bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Critical Success Factors and Cluster Evolution: A Case Study of the Linköping ICT Cluster Lifecycle
Authors: Tavassoli Sam , Tsagdis Dimitrios
Published: June 2014

This paper investigates the variation in the importance of critical success factors (CSFs) in the evolution of the Linköping ICT (information and communication technology) cluster in Sweden. The international empirical evidence of CSFs in ICT clusters reported in the literature is systematically reviewed. On this basis an object-oriented conceptual model is developed encompassing fifteen CSFs; each attributed to one or more objects: for example, firms, institutions, entrepreneurs. The lifecycle of the Linköping ICT cluster is delineated and its stages segmented. The existence and importance of each CSF at each stage of the cluster lifecycle is established empirically on the basis of interviews with key experts. The main findings comprise a stage-specific group of CSFs whose importance varies across the cluster's lifecycle stages with different patterns. The findings are aimed to stimulate policy makers and researchers alike to pursue further the line of enquiry developed in this paper.
Corrigendum to: Wildland fire ash and particulate distribution in adjacent residential areas
Authors: Wade Richard L. , Jokar Amir , Cydzik Kristina , Dershowitz Adam , Bronstein Rod
Published: June 2014

In recent decades, the frequency of wildland fire incidents near residential areas has decreased but the number of acres burned has increased, in large part due to changes in forest management methods and further human encroachment in forested regions. There is much debate about whether the wood ash generated by these wildfires can significantly affect residential buildings outside the fire zone perimeter. This study investigates the distribution of ash, soot and char that are generated from wildfires and migrate into adjacent residential regions. For this purpose, a wildland fire in Bastrop, Texas, was studied with samples collected from a variety of locations within the fire site and in adjacent areas. The collected samples were assayed for pH, asbestos, heavy metals and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. The results of this investigation showed that the magnitude of the deposition on residential buildings near wildfires is dependent on a variety of variables, in particular the distance from the centre of the fire.
Chemical cross-linking/mass spectrometry targeting acidic residues in proteins and protein complexes
Authors: Leitner Alexander , Joachimiak Lukasz A. , Unverdorben Pia , Walzthoeni Thomas , Frydman Judith , Förster Friedrich , Aebersold Ruedi
Published: June 2014

Significance

Most proteins carry out their function by associating with other proteins in stable or transient complexes. Structural analysis of such complexes, for example by crystallography, is frequently performed to study their function or mode of action. However, many large complexes are refractory to traditional structural biology methods. Alternative methods have been developed that are often combined with computational methods in hybrid structural biology strategies. Among these, the combination of chemical cross-linking and MS (XL-MS) has shown to be particularly informative. Current XL-MS methods mainly rely on the coupling of lysine residues. Here we describe a chemistry to cross-link acidic residues that generates structural information complementary to that obtained by amine-specific cross-linking, thus significantly expanding the scope of XL-MS analyses.
Origins of specificity and affinity in antibody–protein interactions
Authors: Peng Hung-Pin , Lee Kuo Hao , Jian Jhih-Wei , Yang An-Suei
Published: June 2014

Significance

Natural antibodies perform their biological function by recognizing all sorts of foreign proteins—seemly unlimited structural and sequence diversities in antigens can be recognized by a limited repertoire of antibodies, for which the sequence and structure are relatively homogeneous. We found that the energetically critical epitope portions are largely composed of backbone atoms, side-chain carbons, and hydrogen bond donors/acceptors. These key components are ubiquitous on protein surfaces and can be recognized by the enriched aromatic side chains and, to a lesser extent, short-chain hydrophilic residues on the antibody paratopes; antibodies, with relatively limited sequence and structural diversities in the antigen binding sites, can recognize unlimited protein antigens through recognizing the common physicochemical features on all protein surfaces.
Differences in nucleation behavior underlie the contrasting aggregation kinetics of the Aβ40 and Aβ42 peptides
Authors: Meisl Georg , Yang Xiaoting , Hellstrand Erik , Frohm Birgitta , Kirkegaard Julius B. , Cohen Samuel I. A. , Dobson Christopher M. , Linse Sara , Knowles Tuomas P. J.
Published: June 2014

Significance

Alzheimer's disease and several related disorders are associated with the assembly of specific proteins into ordered fibrillar aggregates. In Alzheimer's disease, the key component of pathological aggregates, the Aβ peptide, is produced from a precursor protein in variable lengths: Aβ40 is more abundant and Aβ42 more aggregation-prone. To shed light on the molecular basis of disease progression, the aggregation process has been studied in vitro. New theoretical models allow us to relate kinetic measurements to the rates of the individual processes underlying the aggregation reaction. We find that the loss of two residues in Aβ40 relative to Aβ42 significantly slows nucleation of aggregates in solution, thereby shifting the mechanism yet more strongly towards nucleation on the surface of fibrils.
Loss ofProx1in striated muscle causes slow to fast skeletal muscle fiber conversion and dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Petchey Louisa K. , Risebro Catherine A. , Vieira Joaquim M. , Roberts Tom , Bryson John B. , Greensmith Linda , Lythgoe Mark F. , Riley Paul R.
Published: June 2014

