bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Conditioning by Subthreshold Synaptic Input Changes the Intrinsic Firing Pattern of CA3 Hippocampal Neurons
Authors: Soldado-Magraner Saray , Brandalise Federico , Honnuraiah Suraj , Pfeiffer Michael , Gerber Urs , Douglas Rodney 
Published: March 2017

AbstractUnlike synaptic strength, intrinsic excitability is assumed to be a stable property of neurons. For example, learning of somatic conductances is generally not incorporated into computational models, and the discharge pattern of neurons in response to test stimuli is frequently used as a basis for phenotypic classification. However, it is increasingly evident that signal processing properties of neurons are more generally plastic on the timescale of minutes. Here we demonstrate that the intrinsic firing patterns of CA3 neurons of the rat hippocampus in vitro undergo rapid long-term plasticity in response to a few minutes of only subthreshold synaptic conditioning. This plasticity on the spike-timing could also be induced by intrasomatic injection of subthreshold depolarizing pulses and was blocked by kinase inhibitors, indicating that discharge dynamics are modulated locally. Cluster analysis of firing patterns before and after conditioning revealed systematic transitions towards adapting and intrinsic burst behaviours, irrespective of the patterns initially exhibited by the cells. We used a conductance-based model to decide appropriate pharmacological blockade, and found that the observed transitions are likely due to recruitment of calcium and M-type potassium conductances. We conclude that CA3 neurons adapt their conductance profile to the subthreshold activity of their input, so that their intrinsic firing pattern is not a static signature, but rather a reflection of their history of subthreshold activity. In this way, recurrent output from CA3 neurons may collectively shape the temporal dynamics of their embedding circuits.New & NoteworthyDespite being widely conserved across the animal phyla, it is still a mystery why nerve cells present diverse discharge dynamics upon somatic step currents. Adding a new timing dimension to the intrinsic plasticity literature, here we show that CA3 neurons rapidly adapt through the space of known firing patterns in response to the subthreshold signals that they receive from their embedding circuit. This result implies that CA3 neurons collectively adjust their network processing to the temporal statistics of their circuit.
Machine Learning-based state-of-the-art methods for the classification of RNA-Seq data
Authors: Jabeen Almas , Ahmad Nadeem , Raza Khalid 
Published: March 2017

AbstractRNA-Seq measures expression levels of several transcripts simultaneously. The identified reads can be gene, exon, or other region of interest. Various computational tools have been developed for studying pathogen or virus from RNA-Seq data by classifying them according to the attributes in several predefined classes, but still computational tools and approaches to analyze complex datasets are still lacking. The development of classification models is highly recommended for disease diagnosis and classification, disease monitoring at molecular level as well as researching for potential disease biomarkers. In this chapter, we are going to discuss various machine learning approaches for RNA-Seq data classification and their implementation. Advancements in bioinformatics, along with developments in machine learning based classification, would provide powerful toolboxes for classifying transcriptome information available through RNA-Seq data.
Demographic variability in spruce-fir-beech forest stands in Europe
Authors: Lagarrigues Guillaume , Jabot Franck , Zingg Andreas , Gégout Jean-Claude , Klopčič Matija , Courbaud Benoît 
Published: March 2017

