bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
When signal swamps substance: the effects of multi-unit discount’s positive and negative cues on sales
Authors: DelVecchio Devon , Heath Timothy B. , Chauvin Max
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Multi-unit discounts (MUDs, e.g. “3 for $4”) typically increase sales relative to other discounting frames. This study demonstrates the value of MUDs by showing that positive multi-unit price/quantity signals are potent enough to match and even exceed the sales produced by larger discounts on single items. However, there is reason to believe that MUDs can produce neutral effects in some cases (e.g. among consumers interested in only single-unit purchases) and even negative effects in others. In addition, the study considers whether MUDs can, in some cases, reduce purchase quantities by signaling smaller-than-otherwise-planned purchase amounts and/or lower-quality products.

Design/methodology/approach

The effectiveness of MUDs is tested in both the field and lab. Study 1 models purchase quantities stemming from 2,374 purchases of discounted items at a mass retailer. Purchased products ranged in type from pantry items to apparel and electronics, and ranged in price from 44¢ to $99.99. There were 1,530 single-unit discounts, 596 two-unit discounts and 248 discounts, involving three or more units. Study 2 consists of a laboratory experiment that overcomes the shortcomings of Study 1 by accounting for non-purchasers, controlling for product classes and testing whether smaller MUDs can lead to lower purchase quantities for larger-purchase-quantity products.

Findings

The results of both the field study and the laboratory experiment indicate that MUDs’ monetary cue (savings) and purchase-quantity cue (volume) increase purchase quantities. Generally, purchase quantities increased monotonically with the number of units offered in the discount. In fact, the quantity cue is so effective that it can increase sales enough as to substitute for larger discounts. However, in some instances, MUDs can decrease intended purchase quantities. The negative effect of MUDs is the most pronounced for larger unit deals, offering deeper discounts on perishable goods.

Originality/value

This research is the first to demonstrate that the power of the signals provided by MUDs may be so positive as to lead them to be more effective than discounts of substantially larger value but also so negative as to render them less effective than single-units discounts. This negative outcome poses a threat beyond those typically associated with discounts, in that rather than consumers simply discounting a discount, in which case the discount remains positive even if their impact at the margin wanes, the MUD frame may actually reduce sales.
Research on logo design and evaluation of youth education brands based on visual representation
Authors: Zhu Zhijuan , Cao Huai , Li Bin
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how logo design characteristics influence consumer response based on visual representation. Logos in different areas may have different characteristics that impact liking a logo. The logos of youth education brands were explored in this study.

Design/methodology/approach

The Kansei engineering (KE) method was employed in this research. In total, 115 logos of youth education brands were collected and classified into three categories: abstract, natural and text mark. Then 12 of these logos were selected as representative samples. A set of 171 Kansei pairwise image words was collected, and 14 of them were chosen for further investigation. The psychological projection experiment was conducted based on a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire with 120 participants. Three statistical methods including cluster analysis, factor analysis and correlation analysis were combined for the data analysis.

Findings

The results show that four factors affect liking a logo including a sense of contemporaneity, a sense of esthetics, a feeling of interest and a sense of style. Accordingly, the weights of these four factors are proposed. The positive correlation between logo characteristics and liking a logo was also verified. In addition, the classification results of this study confirm the wide use of natural and English text mark logos in youth education brands.

Originality/value

The results could guide designers and managers in selecting or modifying logo design for achieving a positive effective response. This is the first research on logo design characteristics linked with industry domains. This study also contributes to the KE approach to investigate the relative impact of logo characteristics on liking a logo.
Selecting a condition monitoring system for enhancing effectiveness of power transformer maintenance
Authors: Hernandez Maria Del Pilar Colin , Labib Ashraf
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a model for assisting in the decision-making process for acquiring a condition monitoring (CM) system for an oil-immersed power transformer in order to improve its maintainability.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model is based on the analytic hierarchy process. The assessment was performed by pairwise comparisons, and a sensitivity analysis (what-if analysis) was used to identify the implications of changing the criteria weights. In order to select the criteria and alternatives, a search was conducted for the power transformer failure modes, monitored parameters and CM technologies.

Findings

The proposed model provides a structured solution for a complex problem: deciding the best combination of technologies for CM of power transformers.

Research limitations/implications

Because the pairwise comparisons were done only by the author, the results may need to be improved with the assessment of more experts. Also, it was done for a specific type of transformer; it might be necessary to customise the alternatives for other cases. Finally, as a future consideration, more levels can be added to the hierarchy to improve the accuracy of the model.

Practical implications

The power transformer is an asset where the most appropriate maintenance strategy for it is condition-based maintenance. In order to improve its maintainability, it is recommendable to improve its testability and diagnosability. For achieving this goal, the maintenance personnel have to decide the best combination of technologies for CM. The methodology developed can assist the decision makers to select the most appropriate cost-benefit strategy.