Significance

How cardiac and skeletal muscle function is maintained and regulated is important in terms of understanding normal muscle physiology and muscle-based disease (myopathy). The two striated muscle types are structurally and functionally divergent, suggesting alternate molecular regulation. However, our discovery that the transcription factor Prox1 controls the same fast skeletal muscle gene program in both cardiac and slow skeletal muscle is significant in assigning a common genetic mechanism to striated muscle development. These studies establish a novel model of human dilated cardiomyopathy and reveal how loss of a single factor underpins conversion of slow to fast skeletal muscle, with implications for the molecular specification of endurance (stamina) versus rapidly contractile muscle function (speed).
MicroRNA binding to the HIV-1 Gag protein inhibits Gag assembly and virus production
Authors: Chen Antony K. , Sengupta Prabuddha , Waki Kayoko , Van Engelenburg Schuyler B. , Ochiya Takahiro , Ablan Sherimay D. , Freed Eric O. , Lippincott-Schwartz Jennifer
Published: June 2014

Significance

MicroRNAs normally function to regulate gene expression through RNA-interference–mediated gene silencing. Here, we demonstrate that microRNAs can inhibit HIV-1 virus production by a novel mechanism not involving RNAi-mediated interference. The new mechanism involves interactions between microRNA and HIV-1 Gag protein’s RNA-binding (nucleocapsid) domain. These interactions prevent Gag proteins from effectively multimerizing into viral complexes at the plasma membrane and lead to inhibition of viral particle production. The microRNA–Gag interactions further result in Gag proteins being redirected into the endocytic pathway where they are degraded in lysosomes. These findings have significant implications for understanding how cells modulate HIV-1 infection and raise the possibility of manipulating total expression levels of host miRNAs to combat HIV-1 replication.
Protective effects of oral administration of yeast thioredoxin against gastric mucosal injury
Authors: Taketani Yukiko , Kinugasa Kimihiro , Kitajima Rie , Nishiumi Shin , Ashida Hitoshi , Nakamura Hajime , Fujita Tuyosi , Kanzaki Ken , Masutani Hiroshi , Yodoi Junji
Published: June 2014

Thioredoxin (TRX) is a redox regulating protein which has protective effects against oxidative stress-induced damage to cells and tissues. In this study, we investigated the effects of orally administered TRX derived from edible yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on gastric mucosa. First, we examined the digestibility of orally administered yeast TRX in mice, and detected yeast TRX in the stomach for 4 h after administration. Next, we investigated the mitigation of gastric mucosal injury after the oral administration of yeast TRX in water-immersion restraint stress and HCl/ethanol-induced gastric ulcer models. Furthermore, we conducted DNA microarray analysis, using the HCl/ethanol-induced model, which revealed that several groups of genes related to tissue repair were upregulated in ulcer regions in the stomachs of rats administered with yeast TRX. These results demonstrated the viability of the use of oral administrations of yeast TRX to protect the gastric mucosa.
Decoration, self-transcendence, and spiritual expression: stakeholder cooperation and the creation of joint value in the workplace
Authors: Kluver Jesse R. , Wicks Andrew C.
Published: June 2014

This paper explores recent empirical findings that highlight the importance of decoration, particularly in forms that may be described as a kind of spirituality or spiritual expression, and the significance these findings have for thinking about how stakeholders cooperate to create value. We highlight how this phenomenon may become important for thinking about organizations – especially how spirituality may play a role in fostering stakeholder relations that generate more value for all those involved as well as limit transaction costs. Given our focus in exploring this phenomenon and highlighting decoration’s relevance, we focus on its core findings, outline connections to the spirituality and stakeholder theory literatures, and note promising directions for future research.
Social protection and children's rights in developing countries
Authors: Gabel Shirley Gatenio
Published: June 2014

Children are one of the most vulnerable groups in almost any population because of their physical and emotional dependence on adults and social status. Their vulnerability is greater in many developing countries because of the higher incidence of poverty and nascent social protection mechanisms. Social protection can serve as a tool to perpetuate inequities or can be used to promote human rights, equality, and inclusiveness. This paper looks at how social protection evolving in four developing countries, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, affects the realization of children's rights. Each country's social protection efforts are analyzed according to the type of effort and then compared to indicators measuring the realization of children's rights. The analysis indicates that well-coordinated social protection systems with wide coverage that include social assistance, social insurance, as well as human capital and empowerment efforts are more likely to result in the progressive realization of children's rights.
The Visible/Invisible Screenwriter: The Strange Case of Harold Pinter
Authors: Roblin Isabelle
Published: June 2014

