloroplast translation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) result in embryo lethality. The stage of embryo arrest, however, can be influenced by genetic background. To identify genes responsible for improved growth in the absence of chloroplast translation, we examined seedling responses of different Arabidopsis accessions on spectinomycin, an inhibitor of chloroplast translation, and crossed the most tolerant accessions with embryo-defective mutants disrupted in chloroplast ribosomal proteins generated in a sensitive background. The results indicate that tolerance is mediated by ACC2, a duplicated nuclear gene that targets homomeric acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase to plastids, where the multidomain protein can participate in fatty acid biosynthesis. In the presence of functional ACC2, tolerance is enhanced by a second locus that maps to chromosome 5 and heightened by additional genetic modifiers present in the most tolerant accessions. Notably, some of the most sensitive accessions contain nonsense mutations in ACC2, including the “Nossen” line used to generate several of the mutants studied here. Functional ACC2 protein is therefore not required for survival in natural environments, where heteromeric acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase encoded in part by the chloroplast genome can function instead. This work highlights an interesting example of a tandem gene duplication in Arabidopsis, helps to explain the range of embryo phenotypes found in Arabidopsis mutants disrupted in essential chloroplast functions, addresses the nature of essential proteins encoded by the chloroplast genome, and underscores the value of using natural variation to study the relationship between chloroplast translation, plant metabolism, protein import, and plant development.
A novel member of glycoside hydrolase family 30 subfamily 8 with altered substrate specificity
Authors: St John Franz J. , Dietrich Diane , Crooks Casey , Pozharski Edwin , González Javier M. , Bales Elizabeth , Smith Kennon , Hurlbert Jason C.
Published: October 2014

Endoxylanases classified into glycoside hydrolase family 30 subfamily 8 (GH30-8) are known to hydrolyze the hemicellulosic polysaccharide glucuronoxylan (GX) but not arabinoxylan or neutral xylooligosaccharides. This is owing to the specificity of these enzymes for the α-1,2-linked glucuronate (GA) appendage of GX. Limit hydrolysis of this substrate produces a series of aldouronates each containing a single GA substituted on the xylose penultimate to the reducing terminus. In this work, the structural and biochemical characterization of xylanase 30A fromClostridium papyrosolvens(CpXyn30A) is presented. This xylanase possesses a high degree of amino-acid identity to the canonical GH30-8 enzymes, but lacks the hallmark β8–α8 loop region which in part defines the function of this GH30 subfamily and its role in GA recognition.CpXyn30A is shown to have a similarly low activity on all xylan substrates, while hydrolysis of xylohexaose revealed a competing transglycosylation reaction. These findings are directly compared with the model GH30-8 enzyme fromBacillus subtilis, XynC. Despite its high sequence identity to the GH30-8 enzymes,CpXyn30A does not have any apparent specificity for the GA appendage. These findings confirm that the typically conserved β8–α8 loop region of these enzymes influences xylan substrate specificity but not necessarily β-1,4-xylanase function.
Structural insights into the substrate specificity and transglycosylation activity of a fungal glycoside hydrolase family 5 β-mannosidase
Authors: Zhou Peng , Liu Yang , Yan Qiaojuan , Chen Zhongzhou , Qin Zhen , Jiang Zhengqiang
Published: October 2014