Originality/value

The paper presents a structured and generic method of selecting the most appropriate CM system for power transformers.
Secondary but significant: secondary customers’ existence, vulnerability and needs in care services
Authors: Leino Henna M.
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of the status, vulnerability and needs of the health-care and nursing service customers’ (hereafter, care service customers’) loved ones.

Design/methodology/approach

The position and vulnerabilities of secondary customers of care services are studied and examples provided by reviewing empirical research reported in the care service literature. A conceptual discussion is developed on the “customer” concept in an extended sense, beyond the focal customers. The “primary customer” and “secondary customer” concepts are employed to supplement the extant discussion on customer units and ecosystems.

Findings

Secondary customers are exposed to secondary vulnerability and their well-being is affected by the services provided primarily to their loved ones. The most recurring needs of secondary customers concern psychosocial support, communication and information and cultural sensitivity.

Practical implications

New perspectives on understanding the “customer” concept in an extended sense. This assists in supporting the customers’ dynamic activities and processes within the customer ecosystems. To address care service customers’ loved ones’ vulnerabilities and needs and to support their well-being, they should also be recognised as customers – “secondary customers” – with patients being the “primary customers”.

Social implications

The results are especially relevant when considering services’ influences on vulnerable customers’ ecosystems and on individuals within them. It is important to recognise that beyond a vulnerable customer, several secondary customers may be exposed to secondary vulnerability, needing support.

Originality/value

The paper is apparently the first to connect the constructs “primary” and “secondary customer” and customer vulnerability to the customer ecosystem discussion. Also, essential future research questions are provided.
Quality of working life and engagement in hostels
Authors: Wahlberg Tiia Annika , Ramalho Nelson , Brochado Ana
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Hostels’ competitiveness relies heavily on unique and genuine service and, thus, counts on employees actively creating a social, welcoming environment and, at the same time, caring about – and being loyal to – their hostel. This paper aims to investigate whether retaining employees who care about their hostel and refrain from destructive behaviours implies that these workers need to have a better quality of working life, as well as whether work engagement mediates this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted with 98 employees from 40 hostels in Lisbon. An analysis of the survey data was performed to test the research hypotheses. The model was estimated by means of partial least squares structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results reveal that quality of working life has a strong negative impact on employees’ exit behaviours and a positive effect on their loyalty. In addition, work engagement was found to mediate fully the relationship between quality of working life and both employee voice and neglect, as well as partially mediating exit intentions.

Originality/value

This study extended prior research in two ways. First, most theoretical and empirical studies in the hospitality and tourism industry have focused on hotels, so this research targeted a new context (i.e. hostels). Second, this study offers a clear indication of the relationship between employees’ quality of working life, work engagement and behaviours, thus offering valuable insights for management and hostel staff.
Business models in tourism: a review and research agenda
Authors: Reinhold Stephan , Zach Florian J. , Krizaj Dejan
Published: October 2017

Purpose

Business models and the business model concept have become a fixture of scholarly and managerial attention. With a focus on how actors create, capture and disseminate value, business model research holds the promise to inform the tourism sector’s search for ways to innovate and change outdated business practices. Yet, the concept has inspired little research tackling the contingencies of the tourism context. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in this review and research agenda on business models in tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors review and synthesize contributions from publications in EBSCO, Emerald Insight, ProQuest and Science Direct databases, that make explicit use of the business model concept in tourism (anytime up to September 2016). We conceptualize the identified articles as a coherent body of knowledge on business models in tourism with the objective of identifying common themes that characterize existing contributions.

Findings

From the review of 28 qualified articles, the authors identify four emergent themes: sector-specific configurations, the role of different value types, design themes for consistency and regulatory contingencies. These themes inform three domains in which the authors present avenues for tourism-specific studies on business models, as well as their management and innovation that the authors position in relation to the general business model literature.

Originality/value

This review details how researchers across disciplines conceptualize the business model. Together with the identified directions for further research, this literature review thus establishes a common conceptual basis and stock of knowledge for the study of business models in tourism research.
Destination perceived quality, tourist satisfaction and word-of-mouth
Authors: Wang Tz-Li , Tran Phuong Thi Kim , Tran Vinh Trung
Published: October 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the effects of gender and visit frequency as moderating variables on the relationships among destination perceived quality, tourist satisfaction and word-of-mouth (WOM).

Design/methodology/approach

This study incorporated several previous research models to propose a conceptual model that fully explains the relationships among destination perceived quality, tourist satisfaction, visit frequency and WOM. One important thing to consider is whether gender and visit frequency impact on the relationships among these factors. In addition, this study was able to generate measurement items for the dimensions by analyzing specific tourism conditions in Danang City and referring to the scales of these factors in previous studies. Quantitative research was conducted to test the scales of the research model and hypotheses through data collected from 303 domestic tourists.