While best known as a playwright, Harold Pinter (1930–2008, Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005) also wrote twenty-six screenplays between 1963 and 2007, all of which are adaptations since he never produced an original script. Seven were based on plays and nineteen were adapted from fictions by other writers. Pinter worked with some of the leading directors of his time: Joseph Losey, for whom he wrote four screenplays, and also Karel Reisz, Elia Kazan, Volker Schlöndorff among others. His often stormy relationship with some of these directors, but also with some actors and authors of the source novels he had adapted, is linked to his conception of the screenwriter as the co-author of the film and of his screenplays as intertexts, as part of his literary output. In 2000, he decided to make these screenplays highly visible and readable by publishing in three volumes with Faber and Faber sixteen of the shooting scripts he had adapted from novels, including those which have, to this day, never been produced but excluding the three which had been, as he wrote in his introduction, ‘rewritten by others’ (Pinter 1, xi). In this paper, I shall try and show how Pinter’s vision of screenwriting was in total opposition to the auteur theory developed by New Wave directors and how he made the texts he adapted truly his.
Literome: PubMed-scale genomic knowledge base in the cloud
Authors: Poon Hoifung , Quirk Chris , DeZiel Charlie , Heckerman David
Published: June 2014

Motivation: Advances in sequencing technology have led to an exponential growth of genomics data, yet it remains a formidable challenge to interpret such data for identifying disease genes and drug targets. There has been increasing interest in adopting a systems approach that incorporates prior knowledge such as gene networks and genotype–phenotype associations. The majority of such knowledge resides in text such as journal publications, which has been undergoing its own exponential growth. It has thus become a significant bottleneck to identify relevant knowledge for genomic interpretation as well as to keep up with new genomics findings.

Results: In the Literome project, we have developed an automatic curation system to extract genomic knowledge from PubMed articles and made this knowledge available in the cloud with a Web site to facilitate browsing, searching and reasoning. Currently, Literome focuses on two types of knowledge most pertinent to genomic medicine: directed genic interactions such as pathways and genotype–phenotype associations. Users can search for interacting genes and the nature of the interactions, as well as diseases and drugs associated with a single nucleotide polymorphism or gene. Users can also search for indirect connections between two entities, e.g. a gene and a disease might be linked because an interacting gene is associated with a related disease.

Availability and implementation: Literome is freely available at literome.azurewebsites.net. Download for non-commercial use is available via Web services.

Contact:  hoifung@microsoft.com

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Efficacy and Safety of Prasugrel Compared With Clopidogrel for Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Wang Amy , Lella Leela K. , Brener Sorin J.
Published: June 2014

Dual antiplatelet therapy comprising aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor) is essential to prevent thrombotic complications after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The comparative efficacy between clopidogrel at a higher loading dose (600 mg) and prasugrel is uncertain. The aim of this study was to compare efficacy and safety of clopidogrel (higher loading dose) with prasugrel (loading dose of 60 mg) along with their respective maintenance doses in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing PCI at 1 year. This is a retrospective, observational, pilot study. Patients with ACS who underwent PCI and received clopidogrel 600 mg or prasugrel 60 mg loading dose followed by maintenance doses of 75 mg and 10 mg, respectively, daily between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2011 were enrolled. For patients who have died during the study period, investigators attempted to identify the cause of deaths through medical records or death certificates. Two hundred twenty-one patients were enrolled in the study. Primary efficacy end point, composite of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke occurring through 1 year were not significantly different between the 2 treatment groups. Bleeding events were also not significant between the clopidogrel (N = 136) and prasugrel (N = 85) groups: 9.6% versus 8.2%, P = 0.85. Prasugrel is at least as effective and safe as clopidogrel in patients with ACS undergoing early invasive management.
Discrimination reversal learning reveals greater female behavioural flexibility in guppies
Authors: Lucon-Xiccato Tyrone , Bisazza Angelo
Published: June 2014

Behavioural flexibility allows an animal to adapt its behaviour in response to changes in the environment. Research conducted in primates, rodents and domestic fowl suggests greater behavioural persistence and reduced behavioural flexibility in males. We investigated sex differences in behavioural flexibility in fish by comparing male and female guppies (Poecilia reticulata) in a reversal learning task. Fish were first trained on a colour discrimination, which was learned equally rapidly by males and females. However, once the reward contingency was reversed, females were better at inhibiting the previous response and reached criterion twice as fast as males. When reward reversing was repeated, males gradually reduced the number of errors, and the two sexes had a comparable performance after four reversals. We suggest that sex differences in behavioural flexibility in guppies can be explained in terms of the different roles that males and females play in reproduction.
Controlling free flight of a robotic fly using an onboard vision sensor inspired by insect ocelli
Authors: Fuller Sawyer B. , Karpelson Michael , Censi Andrea , Ma Kevin Y. , Wood Robert J.
Published: June 2014

