bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Design factors and preferences in wearable soft robots for movement disabilities
Authors: Koo Sumin Helen 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand different preferences and important design factors for wearable soft robots (WSR) and understand how these differences affect people’s perception, attitude and behavioral intentions toward using the WSR.

Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was conducted to purposely sampled participants who are adults aged over 18 of both genders with movement disabilities living in the USA. The collected data were analyzed through Welch’s t-test, Welch’s analysis of variance and linear- and multi-regressions for quantitative data and major theme extractions for qualitative data.

Findings
The results identified preferred functions and designs and important design factors for WSR and how these influence to users’ perception, attitude and behaviors on WSR.

Originality/value
The number of people with movement disabilities is anticipated to increase worldwide and it is essential to understand users for developing wearable movement aids for people with movement disabilities. However, there is no research on what functions and designs are preferred by WSR users and what aspects designers need to consider when developing these WSR. Thus, this research will contribute to the body of knowledge in WSR design; help WSR developers, designers and researchers better incorporate users’ preferences in the design process; and ultimately enhance the quality of life of people who have movement disabilities.
Designing payroll levies for firm training
Authors: Lee Gregory John , Davison Alexander 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate and recommend formal guidelines for the initial design of country-level or sectoral payroll levy systems that are intended to incentivize new firm training. The paper presents and illustrates two necessary conditions for new training to be stimulated, one involving transaction costs and the other the incentive payback. Ultimately, the purpose is to guide more successful designs for such systems in future.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper is principally theoretical, but the South African levy-grant system of the late 1990s is used as a case study. The paper illustrates how World Bank data may have been used to guide the design.

Findings
The paper demonstrates how during the design phase, policy makers can employ knowledge of pre-incentive training levels of firms, and possibly also estimates of unit transaction costs, to estimate the number of employees that may be positively affected. In the South African case, the actual system used may have been underspecified and unlikely to reach many employees with new training.

Research limitations/implications
Future research may employ these guidelines in empirical studies of the relative success of payroll levies.

Practical implications
The practical value of the paper is formal guidelines for policy makers seeking to implement such payroll levy systems.

Social implications
Better design for these systems may have positive implications for productivity and social externalities while avoiding unnecessary waste.

Originality/value
While there have been several more general reflections of payroll levy systems, and empirical investigations of their efficacy, this is the first paper formally modeling and testing design guidelines that can be implemented practically in the pre-implementation phase.
Invisible disabilities: perceptions and barriers to reasonable accommodations in the workplace
Authors: Syma Carrye 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The subject of invisible disabilities is becoming more prevalent in the workplace. Invisible disabilities (as defined by the Invisible Disabilities Association) refers to symptoms such as “debilitating pain, fatigue, dizziness, cognitive dysfunctions, brain injuries, learning differences and mental health disorders, as well as hearing and vision impairments.” There are times when employees are hesitant to disclose their invisible disability to their employer or coworkers, which means that accommodations for disabilities may not be requested or made. Accommodations made in the workplace for invisible disabilities can include flexible schedule, special software for assisting with scheduling or prioritizing tasks, or architectural changes such as a standing desk. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
For this literature review, articles on invisible disabilities and accommodations were researched and used to support the importance of accommodations in the workplace.

Findings
Invisible disabilities are affecting the workplace and must be addressed. Those struggling with invisible disabilities need to consider sharing information about their disability with their employer as well as requesting accommodation. The question of whether or not to inform coworkers should be left to individual employees and what they feel comfortable divulging. More research needs to be done on how to create learning opportunities and sensitivity in the workplace to those with invisible disabilities. Perhaps training should be offered at the time a new employee begins work.