Findings

Structural equation modeling and a multi-group analysis were used to test the hypotheses and the invariance of structural coefficients across groups. The results indicate that destination perceived quality has significant, positive and direct effect on tourist satisfaction; WOM is positively influenced by destination perceived quality and tourist satisfaction; and there is significant relationship between visit frequency and WOM. In particular, when exploring the impact of moderating variables such as gender and visit frequency, this study also found that the impacts of destination perceived quality on WOM are different between genders, and this impact is stronger for female rather than male tourists; and the effect of destination perceived quality on tourist satisfaction is stronger for the first visit than for later visits.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is limited in its ability to gather a larger sample to more generally represent the complete domestic market, as well as in its lack of a comparison of online versus offline WOM effects by gender.

Originality/value

This paper was conducted to have a better understanding of how tourist demographic characteristics such as gender and visit frequency are important contributors that influence the relationships among these three factors. This paper has important implications for marketers and managers of Danang, such as local tourism authorities, commercial association managers, hotel owners, restaurant owners and tour managers working to improve the quality of this destination, and thus better satisfying tourists and competing with other destinations.
Sports museums as part of the touristic and cultural itineraries
Authors: Magalhães Mafalda , Horta Paulo , Valente Luis , Costa Jorge
Published: October 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to explain how FC Porto became an important agent on the contribution for the development of tourism in the city of Porto.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on information drawn from official sources and relevant data from Futebol Clube do Porto.

Findings

Through the football matches and since the migration of the club’s headquarters to the eastern district of the city, during the mid-1950s, FC Porto proved to be responsible for bringing attention and public to the city of Porto and then to an area where progress was missing.

Originality/value

The FC Porto Museum has been able to capture strong interest and satisfaction from visitors less connected to the phenomenon of sports, attracted by the theme of a museum of a sports club that speaks the language of the city, the region and the country.
“I’m missing out and I think I have something to give”: experiences of older involuntarily childless men
Authors: Hadley Robin Andrew
Published: October 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extensively report the implications of the global trend of declining fertility rates and an increasingly ageing population. The experiences of childless men are mostly absent from gerontological, psychological, reproduction, and sociological, research. These disciplines have mainly focussed on family formation and practices, whilst the fertility intentions, history, and experience of men have been overlooked. Not fulfilling the dominant social status of parenthood provides a significant challenge to both individual and cultural identity. Distress levels in both infertile men and women have been recorded as high as those with grave medical conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

The aim of this paper is to provide some insight into the affect involuntarily childless has on the lives of older men. This auto/biographical qualitative study used a pluralistic framework drawn from the biographical, feminist, gerontological, and life course approaches. Data were gathered from in-depth semi-structured biographical interviews with 14 self-defined involuntary men aged between 49 and 82 years from across the UK. A broad thematic analysis highlighted the complex intersections between involuntary childlessness and agency, biology, relationships, and socio-cultural structures.

Findings

Diverse elements affected the men’s involuntary childlessness: upbringing, economics, timing of events, interpersonal skills, sexual orientation, partner selection, relationship formation and dissolution, bereavement, and the assumption of fertility. The importance of relationship quality was highlighted for all the men: with and without partners. Quality of life was affected by health, relationships, and social networks. Awareness of “outsiderness” and a fear of being viewed a paedophile were widely reported.

Research limitations/implications

This is a study based on a small self-selecting “fortuitous” sample. Consequently care should be taken in applying the findings to the wider population.

Originality/value

Health and social care policy, practice and research have tended to focus on family and women. The ageing childless are absent and excluded from policy, practice, and research. Recognition of those ageing without children or family is urgent given that it is predicted that there will be over two million childless people aged 65 and over by 2030 (approximately 25 per cent of the 65 and over population). The consequences for health and social care of individuals and organisations are catastrophic if this does not happen.
Is environmental legislation conserving tropical stream faunas? A large‐scale assessment of local, riparian and catchment‐scale influences on Amazonian fish
Authors: Leal Cecília G. , Barlow Jos , Gardner Toby A. , Hughes Robert M. , Leitão Rafael P. , Mac Nally Ralph , Kaufmann Philip R. , Ferraz Silvio F. B. , Zuanon Jansen , de Paula Felipe R. , Ferreira Joice , Thomson James R. , Lennox Gareth D. , Dary Eurizângela P. , Röpke Cristhiana P. , Pompeu Paulo S.
Published: October 2017

Agricultural expansion and intensification are major threats to tropical biodiversity. In addition to the direct removal of native vegetation, agricultural expansion often elicits other human‐induced disturbances, many of which are poorly addressed by existing environmental legislation and conservation programmes. This is particularly true for tropical freshwater systems, where there is considerable uncertainty about whether a legislative focus on protecting riparian vegetation is sufficient to conserve stream fauna.

To assess the extent to which stream fish are being effectively conserved in agricultural landscapes, we examined the spatial distribution of assemblages in river basins to identify the relative importance of human impacts at instream, riparian and catchment scales, in shaping observed patterns. We used an extensive dataset on the ecological condition of 83 low‐order streams distributed in three river basins in the eastern Brazilian Amazon.