Scaling a flying robot down to the size of a fly or bee requires advances in manufacturing, sensing and control, and will provide insights into mechanisms used by their biological counterparts. Controlled flight at this scale has previously required external cameras to provide the feedback to regulate the continuous corrective manoeuvres necessary to keep the unstable robot from tumbling. One stabilization mechanism used by flying insects may be to sense the horizon or Sun using the ocelli, a set of three light sensors distinct from the compound eyes. Here, we present an ocelli-inspired visual sensor and use it to stabilize a fly-sized robot. We propose a feedback controller that applies torque in proportion to theangular velocityof the source of light estimated by the ocelli. We demonstrate theoretically and empirically that this is sufficient to stabilize the robot's upright orientation. This constitutes the first known use of onboard sensors at this scale. Dipteran flies use halteres to provide gyroscopic velocity feedback, but it is unknown how other insects such as honeybees stabilize flight without these sensory organs. Our results, using a vehicle of similar size and dynamics to the honeybee, suggest how the ocelli could serve this role.
Experimental antibiotic treatment identifies potential pathogens of white band disease in the endangered Caribbean coral
Acropora cervicornis
Authors: Sweet M. J. , Croquer A. , Bythell J. C.
Published: June 2014

Coral diseases have been increasingly reported over the past few decades and are a major contributor to coral decline worldwide. The Caribbean, in particular, has been noted as a hotspot for coral disease, and the aptly named white syndromes have caused the decline of the dominant reef building corals throughout their range. White band disease (WBD) has been implicated in the dramatic loss of
Acropora cervicornis
and
Acropora palmata
since the 1970s, resulting in both species being listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red list. The causal agent of WBD remains unknown, although recent studies based on challenge experiments with filtrate from infected hosts concluded that the disease is probably caused by bacteria. Here, we report an experiment using four different antibiotic treatments, targeting different members of the disease-associated microbial community. Two antibiotics, ampicillin and paromomycin, arrested the disease completely, and by comparing with community shifts brought about by treatments that did not arrest the disease, we have identified the likely candidate causal agent or agents of WBD. Our interpretation of the experimental treatments is that one or a combination of up to three specific bacterial types, detected consistently in diseased corals but not detectable in healthy corals, are likely causal agents of WBD. In addition, a histophagous ciliate (
Philaster lucinda
) identical to that found consistently in association with white syndrome in Indo-Pacific acroporas was also consistently detected in all WBD samples and absent in healthy coral. Treatment with metronidazole reduced it to below detection limits, but did not arrest the disease. However, the microscopic disease signs changed, suggesting a secondary role in disease causation for this ciliate. In future studies to identify a causal agent of WBD via tests of Henle–Koch's postulates, it will be vital to experimentally control for populations of the other potential pathogens identified in this study.
Flying rocks and flying clocks: disparity in fossil and molecular dates for birds
Authors: Ksepka Daniel T. , Ware Jessica L. , Lamm Kristin S.
Published: June 2014

Major disparities are recognized between molecular divergence dates and fossil ages for critical nodes in the Tree of Life, but broad patterns and underlying drivers remain elusive. We harvested 458 molecular age estimates for the stem and crown divergences of 67 avian clades to explore empirical patterns between these alternate sources of temporal information. These divergence estimates were, on average, over twice the age of the oldest fossil in these clades. Mitochondrial studies yielded older ages than nuclear studies for the vast majority of clades. Unexpectedly, disparity between molecular estimates and the fossil record was higher for divergences within major clades (crown divergences) than divergences between major clades (stem divergences). Comparisons of dates from studies classed by analytical methods revealed few significant differences. Because true divergence ages can never be known with certainty, our study does not answer the question of whether fossil gaps or molecular dating error account for a greater proportion of observed disparity. However, empirical patterns observed here suggest systemic overestimates for shallow nodes in existing molecular divergence dates for birds. We discuss underlying biases that may drive these patterns.
Independently recruited oxidases from the glucose-methanol-choline oxidoreductase family enabled chemical defences in leaf beetle larvae (subtribe Chrysomelina) to evolve
Authors: Rahfeld Peter , Kirsch Roy , Kugel Susann , Wielsch Natalie , Stock Magdalena , Groth Marco , Boland Wilhelm , Burse Antje
Published: June 2014