1AbstractMany studies have predicted large changes in forest dynamics during the next century because of global warming. Although empirical approaches and studies based on species distribution models provide valuable information about future changes, they do not take into account biotic interactions and stand-level demographic variations. The objective of this study was to quantify the local and regional variability of the growth and regeneration of three important forest species growing often in mixed stands in Europe (Picea abies (L.) Karst., Abies alba Mill., Fagus sylvatica), and to assess the climatic drivers of this variability. For that purpose, we collected a large forestry data set compiling the long-term (up to 100 years) evolution of species and size distributions for 163 stands across Europe, in the mesic distribution area of these forests. We used an inverse modeling approach, Approximate Bayesian Computation, to calibrate an individual-based model of forest dynamics on these data. Our study revealed that the variability of the demographic processes was of the same order of magnitude between stands of a same forest as between different forests. Out of the three species and two demographic processes studied, only the fir growth strongly varied with temperature. Water availability did not explain any demographic variation over stands. For these forests experiencing mesic conditions, local unmeasured factors seem therefore to have an influence at least as important as macro-environmental factors on demographic variations. Efforts to include these important factors in projection scenarios should therefore be prioritized. Besides, our study demonstrates that inverse modelling methods make possible the analysis of long-term forestry data. Such data should therefore be more widely compiled and used for ecological and global change research.
A dynamic bioenergetic model for coral-Symbiodiniumsymbioses and coral bleaching as an alternate stable state
Authors: Cunning Ross , Muller Erik B. , Gates Ruth D. , Nisbet Roger M. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractCoral reef ecosystems owe their ecological success–and vulnerability to climate change–to the symbiotic metabolism of corals andSymbiodiniumspp. The urgency to understand and predict the stability and breakdown of these symbioses (i.e., coral ‘bleaching’) demands the development and application of theoretical tools. Here, we develop a dynamic bioenergetic model of coral-Symbiodiniumsymbioses that demonstrates realistic steady-state patterns in coral growth and symbiont abundance across gradients of light, nutrients, and feeding. Furthermore, by including a mechanistic treatment of photo-oxidative stress, the model displays dynamics of bleaching and recovery that can be explained as transitions between alternate stable states. These dynamics reveal that ‘healthy’ and ‘bleached’ states correspond broadly to nitrogen- and carbon-limitation in the system, with transitions between them occurring as integrated responses to multiple environmental factors. Indeed, a suite of complex emergent behaviors reproduced by the model (e.g., bleaching is exacerbated by nutrients and attenuated by feeding) suggests it captures many important attributes of the system; meanwhile, its modular framework and open source R code are designed to facilitate further problem-specific development. We see significant potential for this modeling framework to generate testable hypotheses and predict integrated, mechanistic responses of corals to environmental change, with important implications for understanding the performance and maintenance of symbiotic systems.
Adjusting for principal components of molecular phenotypes induces replicating false positives
Authors: Dahl Andy , Guillemot Vincent , Mefford Joel , Aschard Hugues , Zaitlen Noah 
Published: March 2017

AbstractHigh-throughput measurements of molecular phenotypes provide an unprecedented opportunity to model cellular processes and their impact on disease. Such highly-structured data is strongly confounded, and principal components and their variants reliably estimate latent confounders. Conditioning on PCs in downstream analyses is known to improve power and reduce multiple-testing miscalibration and is an indispensable element of thousands of published functional genomic analyses. Further clarifying this approach is of fundamental interest to the genomics and statistics communities. We uncover a novel bias induced by PC conditioning and provide an analytic, deterministic and intuitive approximation. The bias exists because PCs are, roughly, unshielded colliders on a causal path: because PCs partially incorporate a causal genotype effect on one phenotype, the genotype becomes correlated with every phenotype conditional on PCs. We empirically quantify this bias in realistic simulations. For small genetic effects, a nearly negligible bias is observed for all tested PC variants. For large genetic effects, or other differential covariates, dramatic false positives can arise. Though one PC variant (supervised SVA) largely avoids this bias, it is computationally prohibitive genome-wide; further, its immunity to this bias is novel. Our analysis informs best practices for confounder correction in genomic studies.
Optimal diversification, stochastic dominance, and sampling error
Authors: Mroua Mourad , Abid Fathi , Wong Wing Keung 
Published: March 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature in three ways: first, the authors investigate the impact of the sampling errors on optimal portfolio weights and on financial investment decision. Second, the authors advance a comparative analysis between various domestic and international diversification strategies to define a stochastic optimal choice. Third, the authors propose a new methodology combining the re-sampling method, stochastic optimization algorithm, and nonparametric stochastic dominance (SD) approach to analyze a stochastic optimal portfolio choice for risk-averse American investors who care about benefits of domestic diversification relative to international diversification. The authors propose a new portfolio optimization model involving SD constraints on the portfolio return rate. The authors define a portfolio with return dominating the benchmark portfolio return in the second-order stochastic dominance (SSD) and having maximum expected return. The authors combine re-sampling procedure and stochastic optimization to establish more flexibility in the investment decision rule.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors apply the re-sampling procedure to consider the sampling error in the optimization process. The authors try to resolve the problem of the stochastic optimal investment strategy choice using the nonparametric SD test by Linton et al. (2005) based on sub-sampling simulated p values. The authors apply the stochastic portfolio optimization algorithm with SSD constraints to define optimal diversified portfolios beating benchmark indices.