Originality/value
This literature review is of value because it speaks to an important issue facing today’s workplaces – invisible disabilities and accommodations. Mental illnesses are an invisible disability and as more people are diagnosed and enter the workforce, employers are faced with an increasing demand to meet the needs of these workers. Educating employers and employees on the topic of invisible disabilities and accommodations paves the way to a greater and more productive workforce.
Marketing academic library information services using social media
Authors: AlAwadhi Suha , Al-Daihani Sultan M. 
Published: August 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the use of social media in the marketing of academic library resources and services in Kuwait and identifies the factors related to the use of social media applications in marketing academic libraries.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative data-collection approach using a paper and online questionnaire has been employed to elicit the opinions of librarians working in academic libraries in Kuwait in both private and public institutions. In total, 89 valid questionnaires have been analyzed using descriptive (frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (factor analysis, correlations, experimental analysis and regression).FindingsThe study shows that the academic librarians have a positive perception toward the use of social media. The identified factors relating to the use of social media for marketing library information resources and services are the usefulness of social media tools in raising awareness and in providing needs analysis and satisfaction assessments. However, management support for the use of social media for library marketing is poor.Practical implicationsThis study provides insights into the factors related to the use of modern social media platforms to promote information resources and services at academic libraries to provide outreach services to current and potential users.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the field of information studies as it highlights the importance of using social media platforms in marketing academic library information resources and services. Library administrators could use the results to develop social media marketing plans to effectively promote their library resources.
Ecological mechanisms and phylogeny shape invertebrate stoichiometry: A test using detritus‐based communities across Central and South America
Authors: González Angélica L. , Céréghino Régis , Dézerald Olivier , Farjalla Vinicius F. , Leroy Céline , Richardson Barbara A. , Richardson Michael J. , Romero Gustavo Q. , Srivastava Diane S. 
Published: August 2018

Abstract

Stoichiometric differences among organisms can affect trophic interactions and rates of nutrient cycling within ecosystems. However, we still know little about either the underlying causes of these stoichiometric differences or the consistency of these differences across large geographical extents.

Here, we analyse elemental (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) composition of 872 aquatic macroinvertebrates (71 species) inhabiting tank bromeliads (n = 140) from five distantly located sites across Central and South America to (i) test phylogenetic, trophic and body size scaling explanations for why organisms differ in elemental composition and (ii) determine whether patterns in elemental composition are universal or context dependent.

Taxonomy explained most variance in elemental composition, even though phylogenetic signals were weak and limited to regional spatial extents and to the family level. The highest elemental contents and lowest carbon:nutrient ratios were found in organisms at high trophic levels and with smaller body size, regardless of geographical location.

Carnivores may have higher nutrient content and lower carbon:nutrient ratios than their prey, as organisms optimize growth by choosing the most nutrient‐rich resources to consume and then preferentially retain nutrients over carbon in their bodies. Smaller organisms grow proportionally faster than large organisms and so are predicted to have higher nutrient requirements to fuel RNA and protein synthesis. Geography influenced the magnitude, more than the direction, of the ecological and/or phylogenetic effects on elemental composition.

Overall, our results show that both ecological (i.e. trophic group) and evolutionary drivers explain among‐taxa variation in the elemental content of invertebrates, whereas intraspecific variation is mainly a function of body size. Our findings also demonstrate that restricting analyses of macroinvertebrate stoichiometry solely to either the local scale or species level affects inferences of the patterns in invertebrate elemental content and their underlying mechanisms.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
A mimicked bacterial infection prolongs stopover duration in songbirds—but more pronounced in short‐ than long‐distance migrants
Authors: Hegemann Arne , Alcalde Abril Pablo , Sjöberg Sissel , Muheim Rachel , Alerstam Thomas , Nilsson Jan‐Åke , Hasselquist Dennis 
Published: August 2018

Abstract

Migration usually consists of intermittent travel and stopovers, the latter being crucially important for individuals to recover and refuel to successfully complete migration. Quantifying how sickness behaviours influence stopovers is crucial for our understanding of migration ecology and how diseases spread. However, little is known about infections in songbirds, which constitute the majority of avian migrants.

We experimentally immune‐challenged autumn migrating passerines (both short‐ and long‐distance migrating species) with a simulated bacterial infection. Using an automated radiotelemetry system in the stopover area, we subsequently quantified stopover duration, “bush‐level” activity patterns (0.1–30 m) and landscape movements (30–6,000 m).

We show that compared to controls, immune‐challenged birds prolonged their stopover duration by on average 1.2 days in long‐distance and 2.9 days in short‐distance migrants, respectively (100%–126% longer than controls, respectively). During the prolonged stopover, the immune‐challenged birds kept a high “bush‐level” activity (which was unexpected) but reduced their local movements, independent of migration strategy. Baseline immune function, but not blood parasite infections prior to the immune challenge, had a prolonging effect on stopover duration, particularly in long‐distance migrants.