Larvae of the leaf beetle subtribe Chrysomelina
sensu stricto
repel their enemies by displaying glandular secretions that contain defensive compounds. These repellents can be produced either de novo (iridoids) or by using plant-derived precursors (e.g. salicylaldehyde). The autonomous production of iridoids, as in
Phaedon cochleariae
, is the ancestral chrysomeline chemical defence and predates the evolution of salicylaldehyde-based defence. Both biosynthesis strategies include an oxidative step of an alcohol intermediate. In salicylaldehyde-producing species, this step is catalysed by salicyl alcohol oxidases (SAOs) of the glucose-methanol-choline (GMC) oxidoreductase superfamily, but the enzyme oxidizing the iridoid precursor is unknown. Here, we show by
in vitro
as well as
in vivo
experiments that
P. cochleariae
also uses an oxidase from the GMC superfamily for defensive purposes. However, our phylogenetic analysis of chrysomeline GMC oxidoreductases revealed that the oxidase of the iridoid pathway originated from a GMC clade different from that of the SAOs. Thus, the evolution of a host-independent chemical defence followed by a shift to a host-dependent chemical defence in chrysomeline beetles coincided with the utilization of genes from different GMC subfamilies. These findings illustrate the importance of the GMC multi-gene family for adaptive processes in plant–insect interactions.
Inhibition of estradiol synthesis impairs fear extinction in male rats
Authors: Graham Bronwyn M. , Milad Mohammed R.
Published: June 2014

Emerging research has demonstrated that the sex hormone estradiol regulates fear extinction in female rodents and women. Estradiol may also regulate fear extinction in males, given its role in synaptic plasticity in both sexes. Here we report that inhibition of estradiol synthesis during extinction training, via the aromatase inhibitor fadrozole, significantly impairs extinction recall in male rats. This deficit in extinction recall is not due to state-dependent memory formation and is completely abolished by coadministration of estradiol. Our data suggest that estradiol may be just as important in the regulation of fear extinction in males as it is in females.
Preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a thermophilic β-1,3–1,4-glucanase fromClostridium thermocellum
Authors: Zhang Lilan , Zhao Puya , Chen Chun-Chi , Huang Chun-Hsiang , Ko Tzu-Ping , Zheng Yingying , Guo Rey-Ting
Published: June 2014

β-1,3–1,4-Glucanases catalyze the specific hydrolysis of internal β-1,4-glycosidic bonds adjacent to the 3-O-substituted glucose residues in mixed-linked β-glucans. The thermophilic glycoside hydrolase CtGlu16A fromClostridium thermocellumexhibits superior thermal profiles, high specific activity and broad pH adaptability. Here, the catalytic domain of CtGlu16A was expressed inEscherichia coli, purified and crystallized in the trigonal space groupP3121, with unit-cell parametersa=b= 74.5,c= 182.9 Å, by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method and diffracted to 1.95 Å resolution. The crystal contains two protein molecules in an asymmetric unit. Further structural determination and refinement are in progress.
Crystallization and preliminary analysis of the NqrA and NqrC subunits of the Na+-translocating NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase fromVibrio cholerae
Authors: Vohl Georg , Nedielkov Ruslan , Claussen Björn , Casutt Marco S. , Vorburger Thomas , Diederichs Kay , Möller Heiko M. , Steuber Julia , Fritz Günter
Published: June 2014

The Na+-translocating NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Na+-NQR) fromVibrio choleraeis a membrane protein complex consisting of six different subunits NqrA–NqrF. The major domains of the NqrA and NqrC subunits were heterologously expressed inEscherichia coliand crystallized. The structure of NqrA1–377was solved in space groupsC2221andP21by SAD phasing and molecular replacement at 1.9 and 2.1 Å resolution, respectively. NqrC devoid of the transmembrane helix was co-expressed with ApbE to insert the flavin mononucleotide group covalently attached to Thr225. The structure was determined by molecular replacement using apo-NqrC ofParabacteroides distasonisas search model at 1.8 Å resolution.
The influence of board characteristics on sustainability reporting
Authors: M. Shamil Mohamed , M. Shaikh Junaid , Ho Poh-Ling , Krishnan Anbalagan
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– Drawing on agency theory and legitimacy theory perspectives, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of board characteristics on sustainability reporting of listed companies in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

– A sample of 148 listed companies was drawn from the CSE using stratified random sampling method and data were collected from the 2012 annual reports. The proposed hypotheses were tested using a hierarchical binary logistic regression.

Findings

– This study documents that board size and dual leadership are positively associated with sustainability reporting and boards with female directors are negatively associated with sustainability reporting. This study also found that sustainability reporting is likely to be influenced by firm size and firm growth. Additionally, the study also reveals that younger firms are likely to adopt sustainability reporting.