We collected and identified 24,420 individual fish from 134 species. Multiplicative diversity partitioning revealed high levels of compositional dissimilarity (DS) among stream sites (DS = 0.74 to 0.83) and river basins (DS = 0.82), due mainly to turnover (77.8% to 81.8%) rather than nestedness. The highly heterogeneous fish faunas in small Amazonian streams underscore the vital importance of enacting measures to protect forests on private lands outside of public protected areas.

Instream habitat features explained more variability in fish assemblages (15%–19%) than riparian (2%–12%), catchment (4%–13%) or natural covariates (4%–11%). Although grouping species into functional guilds allowed us to explain up to 31% of their abundance (i.e. for nektonic herbivores), individual riparian – and catchment – scale predictor variables that are commonly a focus of environmental legislation explained very little of the observed variation (partial R2 values mostly <5%).

Policy implications. Current rates of agricultural intensification and mechanization in tropical landscapes are unprecedented, yet the existing legislative frameworks focusing on protecting riparian vegetation seem insufficient to conserve stream environments and their fish assemblages. To safeguard the species‐rich freshwater biota of small Amazonian streams, conservation actions must shift towards managing whole basins and drainage networks, as well as agricultural practices in already‐cleared land.
Poor plant performance under simulated climate change is linked to mycorrhizal responses in a semi‐arid shrubland
Authors: León‐Sánchez Lupe , Nicolás Emilio , Goberna Marta , Prieto Iván , Maestre Fernando T. , Querejeta José Ignacio
Published: October 2017

Warmer and drier conditions associated with ongoing climate change will increase abiotic stress for plants and mycorrhizal fungi in drylands world‐wide, thereby potentially reducing vegetation cover and productivity and increasing the risk of land degradation and desertification. Rhizosphere–microbial interactions and feedbacks are critical processes that could either mitigate or aggravate the vulnerability of dryland vegetation to forecasted climate change.

We conducted a 4‐year manipulative study in a semi‐arid shrubland in the Iberian Peninsula to assess the effects of warming (c. 2.5°C; W), rainfall reduction (c. 30%; RR) and their combination (W+RR) on the performance of native shrubs (Helianthemum squamatum) and their associated mycorrhizal fungi.

Warming (W and W+RR) decreased the net photosynthetic rates of H. squamatum shrubs by c. 31% despite concurrent increases in stomatal conductance (c. 33%), leading to sharp decreases (c. 50%) in water use efficiency. Warming also advanced growth phenology, decreased leaf nitrogen and phosphorus contents per unit area, reduced shoot biomass production by c. 36% and decreased survival during a dry year in both W and W+RR plants. Plants under RR showed more moderate decreases (c. 10%–20%) in photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and shoot growth.

Warming, RR and W+RR altered ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) community structure and drastically reduced the relative abundance of EMF sequences obtained by high‐throughput sequencing, a response associated with decreases in the leaf nitrogen, phosphorus and dry matter contents of their host plants. In contrast to EMF, the community structure and relative sequence abundances of other non‐mycorrhizal fungal guilds were not significantly affected by the climate manipulation treatments.

Synthesis. Our findings highlight the vulnerability of both native plants and their symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi to climate warming and drying in semi‐arid shrublands, and point to the importance of a deeper understanding of plant–soil feedbacks to predict dryland vegetation responses to forecasted aridification. The interdependent responses of plants and ectomycorrhizal fungi to warming and rainfall reduction may lead to a detrimental feedback loop on vegetation productivity and nutrient pool size, which could amplify the adverse impacts of forecasted climate change on ecosystem functioning in EMF‐dominated drylands.
‘Everyone assumes a man to be quite strong’: Men, masculinity and rheumatoid arthritis: A case‐study approach
Authors: Flurey Caroline , White Alan , Rodham Karen , Kirwan John , Noddings Robert , Hewlett Sarah
Published: October 2017

Current literature has overlooked the impact of chronic illness on masculine identity. We therefore aimed to investigate the impact of rheumatoid arthritis (a long term condition, affecting more women than men) on masculine identity. Six focus groups with 22 men with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (data reported elsewhere) followed by five one‐to‐one interviews with men (English, mean age: 59 years) sampled to reflect a heterogeneous experience of life with RA based on knowledge gained from the focus groups. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis and are presented as individual case studies. Whilst the case studies provide five distinct experiences, common themes can be drawn across them, such as the importance of paid work. The men needed to renegotiate their masculine identity to deal with their RA. Two dealt with this by pushing through pain to retain masculine activities, two replaced masculine roles they could no longer do with other roles, and one rejected masculinity completely. Men with long term conditions may need to re‐write their masculinity scripts to enable them to accept and adapt to their condition. However, some men struggle with this, which should be taken into consideration when designing self‐management services for men with long term conditions.
Towards Real‐Time Continental Scale Streamflow Simulation in Continuous and Discrete Space
Authors: Salas Fernando R. , Somos‐Valenzuela Marcelo A. , Dugger Aubrey , Maidment David R. , Gochis David J. , David Cédric H. , Yu Wei , Ding Deng , Clark Edward P. , Noman Nawajish
Published: October 2017