β-Mannosidases are exo-acting glycoside hydrolases (GHs) that catalyse the removal of the nonreducing end β-D-mannose from manno-oligosaccharides or mannoside-substituted molecules. They play important roles in fundamental biological processes and also have potential applications in various industries. In this study, the first fungal GH family 5 β-mannosidase (RmMan5B) fromRhizomucor mieheiwas functionally and structurally characterized.RmMan5B exhibited a much higher activity against manno-oligosaccharides than againstp-nitrophenyl β-D-mannopyranoside (pNPM) and had a transglycosylation activity which transferred mannosyl residues to sugars such as fructose. To investigate its substrate specificity and transglycosylation activity, crystal structures ofRmMan5B and of its inactive E202A mutant in complex with mannobiose, mannotriose and mannosyl-fructose were determined at resolutions of 1.3, 2.6, 2.0 and 2.4 Å, respectively. In addition, the crystal structure ofR. mieheiβ-mannanase (RmMan5A) was determined at a resolution of 2.3 Å. BothRmMan5A andRmMan5B adopt the (β/α)8-barrel architecture, which is globally similar to the other members of GH family 5. However,RmMan5B shows several differences in the loop around the active site. The extended loop between strand β8 and helix α8 (residues 354–392) forms a `double' steric barrier to `block' the substrate-binding cleft at the end of the −1 subsite. Trp119, Asn260 and Glu380 in the β-mannosidase, which are involved in hydrogen-bond contacts with the −1 mannose, might be essential for exo catalytic activity. Moreover, the structure of RmMan5B in complex with mannosyl-fructose has provided evidence for the interactions between the β-mannosidase and D-fructofuranose. Overall, the present study not only helps in understanding the catalytic mechanism of GH family 5 β-mannosidases, but also provides a basis for further enzymatic engineering of β-mannosidases and β-mannanases.
Consumers’ evolving definition and expectations for local foods
Authors: Lang Mark , Stanton John , Qu Yingdao
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– Although locally sourced and produced foods are a growing trend in food marketing, they are not yet clearly understood nor consistently defined. There is no lack of definitions currently offered, however, based on expanding, evolving, and sometimes conflicting, dimensions. The purpose of this paper is to investigate various emerging definitional elements of local foods to determine which elements may be as important to food shoppers today as the prevailing food miles definition.

Design/methodology/approach

– A shopper survey is fielded and repeated measures ANOVA conducted to measure the relative importance of various definitional elements, assess where shoppers expect to acquire local foods, the price premium they are willing to pay, and differences that may exist across customer groups.

Findings

– The study finds that consumers do consider other definitional elements as important as distance in their definition of local foods and they expect to find them in secondary outlets beyond farmers markets and the produce department. Consumers are willing to pay a price premium and there are differences across light, medium, and heavy users.

Practical implications

– This study provides researchers with an expanded and clearer definition of local foods for future research and practitioners with guidance on what shoppers expect and value today and how to better source, merchandise, and promote local foods.

Originality/value

– By combining definitional elements from across industry, government, and academia and analyzing them together, this study offers a more comprehensive definition of local foods and consumer expectations.
Indie media and digital community collaborations in public libraries
Authors: Pecoskie Jen , L. Hill Heather
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine the current state of collecting with emphasis on small, independent and local digital media for the purpose of exploring librarians’ tools to develop unique collections with these types of cultural products included.

Design/methodology/approach

– This conceptual paper is based on examination of the current state of publishing and digital media, of case profiles of independent digital content providers, of case profiles of public libraries using digital media to expand collections and of collection developers’ tools, including reviewing sources.

Findings

– With regard to expanding collections from small, independent and local digital content providers, user-generated content (UGC) is offered as a tool for collection developers to use alongside other traditional reviewing sources. UGC allows for embedding collective voices into collection development practices to capture digital cultural products from these providers.

Originality/value

– This paper reflects on the current state of digital content creation and publishing, including the limitations and possibilities in place for the future of public library collections from both large publishing companies and smaller media creators. Non-traditional digital media are cultural products produced for consumption and reception; therefore, we consider how these materials fit into contemporary collections, how they are connected to public libraries and subsequently are made available to library users.
Curating print collections in the digital age
Authors: Swanick Sean , Garland Jennifer
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– Purpose: As collection development in research libraries becomes increasingly homogeneous and “e-preferred”, it is our heritage collections that differentiate us and anchor the physical presence of our institutions. These valuable heritage resources, vital for teaching, researching, and learning are unfortunately too often inaccessible, uncatalogued, and ultimately undiscoverable. This paper focuses on the curation of special collections as a means of exposing hidden collections and discusses practical steps undertaken to highlight unique print materials in the digital age.

Design/methodology/approach

– This case study describes the transformation of a hidden collection into a teaching collection through the exhibition of uncatalogued Islamic manuscripts, their associated digital component and the resulting faculty–librarian collaboration.

Findings

– By sharing print collections through exhibitions with an associated digital component, we are both increasing the visibility of, and improving access to the material.

Originality/value

– This case study outlines a successful approach to exposing hidden collections to support an innovative teaching and learning environment.
Selection biases that emerge when age meets gender
Authors: N. Ruggs Enrica , R. Hebl Michelle , Singletary Walker Sarah , Fa-Kaji Naomi
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the interactive effects of gender and age on evaluations of job applicants. Given the double jeopardy hypothesis, the authors might anticipate that older women would be denigrated most in hiring evaluations. However, given expectations of normative gender behavior, the authors might anticipate that older men would be penalized most for not already having stable employment. This study aims to examine which hypothesis best describes selection biases based on age and gender.