We conclude that a mimicked bacterial infection does not cause lethargy, per se, but restricts landscape movements and prolongs stopover duration, and that this behavioural response also depends on the status of baseline immune function and migration strategy. This adds a new level to the understanding of how acute inflammation affect migration behaviour and hence the ecology and evolution of migration. Accounting for these effects of bacterial infections will also enable us to fine‐tune and apply optimal migration theory. Finally, it will help us predicting how migrating animals may respond to increased pathogen pressure caused by global change.
Effects of grasshoppers on prairies: Herbivore composition matters more than richness in three grassland ecosystems
Authors: Laws Angela N. , Prather Chelse M. , Branson David H. , Pennings Steven C. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractUnderstanding how biodiversity affects ecosystem processes is a key question in ecology. Previous research has found that increasing plant diversity often enhances many ecosystem processes, but less is known about the role of consumer diversity to ecosystem processes, especially in terrestrial ecosystems. Furthermore, we do not know how general biodiversity responses are among ecosystem types.We examined the role of insect herbivore (Orthoptera) diversity on plant production using parallel field experiments in three grassland ecosystems (mixed grass prairie, tallgrass prairie and coastal tallgrass prairie) to determine whether the effects of grasshopper diversity were consistent among sites.Using mesocosms, we manipulated orthopteran species richness (0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 species), functional richness (number of functional feeding groups present; 0, 1 or 2 functional groups) and functional composition (composition of functional groups present; mixed‐feeders only, grass‐feeders only, both mixed‐feeders and grass‐feeders). Diversity treatments were maintained throughout the experiment by replacing dead individuals. Plant biomass was destructively sampled at the end of the experiment.We found no effect of species richness or functional richness on plant biomass. However, herbivore functional composition was important, and effects were qualitatively similar across sites: The presence of only grass‐feeding species reduced plant biomass more than either mixed‐feeding species alone or both groups together. Orthopterans had consistent effects across a range of abiotic conditions, as well as different plant community and orthopteran community compositions.Our results suggest that functional composition of insect herbivores affects plant communities in grasslands more than herbivore species richness or functional richness, and this pattern was robust among grassland types.
Producing Localized Commodity Frontiers at the End of Cheap Nature: An Analysis of Eco‐scalar Carbon Fixes and their Consequences
Authors: Schindler Seth , Kanai J. Miguel 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThere is no single ‘great’ commodity frontier whose exploitation under current socio‐technical conditions could fuel capital accumulation at the global scale. According to Jason Moore, this represents the ‘end of Cheap Nature’ and signals a terminal crisis for capitalism as we know it. In this article we complicate this assertion by showing how, in the context of global environmental governance frameworks of carbon control, a diverse range of actors situated at multiple scales are intensifying the use of cities and their hinterlands for the production/transgression of localized commodity frontiers. We draw on scholarship on uneven geographical development, state‐led restructuring and eco‐scalar fixes to present two case studies from different segments of the carbon cycle in the global South. The first case demonstrates how the introduction of waste‐to‐energy technology in Delhi facilitated the generation of ‘carbon credits’ while waste matter itself became a commodity. The second discusses attempts by the Brazilian state of Amazonas (Amazônia) aspiring to shift from rainforest exploitation to financialized conservation supported by the ‘green global city’ functions of metropolitan Manaus. These cases demonstrate that although the global carbon‐control regime may enable accumulation, implementation remains speculative, and localized commodity frontiers provoke social resistances that jeopardize their durability.
Amphibians in agricultural landscapes: the habitat value of crop areas, linear plantings and remnant woodland patches
Authors: Hansen N. A. , Scheele B. C. , Driscoll D. A. , Lindenmayer D. B. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractMitigating the negative impacts of agriculture on amphibians requires knowledge of how different land uses affect species distribution and community composition. In the case of frogs, there is currently insufficient information on their use of terrestrial habitats in cropping landscapes to inform conservation planning. We examined how four different farmland types (linear plantings, cereal crops, grazing paddocks and woody mulch) and crop harvesting influenced amphibian abundance, richness, body condition and movement. We found the abundance of frogs was significantly higher in linear plantings compared to grazing paddocks and adjacent patches of remnant woodland vegetation. However, species richness and abundance of three individual species did not vary significantly between farmland types. For the most common frog Uperoleia laevigata, body condition was higher at the edges of the woody debris treatment (coupled with higher abundance) and lower in farmland with debris and linear plantings. The body condition of Limnodynastes tasmaniensis and L. interioris was not influenced by farmland type. Frog abundance and condition was largely unaffected by crop harvesting. However, frogs were less common after harvesting at the edges of farmland and within remnant patches. Movement patterns did not suggest mass movement out of crops after harvest, where almost half of all individuals recaptured remained within the farmland. These results suggest that some generalist frog species may have an affinity for habitats within agricultural paddocks, particularly when key habitat features like plantings are present. However, we found overall frog richness was low and did not differ between remnant patches, edges and farmland which may be an indication of habitat degradation within terrestrial habitats across the landscape. Although protection of remnant native vegetation is important, conservation strategies for the protection of amphibians will be ineffective if they do not consider the variety of land uses and the relationships of different species and their microhabitats within and outside of patches.
Testing the Wiegand–Milton model: A long‐term experiment to understand mechanisms driving vegetation dynamics in arid shrublands
Authors: van der Merwe Helga , Milton Suzanne J. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe Wiegand and Milton (1996) simulation model predicts that vegetation dynamics in arid shrublands are characterized by event‐driven stochasticity (weather events), and demographic inertia (persistence of a species in a community) that lead to a lagged response in vegetation compositional change. Slow plant growth is one of the mechanisms driving slow vegetation change. We test this model at the same location (Tierberg Long‐term Ecological Research site) on which the model was based. Three dwarf shrub species, differing in palatability, were tracked over 25 years (1988–2014) at two levels of the past herbivory (pre‐1960) and three levels of the present herbivory (post‐1988). In the period between 1960 and 1988, all sites were grazed at the recommended agricultural stocking rate. For each species, plant density and a number of size attributes (basal diameter, height, canopy area) were surveyed. Analyses using a two‐way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) took initial starting size into consideration. As the model predicted, event‐driven stochasticity (rainfall) resulted in an increase in density of the smaller size classes following a single large recruitment event across all grazing regimes for the palatable and unpalatable species. Size‐class distribution curve types remained unchanged illustrating that population demography remains unaffected for long periods and responses are slow (lagged response). Slow plant growth was evident in that there were no changes in height, canopy area, or density under present grazing regimes over the 25‐year period. Palatable species had a reduced canopy area and density compared to unpalatable species. Our findings provide empirical evidence supporting the predictions of the Wiegand and Milton (1996) model, notably event‐driven stochasticity, demographic inertia, and a lagged response in vegetation change in arid shrublands. In addition, our results support the model assumption of the significance of slow growth in long‐lived plant species and the influence of grazing regime.
Refuse attracts? Effect of refuse dumps of leaf‐cutting ants on floral traits
Authors: Fernandez Anahí , Tadey Mariana , Farji‐Brener Alejandro G. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe nutrient‐rich organic waste generated by ants may affect plant reproductive success directly by enhancing fruit production but also indirectly, by affecting floral traits related with pollinator attraction. Understanding how these soil‐nutrient hot spots influence floral phenotype is relevant to plant–pollination interactions. We experimentally evaluated whether the addition of organic waste from refuse dumps of the leaf‐cutting ant Acromyrmex lobicornis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini) alters floral traits associated with pollinator attraction in Eschscholzia californica (Ranunculales: Papaveraceae), an entomophilous herb. We analysed flower shape and size using geometric morphometric techniques in plants with and without the addition of refuse‐dumps soil, under greenhouse conditions. We also measured the duration of flowering season, days with new flowers, flower production and floral display size. Plants growing in refuse‐dumps soil showed higher flower shape diversity than those in control soil. Moreover, plants in refuse‐dumps soil showed bigger flower and floral display size, longer flowering season, higher number of flowering days and flower production. As all these variables may potentially increase pollinator visits, plants in refuse‐dumps soil might increase their fitness through enhanced attraction. Our work describes how organic waste from ant nests may enhance floral traits involved in floral attraction, illustrating a novel way of how ants may indirectly benefit plants.