Originality/value

– This is the first study to examine the influence of board characteristics on sustainability reporting in Sri Lanka, considered as a developing economy with an emerging equity market.
Social partnerships addressing affordable housing and homelessness in Australia
Authors: McDonald Sharyn
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the formation of a cross-sector partnership in which a collaborative response addressed the issue of affordable housing and homelessness in Melbourne, Australia. Factors leading to the formation and evolution of the relationship reveal how social partnerships in the housing/construction industry can be formulated.

Design/methodology/approach

– Semi-structured interviews were held with representatives of the three sectors involved in an innovative social housing model, the Elizabeth Street Common Ground project. Supported with background documentation, interviews were coded and the results contrasted against theories pertaining to cross-sector collaboration.

Findings

– Several factors contributed to the formation of this partnership, most notably the strong social imperative found within the organisational ethos of the participating organisations. The opportunity to replicate a well-trialled and successful model coincided with the desire among all partners to be part of the solution.

Originality/value

– The results provide an insight into the ingredients pivotal to the formation of a successful multi-sector partnership. It highlights the value in sharing the best practice and the importance of networks when tackling major global problems such as affordable housing and homelessness.
The impacts of relationship marketing on cognitive dissonance, satisfaction, and loyalty
Authors: Shahin Sharifi Seyed , Rahim Esfidani Mohammad
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study how relationship marketing can reduce cognitive dissonance in post-purchase stage and, thereby, increase customer satisfaction and encourage loyalty under mediating roles of trust and cognitive dissonance.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on a survey on consumers of cell phones, the authors tested the effects of relationship marketing on cognitive dissonance and then customer satisfaction, behavioural, and attitudinal loyalty, using structural equation modelling.

Findings

– The results indicate that, thanks to relationship marketing, consumers undertook less cognitive dissonance in post-purchase stage. Thus, as consumers faced less cognitive dissonance, they represented more satisfaction and thereby behavioural and attitudinal loyalty. Additionally, the study confirmed the mediating role of trust and cognitive dissonance.

Practical implications

– The results show that when brands and retailers make their ties with their customers stronger and encourage trust, they can discourage cognitive dissonance in post-purchase stage and thereby encourage customer satisfaction and behavioural and attitudinal loyalty.

Originality/value

– Literature on post-purchase behaviour and cognitive dissonance shows how cognitive dissonance can reduce post-purchase satisfaction. Our research adds to the literature of both relationship marketing and post-purchase behaviour.
Grammar-based transformations: attack and defence
Authors: Repel Dusan , Stengel Ingo
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– This research aims to propose an attack that de-obfuscates codes by exploiting the properties of context-free grammars since it is important to understand the strength of obfuscation provided by context-free grammar-based obfuscators. In addition, the possibility of automatically generated transformations is explored.

Design/methodology/approach

– As part of our empirical investigation, a development environment for obfuscating transformations is built. The tool is used to simulate a context-free obfuscator and to devise ways of reversing such transformations. Furthermore, a theoretical investigation of subset grammars and subset languages is carried out.

Findings

– It is concluded that context-free grammar-based obfuscators provide limited levels of protection. Nevertheless, their application is appropriate when combined with other obfuscating techniques.

Research limitations/implications

– The algorithms behave as expected on a limited number of test samples. Further work is required to increase their practicality and to establish their average reliability.

Originality/value

– This research shows how a frequency analysis attack can threaten the security of code scrambled by context-free grammar-based obfuscators.
Resources, facilities and services of the Indian citation index (ICI)
Authors: Yadav Bharti , Yadav Meera
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to show the present condition and necessity of the Indian Citation Index (ICI) in India.

Design/methodology/approach

– This article covers all facilities, services and resources of the ICI.

Findings

– The ICI is the best way for researchers to search any Indian scholarly journal in different fields.

Originality/value

– This article shows the present status of this citation index.
Enabling and integrating ETD repositories through linked data
Authors: Mak Lucas , Higgins Devin , Collie Aaron , Nicholson Shawn
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that Electronic Theses and Dissertation (ETD) metadata can be used as data for institutional assessment and to map an extended research landscape when connected to other data sets through linked data models.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper presents conceptual consideration of ideas behind linked data architecture to leverage ETD and attendant metadata to build a case for institutional assessment. Analysis of graph data support the considerations.

Findings

– The study reveals first and foremost that ETD metadata is in itself data. Concerns with creating URIs for data elements and general applicability of linked data model formation result. The analysis positively points up a rich environment of institutional relationships not readily found in traditional flat metadata records.

Originality/value

– This paper provides a new perspective in examining research landscape through ETDs produced by graduate students in higher education sector.
Library software in Pakistan
Authors: Siddique Nadeem , Mahmood Khalid
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– This paper is the part of PhD research of the principal researcher. This paper aims to describe current status of library software being used in the libraries of Pakistan, role of national and foreign agencies in the development of library software in Pakistan, problems faced by the libraries in implementation and to highlight the recommendations by the experts in the field to overcome the problems. It also attempts to provide a bibliography on the topic to researchers in the field of library and information science.