Design/methodology/approach

– Stimuli depicting male and female job applicants at the various ages were developed. The stimuli were standardized by collecting facial photos of older White men and women at ages 20, 40, and 60, and morphing these faces onto standardized bodies using Adobe Photoshop. Participants viewed six stimuli, one from each age by gender combination, and made evaluations across job relevant dimensions.

Findings

– Results showed an interaction between age and gender, such that older male applicants were evaluated more negatively than older female and younger male applicants. These findings support for the violation of gender normative behavior hypothesis.

Practical implications

– This study has implications for organizational leaders who can use this information to provide training for selection officers concerning biases against older workers and how to avoid them.

Originality/value

– Original, novel stimuli are used in an experimental design to examine the effects of age in employment in a standardized manner which controls for extraneous variables such as attractiveness across age.
How asymmetrical task dependence and task interdependence interact
Authors: B. de Jong Simon , Matthijs Bal P.
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether research and practice on task design and work teams could benefit from a more nuanced perspective on task (inter)dependencies among team members. Prior research often overlooked that task interdependence captures the average exchange of resources, while asymmetrical task dependence captures the inequalities within an individual's work relationships. To date, no study on work teams has combined the two aspects.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were obtained from 262 individuals working in 67 work teams. Multilevel and bootstrapping analyses were used.

Findings

– Drawing from interdependence theory and power-dependence theory it was argued, and subsequently found, that asymmetrical task dependence interacts with task interdependence, and affects the job satisfaction of individuals and their affective commitment to their team.

Practical implications

– A key practical implication is that both asymmetrical task dependence and task interdependence should be taken into account when optimizing intra-team task dependencies, for instance when (re-)designing jobs or teams.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to research on asymmetrical task dependence within work teams, by investigating its interaction with task interdependence, its effects on the affective reactions of workers, and its effects on the individual level of analysis.
SEC administrative law judge bars investment manager for misrepresenting GIPS compliance
Authors: S. Caccese Michael , Y. Charton Douglas , A. Grossetti Pamela
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– To explain an administrative law judge (ALJ) decision, along with a censure, fine, and industry disbarment, against an investment adviser for misleading advertising and false claims of compliance with Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS).

Design/methodology/approach

– Explains the background to GIPS, the investment adviser’s GIPS violations, the significance of the case, and lessons to be learned by investment advisors on compliance with GIPS standards.

Findings

– The decision is particularly significant because the ALJ issued such severe sanctions based solely on false claims of GIPS compliance notwithstanding the fact that all reported performance returns were accurate and no investors relied on or were harmed by the false claims of compliance.

Practical implications

– The Zavanelli case should serve to put firms on notice that persistent noncompliance with the GIPS standards can have serious consequences and that all marketing materials should be subject to effective review and approval policies and procedures prior to distribution or publication to ensure compliance with the GIPS standards.

Originality/value

– Practical guidance from experienced financial services lawyers.
Customer experience from a self-service system perspective
Authors: Åkesson Maria , Edvardsson Bo , Tronvoll Bård
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– A service system, including self-service technologies (SSTs), should facilitate actors’ value co-creation processes to enhance customer experiences. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how customers’ experiences – both favorable and unfavorable – are formed by identifying the underlying drivers when using SSTs in the context of a self-service-based system. The authors also analyze customers’ journeys, which occur before, during, and after their experience with a self-service-based system with SSTs.

Design/methodology/approach

– An exploratory, inductive study examines customers’ self-service experiences of using an SST. By undertaking 60 customer interviews, an event-based technique identified 200 favorable and unfavorable experienced events, which consist of activities and interactions identified through open coding guided by a theoretical framework. Customers’ experiences form through social norms and rules, referred to here as schemas. The authors sorted the drivers into four main categories of schemas (informational, relational, organizational, and technological) and into three categories: before, during, and after the store visit.

Findings

– The authors identified 13 favorable and unfavorable customer experience drivers that guide value co-creation and explain how the flow of value co-creation helps form customers’ experiences.