The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts floods at approximately 3,600 locations across the United States (U.S.). However, the river network, as defined by the 1:100,000 scale National Hydrography Dataset‐Plus (NHDPlus) dataset, consists of 2.7 million river segments. Through the National Flood Interoperability Experiment, a continental scale streamflow simulation and forecast system was implemented and continuously operated through the summer of 2015. This system leveraged the WRF‐Hydro framework, initialized on a 3‐km grid, the Routing Application for the Parallel Computation of Discharge river routing model, operating on the NHDPlus, and real‐time atmospheric forcing to continuously forecast streamflow. Although this system produced forecasts, this paper presents a study of the three‐month nowcast to demonstrate the capacity to seamlessly predict reach scale streamflow at the continental scale. In addition, this paper evaluates the impact of reservoirs, through a case study in Texas. Validation of the uncalibrated model using observed hourly streamflow at 5,701 U.S. Geological Survey gages shows 26% demonstrate PBias ≤ |25%|, 11% demonstrate Nash‐Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) ≥ 0.25, and 6% demonstrate both PBias ≤ |25%| and NSE ≥ 0.25. When evaluating the impact of reservoirs, the analysis shows when reservoirs are included, NSE ≥ 0.25 for 56% of the gages downstream while NSE ≥ 0.25 for 11% when they are not. The results presented here provide a benchmark for the evolving hydrology program within the NWS and supports their efforts to develop a reach scale flood forecasting system for the country.
Quantifying population size of migrant birds at stopover sites: Combining count data with stopover length estimated from stable isotope analysis
Authors: Catry Teresa , Lourenço Pedro M. , Granadeiro José P.
Published: October 2017

Regular counts of migrating animals at stopover sites have been used as a measure of site importance at the global scale as well as for monitoring long‐term population changes. However, migratory passage can last for several weeks and the turnover rate of individuals is often high, preventing the use of peak counts to estimate the total number of migrants. This estimate can be achieved, however, by combining count data with information on stopover length.

Here, we developed a new method to quantify the total number of migrant birds using stopover areas hosting overlapping populations of local (breeding or wintering) and passage individuals of a given species. We illustrate the application of this method by estimating the number of spring migrant dunlins Calidris alpina stopping over at the Tagus estuary (Portugal). We used carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures in toenails to identify migrants and to estimate their proportion in total counts. We then employed isotopic clock models to determine time since arrival (TSA) of individuals from signatures in red blood cells and plasma and, using a simulation approach, we derived the relationship between TSA and stopover length. Finally, by dividing the number of migrants.day (obtained from counts) by the stopover length, we assessed the size of the migrant population.

We demonstrated that stopover length can be directly predicted from mean TSA values of birds sampled during migration, regardless of variations in (1) migratory rate, that is, the phenology of arrivals throughout the migratory period and (2) the number of birds involved in the migratory event. Migrant dunlins stayed on average 7.5 days at the Tagus estuary during spring migration, which combined with count data resulted in an estimate of c. 30,000 passage dunlins, using the study site.

Our novel approach is not strict in its assumptions, and therefore can be customised to the specificities of different taxa and study areas. Estimates of total number of migrants along migratory flyways are critical to identify priority sites for conservation action. In fact, single stopover sites may host a very significant proportion of a global population albeit for a short period.
Quantitative evolutionary patterns in bipartite networks: Vicariance, phylogenetic tracking or diffuse co‐evolution?
Authors: Russo Laura , Miller Adam D. , Tooker John , Bjornstad Ottar N. , Shea Katriona
Published: October 2017

Many pairwise interactions in ecological communities are thought to be structured by co‐evolution, a process difficult to study on a community level. Traditional methods can reveal correlated phylogenies between interacting organisms, suggesting a co‐evolutionary association. However, several processes could lead to cophylogeny, including (1) vicariance, (2) phylogenetic tracking and (3) co‐evolution.

We present a framework to investigate diffuse co‐evolution between groups of interacting taxa. Our methodology incorporates two complementary statistical methods to test for evolutionary signals. First, we test for correlated taxonomies between interacting species, and then we test for an association between the pattern of interactions and taxonomy of interacting species. We use these methods to clearly distinguish between three possible explanations of cophylogenies, when present.

Our methodology is designed to explore diffuse evolutionary signals among many interacting taxa: it is robust to polytomies and generalization and can use taxonomic trees in place of phylogenies. Thus, we use taxonomic distances to identify groups of associated taxa, as opposed to specific co‐evolutionary relationships.