Design/methodology/approach

– Available literature was reviewed. The articles were usually published in national and international journals of library and information science and contributed by Pakistani authors. Other sources consulted were books, conference proceedings, theses and dissertations and websites of libraries and professionals’ organisations.

Findings

– The situation in Pakistan regarding library software cannot be compared with the that in advanced countries. Lack of standard library software, the multilingual nature of the library collections, poor budgets, computer illiteracy, software piracy and unavailability of support from local vendors are the main hindrances in the effective implementation of library software. In the available literature, experts have recommended the formulation of a consortium or a body under the umbrella of the Government of Pakistan which could provide standard library software, along with technical support, innovation and upgrades of the software, to meet the needs of Pakistani libraries.

Originality/value

– This is the first paper that presents the current status of library software in Pakistan, problems faced by the libraries in implementation of library software and recommendations suggested by the experts to overcome the problems.
Diffusion of ebooks among postgraduate students of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Nwagwu Williams E , Okafor Judd-Leonard
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to examine the diffusion of ebooks among postgraduate students in arts and technology faculties of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Electronic books have become increasingly popular in recent years, but factors influencing their adoption and use are not understood in many institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

– Guided by a sample survey design, data were collected from 1,518 postgraduate students, 438 from the arts and 1,080 from technology, using a questionnaire and an interview schedule.

Findings

– Students from both faculties used ebooks, identified through serendipitous browsing of the internet, and mainly Google searching. Many of the ebooks they find are not recommended by their lecturers, while those that are recommended are not available free of charge. Students therefore use ebooks mainly to cross-validate and gain extra insights about what they have been taught. There are significant differences between arts and technology students
'
use of ebooks with respect to cost, ease of use and other aspects, with technology students having the advantage. There is no programme in the university aimed at harvesting and organising ebook resources for students to access.

Research limitations/implications

– The study focused on only one institution.

Practical implications

– Institutionalising ebooks could be a useful strategy to address the dearth of current and relevant texts in universities, although ebooks may pose challenges to existing library management processes.

Social implications

– An ebook revolution will cause great changes in information services in libraries – how would university libraries partner to benchmark this evolving practice with respect to questions about standards, technologies, licensing and pricing, particularly in the developing world?

Originality/value

– There is no empirical study on this subject matter either in the University used in the study or in any other.
What counts as a science and discipline in library and information science?
Authors: Lugya Fredrick Kiwuwa
Published: June 2014

Purpose

– The convergence of librarianship and information science to form library and information science (LIS) is seen as a recent phenomenon, with the term “information science” originally focused on the application of computers to library operations and services. LIS as a science and multidisciplinary field applies the practice and perspective of information with the aim of answering important questions related to the activities of a target group. As a science, LIS is more than a collection of facts to be memorised or techniques to be mastered but is instead an inquiry carried out by people who raise questions for which answers are unknown and who have gained confidence in their ability to reach conclusions, albeit tentative ones, through research, experiment and careful thought sharpened by the open criticism of others. What is described here is a dynamic and changing field of study called LIS which differs from Cronin
'
s (2004) conclusion that library science or LIS is neither a science nor a discipline. Like any other science, LIS continues to emerge, evolve, transform and dissipate in the ongoing conversation of disciplines.

Design/methodology/approach

– To understand LIS, this paper thoroughly reviewed the literature by paying attention to the genesis of the terms “information”, “documentation”, “science” and “librarianship”, and then the interdisciplinary nature of library science and information science.

Findings

– The differences between librarianship and information science are an indication that there are two different fields in a strong interdisciplinary relation, rather than one being a special case of the other. LIS has grown to be a scientific discipline, knowledge and a process that allows abandoning or modifying previously accepted conclusions when confronted with more complete or reliable experimental or observational evidence. Therefore, like any other science, LIS is a science and discipline in its own right that continues to emerge, evolve, transform and dissipate in the ongoing conversation of disciplines.

Originality/value

– What is described here is a dynamic and changing field of study and a science called LIS that differs from Cronin
'
s (2004) assessment that library science or LIS is neither a science nor a discipline. The originality of the paper is rooted in a growing discussion to understand the relevance and appreciate the continued existence of LIS as a science and a field of study.
Climate and the landscape of fear in an African savanna
Authors: Riginos Corinna
Published: June 2014

Herbivores frequently have to make trade‐offs between two basic needs: the need to acquire forage and the need to avoid predation. One manifestation of this trade‐off is the ‘landscape of fear’ phenomenon – wherein herbivores avoid areas of high perceived predation risk even if forage is abundant or of high quality in those areas. Although this phenomenon is well established among invertebrates, its applicability to terrestrial large herbivores remains debated, in part because experimental evidence is scarce.