Research limitations/implications

– The results are limited to one self-service system context and therefore do not provide statistical generalizability. In addition, the examined company already focusses on customer experiences; other organizations may have different experience drivers.

Practical implications

– The results explain what is important when designing an SST-based service system. Besides, managers can promote the drivers in this research as advantages customers can gain by using self-service.

Originality/value

– This study offers original contributions by: first, classifying and analyzing 13 experience drivers in four categories grounded in customers’ schemas; and second, offering a new conceptualization that focusses on the formation of customers’ experiences during a value co-creation process – that is, the customer's journey – rather than on the outcome experience only.
Exploring key antecedents of purchase intentions within different services
Authors: Ha Hong-Youl , K. Akamavi Raphaël , J. Kitchen Phillip , Janda Swinder
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this research is to investigate the direct and indirect effects of these determinants on purchase intentions. Competitive environments such as those in retail and banking industries impose increased pressure on managers to enhance customer satisfaction and purchase intentions. Even though satisfaction and purchase intentions are well studied in prior literature, their determinants such as service-oriented employee behavior, advertising campaign familiarity, physical environment and service quality have not been fully investigated together.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data from a survey of 508 customers of Korean up-market retail supermarkets and banks are utilized to empirically evaluate the model.

Findings

– Results indicate that service-oriented employee behavior and the physical environment have no direct effect on purchase intentions. However, these constructs indirectly influence purchase intentions through the mediating role of service quality and customer satisfaction. Service-oriented employee behaviors play a major role in enhancing service quality and customer satisfaction, but do not directly impact purchase intentions. Interestingly, the strongest direct effect on purchase intentions is more likely to come from service quality, rather than satisfaction.

Practical implications

– Findings suggest that for service industries such as retail and banking, it may be strategic to invest more resources aimed at enhancing service-oriented employee behaviors and the physical retail environment compared to advertising campaigns.

Originality/value

– Even though prior research has considered the concepts studied here, this study aims to empirically evaluate a variety of antecedent factors that potentially affect purchase intentions. Relationships are established utilizing data collected in South Korea (an increasingly important consumer market) which adds value to extant knowledge in this area.
Does customer sociability matter? Differences in e-quality, e-satisfaction, and e-loyalty between introvert and extravert online banking users
Authors: A Ahmad Al-Hawari Mohammad
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between e-quality, e-satisfaction and e-loyalty and test how these relationships vary across different levels of customer sociability in the UAE banking industry.

Design/methodology/approach

– The relative importance of customer sociability in the relationships between e-quality, e-satisfaction and e-loyalty was examined. A self-administered questionnaire was developed, and data were collected from a final sample of 245 bank customers. The study’s conceptual model and four hypotheses were tested using AMOS18.

Findings

– E-quality influences e-satisfaction, which, in turn, affects customer e-loyalty. This study’s findings confirm that the relationships between e-quality, e-satisfaction and e-loyalty are stronger if the online banking user is an introvert (less social) rather than an extravert (very social).

Practical implications

– This study demonstrates how bank managers could use the sociability level of their customers to manage the relationships between e-quality, e-satisfaction and e-loyalty.

Originality/value

– The key contribution of this paper is that it demonstrates how the customer sociability level might affect the relationship between customers and online banking services.
Marketing culture to service climate: the influence of employee control and flexibility
Authors: R. Morgan Tyler , Rapp Adam , Glenn Richey, Jr. R. , E. Ellinger Alexander
Published: October 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this research is to explore how firm market orientation, as a culture, affects the service climate that develops in the firm.

Design/methodology/approach

– Empirical testing is performed at the managerial level and boundary-spanning employee level as part of this multilevel study. The sample includes participants from a US-based firm operating in the hospitality industry.

Findings

– Results indicate that a market-oriented firm culture interacts with other elements such as boundary-spanning employee flexibility and control to positively impact the service climate that develops.

Research limitations/implications

– This research provides theoretical implications for the development of a service climate within a market-oriented firm culture and the influence of managers on boundary-spanning employees in the development of the climate.

Practical implications

– As managers attempt to develop a service climate through a market-oriented firm culture, they will find success by providing boundary-spanning employees with control and hiring employees that possess flexibility as a personality trait.

Originality/value

– The framework developed in this research provides insights regarding the multilevel nature of service climate development and the impact of a market-oriented culture.