In a case study, we find significant evidence for phylogenetic tracking, vicariance and asymmetry. Generally, our method can be applied whenever relevant taxonomy is well resolved and includes sufficient variation at multiple taxonomic ranks between two groups of interacting taxa. This adaptable method can incorporate many types of data on species traits or behaviours, such as phylogenetic relatedness, pollination efficacy, interaction strengths and visitation rates. The analysis we provide here may be of use to a broad range of ecologists interested in evaluating diffuse evolutionary patterns in groups of interacting species.
AutoMorph: Accelerating morphometrics with automated 2D and 3D image processing and shape extraction
Authors: Hsiang Allison Y. , Nelson Kaylea , Elder Leanne E. , Sibert Elizabeth C. , Kahanamoku Sara S. , Burke Janet E. , Kelly Abigail , Liu Yusu , Hull Pincelli M.
Published: October 2017

Large‐scale, comparative studies of morphological variation are rare due to the time‐intensive nature of shape quantification. This data gap is important to address, as intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation underpins and reflects ecological and evolutionary processes.

Here, we detail a novel software package, AutoMorph, for high‐throughput object and shape extraction. AutoMorph can batch image many types of organisms (e.g. foraminifera, molluscs and fish teeth), allowing for rapid generation of assemblage‐scale morphological data.

We used AutoMorph to image and generate 2D and 3D morphological data for >100,000 marine microfossils in about a year. Our collaborators have used AutoMorph to process >12,000 patellogastropod shells and >50,000 fish teeth.

AutoMorph allows users to rapidly produce large amounts of morphological data, facilitating community‐scale evolutionary and ecological studies. To hasten the adoption of automated approaches, we have made AutoMorph freely available and open source. AutoMorph runs on all UNIX‐like systems; future versions will run across all platforms.
Evaluation of a method for isocapnic hyperventilation: a clinical pilot trial
Authors: Hallén K. , Jildenstål P. , Stenqvist O. , Ricksten S.‐E. , Lindgren S.
Published: October 2017

Background

Isocapnic hyperventilation (IHV) is a method that shortens time to extubation after inhalation anaesthesia using hyperventilation (HV) without lowering airway CO2. In a clinical trial on patients undergoing long‐duration sevoflurane anaesthesia for major ear–nose–throat (ENT) surgery, we evaluated the utility of a technique for CO2 delivery (DCO2) to the inspiratory limb of a closed breathing circuit, during HV, to achieve isocapnia.

Methods

Fifteen adult ASA 1–3 patients were included. After end of surgery, mechanical HV was started by doubling baseline minute ventilation. Simultaneously, CO2 was delivered and dosed using a nomogram developed in a previous experimental study. Time to extubation and eye opening was recorded. Inspired (FICO2) and expired (FETCO2) CO2 and arterial CO2 levels were monitored during IHV. Cognition was tested pre‐operatively and at 20, 40 and 60 min after surgery.

Results

A DCO2 of 285 ± 45 ml/min provided stable isocapnia during HV (13.5 ± 4.1 l/min). The corresponding FICO2 level was 3.0 ± 0.3%. Time from turning off the vaporizer (1.3 ± 0.1 MACage) to extubation (0.2 ± 0.1 MACage) was 11.3 ± 1.8 min after 342 ± 131 min of anaesthesia. PaCO2 and FETCO2 remained at normal levels during and after IHV. In 85% of the patients, post‐operative cognition returned to pre‐operative values within 60 min.

Conclusions

In this cohort of patients, a DCO2 nomogram for IHV was validated. The patients were safely extubated shortly after discontinuing long‐term sevoflurane anaesthesia. Perioperatively, there were no adverse effects on arterial blood gases or post‐operative cognition. This technique for IHV can potentially be used to decrease emergence time from inhalation anaesthesia.
Context‐Specific Inhibition is Related to Craving in Alcohol Use Disorders: A Dangerous Imbalance
Authors: Stein Maria , Fey Werner , Koenig Thomas , Oehy Jacqueline , Moggi Franz
Published: October 2017

Background

Most contemporary neuroscientific models of alcohol use disorders (AUD) incorporate an imbalance between enhanced cue reactivity, which results in a strong urge to consume, and the impaired inhibitory control of that urge. While these phenomena have been frequently investigated separately, studies involving both aspects and thus precisely investigating the postulated imbalance are rare. In this study, inhibition was investigated in an addiction‐specific context and individual craving levels were also examined.

Methods

This study compared inhibition in alcohol‐related and neutral contexts in patients with AUD and healthy controls, while also taking into account the individual amount of craving. All subjects performed a Go/NoGo task involving neutral and alcohol‐related NoGo trials, while their brain activity was recorded using multichannel electroencephalography. The map strength and topography of the N2 and P3 components of the NoGo event‐related potentials were compared between groups and contexts using whole‐scalp randomization‐based methods. The effects of interest were further investigated with sLORETA source analysis.

Results

For the N2 component, the context by craving interaction was strong for map strength and map topography. The source analysis indicated that in subjects with high craving, alcohol‐related context led to enhanced and prolonged activation in the posterior cingulate and premotor cortical areas. This interaction was specific for craving, but not for diagnostic classification. The amplitude of the P3 component was reduced in subjects with AUD, which replicated previous findings.