Findings
First, the authors find that reducing sampling error increases the dominance relationships between different portfolios, which, in turn, alters portfolio investment decisions. Though international diversification is preferred in some cases, the study’s results show that for risk-averse US investors, in general, there is no difference between the diversification strategies; this implies that there is no increase in the expected utility of international diversification for the period before and after the 2007-2008 financial crisis. Nevertheless, the authors find that stochastic diversification in domestic, global, and Europe, Australasia, and Far East markets delivers better risk returns for the US risk averters during the crisis period.

Originality/value
The originality of the idea in this paper is to introduce a new methodology combining the concept of portfolio re-sampling, stochastic portfolio optimization with SSD constraints, and the nonparametric SD test by Linton et al. (2005) based on subsampling simulated p values to analyze the impact of sampling errors on optimal portfolio returns and to investigate the problem of stochastic optimal choice between international and domestic diversification strategies. The authors try to prove more coherence in the portfolio choice with the stochastically and the uncertainty characters of the paper.
Literature review and research opportunities on credibility of corporate social responsibility reporting
Authors: Abernathy John , Stefaniak Chad , Wilkins Anne , Olson Jacqueline 
Published: March 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and synthesize the current academic literature on emerging trends to increase CSR reporting credibility.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper synthesizes literature on emerging trends to increase CSR reporting credibility from the past ten years, focusing mainly on the most recent five years, by searching ABI/Inform and Business Source Premier for academic papers containing the following keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Reporting, CSR, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility.

Findings
This paper identifies four relatively unexplored trends to improve CSR credibility: CSR assurance, integrated reporting, CSR reporting standards, and CSR regulation.

Research limitations/implications
This study will be of use to academic researchers to facilitate research and discussion on the credibility of CSR disclosure.

Practical implications
Regulatory agencies, boards of directors, customers, suppliers, and investors are increasingly using CSR information for decision making; therefore the credibility of the information is important.

Originality/value
Much of the extant research investigating CSR has focused on financial performance metrics. The study synthesizes the recent CSR literature, including some interdisciplinary research focusing on emerging accountability trends in reporting. The authors identify several research opportunities that will enhance the authors’ understanding of CSR reporting.
Antecedents of consumer animosity and the role of product involvement on purchase intentions
Authors: Park Ji Eun , Yoon Sung-Joon 
Published: March 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to further our understanding of the sources of consumer animosity and the moderating role of product involvement on purchase intentions.

Design/methodology/approach
Animosity is examined in the context of South Korean consumers’ purchase intentions toward Japanese products. A structural equation model was estimated in Lisrel 8.80 to assess the proposed model.

Findings
The results offer evidence that consumer ethnocentrism and susceptibility to normative influence have a positive relationship with animosity while cosmopolitanism has a negative relationship with animosity. Furthermore, animosity negatively influences intentions to purchase for high-involvement products, but not for low-involvement products.

Practical implications
International marketing managers can better identify the risk that consumer animosity poses to their products and services based on level of product involvement and characteristics of the market segment.