This study was designed to (i) experimentally test the effects of tree density – a key landscape feature associated with predation risk for African ungulates – on herbivore habitat use and (ii) establish whether habitat use patterns could be explained by trade‐offs between foraging opportunities and predation risk avoidance.

In a Kenyan savanna system, replicate plots dominated by the tree Acacia drepanolobium were cleared, thinned or left intact. Ungulate responses were measured over four years, which included years of moderate rainfall as well as a severe drought.

Under average rainfall conditions, most herbivores (primarily plains zebra, Grant's gazelle and hartebeest) favoured sites with fewer trees and higher visibility – regardless of grass production – while elephants (too large to be vulnerable to predation) favoured sites with many trees. During the drought, however, herbivores favoured sites that had high grass biomass, but not high visibility. Thus, during the drought, herbivores sought areas where food was more abundant, despite probable higher risk of predation.

These results illustrate that the ‘landscape of fear’, and the associated interactions between top‐down and bottom‐up effects, is not static, but rather shifts markedly under different conditions. Climate thus has the potential to alter the strength and spatial dynamics of behaviourally mediated cascades in large herbivore systems.
An evaluation of seed zone delineation using phenotypic and population genomic data on black alder Alnus glutinosa
Authors: De Kort Hanne , Mergeay Joachim , Vander Mijnsbrugge Kristine , Decocq Guillaume , Maccherini Simona , Kehlet Bruun Hans Henrik , Honnay Olivier , Vandepitte Katrien
Published: June 2014

Delineation of seed zones or provenance regions to preserve local adaptation is a common practice in forestry and restoration, as locally adapted plants generally possess relatively high levels of productivity and resistance. Provenance trials typically quantify the degree of phenotypic divergence among individuals and populations raised under common conditions, which is time‐consuming and potentially confounded by phenotypic plasticity and maternal effects.

Here, we put forward population genomics, the screening of individual genomes for the genetic signature of adaptation, as a fast and reliable strategy to evaluate seed zone delineation. To illustrate the value of this approach, we quantified the degree of genomic adaptation within and among Belgian black alder Alnus glutinosa provenances and compared results with traditional provenance trials. Distant European reference regions were included to validate the approaches, as larger environmental differences at a European scale are expected to result in larger adaptive responses.

Local provenances did not perform better than foreign provenances at the scale of Belgian seed zones, in contrast to the comparisons with the distant European regions. A significant site effect indicated that plastic responses rather than local adaptation explain phenotypic differences among seed zones. The common garden revealed little evidence for adaptation for all measured traits, both among seed zones and among distant regions.

The number and strength of genetic outliers was not significantly larger among Belgian seed zones than within these seed zones, but was significantly larger between Belgian seed zones and the distant European reference regions.

Synthesis and applications. The lack of adaptive divergence among Belgian seed zones supports an expansion of current provenance regions into larger seed zones. The results also show that population genomics can be an accurate and time‐efficient resource to assist decisions on seed sourcing. This highlights the importance of raising awareness of the potential benefits of this novel approach among policy makers, foresters and restoration practitioners.
Seed dispersal is more limiting to native grassland diversity than competition or seed predation
Authors: Pinto Sarah M. , Pearson Dean E. , Maron John L.
Published: June 2014

Competition has historically been viewed as the predominant process affecting plant community structure. In particular, it is often assumed that the dominant resident species is the superior competitor and therefore has large impacts on plant community diversity. This assumption, however, is seldom tested. As well, there are a variety of other processes such as dispersal limitation and seed predation that can influence community structure, although the relative importance of these processes in relation to competition from resident species is still unclear.

We examined how interspecific competition, dispersal limitation and post‐dispersal seed predation by mice individually and interactively influenced the richness and diversity of local plant assemblages in grasslands of western Montana.

We added seeds of 20 mostly locally uncommon native species to subplots in and out of larger rodent exclosure plots. Using a ‘species‐blind’ approach, we manipulated competition from resident plants in these subplots by removing the same amount of cover of one dominant species or several common species.

The species richness and diversity of local assemblages was higher in subplots with seed addition than without. Across all levels of the other treatments, average richness for subplots without competitor removal was lower than for competitor removal treatments. However, the removal of one locally dominant species had similar effects to removal of several common species. In contrast, preventing seed predation by mice did not have significant effects on richness. There were no significant interactions between the treatments.

Synthesis. Our results reveal a hierarchy of filters that determine local community structure. Many regionally rare species were dispersal limited and established after the seed addition, regardless of release from competition or the presence of seed predators. Subsequently, we found competitive equivalence between dominant and common species.