Conclusions

In subjects with strong craving, the conflict reflected in the NoGo‐N2 was enhanced in the alcohol‐related context. Such enhanced conflict probably makes the successful inhibition of the urge to drink in high‐risk situations even more difficult for this subgroup of patients and should therefore be addressed in individualized treatment planning.
Hemispheric asymmetry of the frontolimbic cortex in young adults with borderline personality disorder
Authors: Zhou Q. , Zhong M. , Yao S. , Jin X. , Liu Y. , Tan C. , Zhu X. , Yi J.
Published: October 2017

Objective

Although the frontolimbic cortex has been implicated in borderline personality disorder (BPD), information about possible asymmetries in this region in patients with BPD is limited. This study aimed to examine whether frontolimbic cortex asymmetries differ between patients with BPD and healthy individuals.

Methods

The brains of 30 young adult patients with BPD and 32 healthy control subjects were scanned with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The participants completed self‐report scales assessing impulsivity, affect intensity and other psychological variables. Gray matter volume, surface area, and cortical thickness in regions of interest (ROIs), namely anterior insula (AI) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were determined and the data were probed for hemisphere‐group interactions.

Results

Relative to controls, patients with BPD had reduced cortical thickness in left ACC and less surface area and gray matter volume in left AI. Significant group‐hemisphere interactions were observed for gray matter volume and surface area of AI and for cortical thickness of ACC. Post hoc analysis showed that the BPD patients had greater frontolimbic cortex asymmetry than healthy controls; furthermore, greater asymmetry of AI&ACC correlated with a higher score in attention subscale of Barratt Impulsiveness Scale.

Conclusion

Patients with BPD have greater frontolimbic asymmetry than healthy individuals.
The role of Rhytidoponera metallica (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in facilitating post‐fire seed germination of three ant‐dispersed legume species
Authors: Beaumont Kieren P. , Mackay Duncan A. , Whalen Molly A.
Published: October 2017

The fire avoidance hypothesis proposes that a benefit of seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) is to protect seeds from being killed during fire and to facilitate post‐fire germination of seeds that require heat shock to break their physical dormancy. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of fire and seed burial by a predominant seed‐dispersing ant, Rhytidoponera metallica (subfamily: Ectatomminae) on germination levels of three ant‐dispersed legume species (Pultenaea daphnoides, Acacia myrtifolia and Acacia pycnantha). Experimental burial of seeds within aluminium cans at a site prior to being burnt and at an adjacent unburnt site showed that fire increased germination levels, particularly for seeds buried at 1‐ and 2‐cm deep and that overall, germination levels differed among the three plant species. To quantify seed burial depths and post‐fire germination levels facilitated by R. metallica ants, seeds were fed to colonies prior to fire at the burnt and unburnt sites. Of the seeds buried within nests that were recovered, between 45% and 75% occurred within the upper 6 cm of the soil profile, although unexpectedly, greater percentages of seeds were recovered from the upper 0–2 cm of nests in the unburnt site compared with nests in the burnt site. Germination levels of buried seeds associated with R. metallica nests ranged from 21.2% to 29.5% in the burnt site compared with 3.1–14.8% in the unburnt site. While increased seed germination levels were associated with R. metallica nests following fire, most seeds were buried at depths below those where optimal temperatures for breaking seed dormancy occurred during the fire. We suggest that R. metallica ants may provide fire avoidance benefits to myrmecochorous seeds by burying them at a range of depths within a potential germination zone defined by intra‐ and inter‐fire variation in levels of soil heating.
Gender and arch effects on the use of non‐opioid analgesics for post endodontic pain reduction
Authors: Elzaki Wail M. , Ziada Hassan M. , Abubakr Neamat H. , Ibrahim Yahia E.
Published: October 2017

This study aimed to evaluate the secondary outcomes of gender and arch and their impact on pain reduction following initial endodontic therapy. 185 medications, including placebo were prepared, and 170 participants completed the trial. Group 1, received a single dose of Paracetamol alone (G‐1), Group 2 received combined Ibuprofen/Paracetamol (G‐2). Group 3 received combined Mefenamic acid/Paracetamol (G‐3), group 4 received combined Diclofenac K/Paracetamol (G‐4) and Group 5 received a placebo (G‐5). There were no statistically significant differences in pain reduction between males and females whilst there were statistically significant differences between them and the placebo group. All combinations of Paracetamol performed better in pain reduction than the placebo among females, while there were no statistically significant differences among males. In conclusion, there were no differences in pain reduction between males and females, and arch for the tested analgesics taken immediately following initial endodontic therapy in teeth with irreversible pulpitis.
Recurrent extensive anterior myocardial infarction with left and right bundle branch block
Authors: Jiang Hexi , Chang Qinghua , Zhang Yingjie , Liu Renguang
Published: October 2017

The diagnosis of myocardial infarction with left bundle branch block is difficult. We report a case of 56‐year‐old man with old extensive anterior myocardial infarction and left bundle branch block (masked each other). The recurrent myocardial infarction indicated right bundle branch block and first‐degree atrioventricular block, making a clear diagnosis of complicated and interesting ECG.
Review article: hepatitis B core‐related antigen (HBcrAg): an emerging marker for chronic hepatitis B virus infection
Authors: Mak L.‐Y. , Wong D. K.‐H. , Cheung K.‐S. , Seto W.‐K. , Lai C.‐L. , Yuen M.‐F.
Published: October 2017

Background

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) cannot be completely eradicated due to the presence of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in the nuclei of infected hepatocytes. While quantification of intrahepatic cccDNA requires liver biopsies, serological markers can be non‐invasive alternatives to reflect intrahepatic viral replicative activity. Recently, hepatitis B core‐related antigen (HBcrAg) has been advocated as a novel serum marker for disease monitoring and prognostication of CHB.

Aim

To examine the virological aspect and clinical application of HBcrAg with respect to the natural history and treatment of CHB.

Methods

We reviewed all papers published in the PubMed journal list and abstracts from major international meetings that included the keyword “HBcrAg” or “hepatitis B core‐related antigen” until March 2017. Selected studies were compared and summarised on the basis of existing theories, as well as the authors’ experience.

Results

HBcrAg exhibited good correlation with intrahepatic (ih) cccDNA, ih total hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, serum HBV DNA and to a lesser extent HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). In situations where serum HBV DNA levels become undetectable or HBsAg loss is achieved, HBcrAg can still be detectable. This marker is helpful in differentiation of HBeAg‐negative chronic hepatitis from HBeAg‐negative chronic infection, predicting spontaneous or treatment‐induced HBeAg seroconversion, sustained response to nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA), risk of HBV reactivation in occult HBV infection under immunosuppressive therapies, and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development as well as post‐operative HCC recurrence.

Conclusions

HBcrAg is a potential surrogate marker of cccDNA. It may soon become a useful marker for disease monitoring, predicting treatment response and disease outcome of chronic hepatitis B.
An Approach to the Diagnosis of Craniofacial Fibrous Dysplasia from the 2500‐Year‐Old Remains of a Skull from Ancient China
Authors: Shi Z. Z. , Zhang Q. , Cheng K. L. , Shao H. , Zhao D. , Sun B. T. , Yu J. , Sun Z. C. , Li M. C. , Guo L. , Zhu H. , Zhang Q. C. , Huang Y. H.
Published: October 2017

A human skull, buried about 2500 years ago in a Bronze Age cemetery at Jinggouzi, a site of an important ethnic group in ancient China, appeared to have characteristics of fibrous dysplasia. The CT images indicated a reduction in bone density and relatively homogeneous lesions. More features were revealed using CT reconstruction techniques. Lesions seen in low‐magnification images using a 3D deep‐field microscope had an irregular honeycomb‐like structure. At higher magnification, the trabeculae morphology and the gaps between the trabeculae were irregular and varied in size and shape. Paraffin‐embedded specimens stained with HE showed trabeculae with tortuous irregular arrangements varying in shape and width. The irregular trabeculae of woven bone has been described as having fibrous dysplasia. Molecular analysis of the GNAS gene indicated no mutation. This provides a non‐invasive approach for us to make more comprehensive diagnoses and to assist research into ancient human diseases.
Innovation not recovery: dynamic redox promotes metazoan radiations
Authors: Wood Rachel , Erwin Douglas H.
Published: October 2017

Environmental fluctuations in redox may reinforce rather than hinder evolutionary transitions, such that variability in near‐surface oceanic oxygenation can promote morphological evolution and novelty. Modern, low‐oxygen regions are heterogeneous and dynamic habitats that support low diversity and are inhabited by opportunistic and non‐skeletal metazoans. We note that several major radiation episodes follow protracted or repeating intervals (>1 million years) of persistent and dynamic shallow marine redox (oceanic anoxic events). These are also often associated with short‐lived mass‐extinction events (<0.5 million years) where skeletal benthic incumbents are removed, and surviving or newly evolved benthos initially inhabit transient oxic habitats. We argue that such intervals create critical opportunities for the generation of evolutionary novelty, followed by innovation and diversification.

We develop a general model for redox controls on the distribution and structure of the shallow marine benthos in a dominantly anoxic world, and compile data from the terminal Ediacaran–mid‐Cambrian (∼560–509 Ma), late Cambrian–Ordovician (∼500–445 Ma), and Permo‐Triassic (∼255–205 Ma) to test these predictions. Assembly of phylogenetic data shows that prolonged and widespread anoxic intervals indeed promoted morphological novelty in soft‐bodied benthos, providing the ancestral stock for subsequently skeletonized lineages to appear as innovations once oxic conditions became widespread and stable, in turn promoting major evolutionary diversification. As a result, we propose that so‐called ‘recovery’ intervals after mass extinctions might be better considered as ‘innovation’ intervals.