Originality/value
This study offers clarity to the understanding of animosity by examining additional antecedents of animosity that reflect different world views. It also provides an exception to the previous findings that in general animosity has a negative impact on consumers’ willingness to buy products of countries for which consumers have animosity. In other words, the effect of animosity on purchase intention of products from a disliked country depends on the degree of involvement.
International expansion and unobserved heterogeneity in critical success factors
Authors: Rwehumbiza Deusdedit Augustine 
Published: March 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the existence of unobserved heterogeneity in the critical drivers of firms’ international expansion. Testing for unobserved heterogeneity assists researchers to come up with precise interpretations and valid conclusions.Design/methodology/approachBuilding on the resource-based view (RBV) and institution-based view, this study applies partial least squares structural equation modelling to empirically examine whether there are significant differences in the success factors among 105 export manufacturers.FindingsStatistical results reveal significant differences for the relationships between: managers’ entrepreneurial capability (MEC) and export intensity (EI); a moderating effect of institutional support on the relationship between MEC and EI; and firms manufacturing capability and EI. The research results also show that the RBV is salient for all firms expanding from emerging economies. These findings provide evidence that unobserved heterogeneity is likely to lead to misinterpretations of results and false conclusions.Originality/valueDespite the abundance of natural factor endowments, export performance of firms from emerging economies remains unimpressive. The unobserved heterogeneity revealed across countries calls for business actors at all levels and in different capacities to work on the synergised investment, production, and trade policies in favour of the overlooked human created endowments, particularly capabilities. Capabilities account for the largest part of unobserved heterogeneity and firms’ superior performance.
Shareholder spring and social activism: a study of 2013-2015 proxy filings
Authors: Subramanian Ram 
Published: March 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine social issue proxy filings by shareholders of US corporations in a period commonly referred to as the “shareholder spring” to understand who the filers are, what issues are typically the focus of the filings, what the dominant strategy is of various filers and the success rate of proxy-based shareholder social activism.

Design/methodology/approach
Using the shareholder-filed proxy as the unit of analysis, the study parsed the data from 410 proxies to gain insight into the process of shareholder social activism.

Findings
Religious groups, in contrast to large pension and mutual funds, use a small shareholding approach to form coalitions with other stakeholders to gain voting support. Proxies that call for disclosure elicit greater support than those that demand a change in a company’s business practices. If the goal of shareholder social activism is to keep the proxy issue alive from one shareholder meeting to the next, then non-individual proxy filers can be considered successful.

Research limitations/implications
While the study only considered proxies for 250 of the Fortune 500 companies, there is evidence that social activism can succeed if a coalition strategy is used and the shareholder’s motives appear to be legitimately altruistic.

Practical implications
It is important for corporate managers to consider the prevailing shareholder sentiment on social issues because such sentiments largely echo general societal concerns.

Social implications
While the debate is still unsettled on the shareholder versus the stakeholder argument, there is a high level of scrutiny on how a company operates in the larger societal context.

Originality/value
Propelled by the Dodd–Frank law and the shareholder spring movement, certain types of shareholders (primarily religious groups) are quite adept at eliciting support for social issues because of both their legitimacy and by the strategy that they follow.
Customers’ emotion regulation strategies in service failure encounters
Authors: Balaji M.S. , Roy Sanjit Kumar , Quazi Ali 
Published: March 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to determine the role of emotions in customer evaluation of service failures; and second, to examine how customers’ emotion regulation impacts customer satisfaction and behavioural responses (e.g. repurchase intentions and negative word-of-mouth).Design/methodology/approachA scenario-based survey was used to elicit responses in a hospitality setting. Structural equation modelling and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test the proposed hypotheses.FindingsResults show that both positive and negative emotions mediate the relationship between perceived injustice and customer satisfaction. The emotion regulation of customers through suppression and reappraisal influences the effects of satisfaction on both negative word-of-mouth and repurchase intentions.Practical implicationsThis study advances service managers’ understanding of customer experience during service failure by demonstrating how emotion regulation influences customer response behaviours. With a better understanding of customers’ emotion regulation strategies, managers and frontline employees can more effectively develop and execute recovery strategies which adapt to customer emotions while eliciting more satisfying outcomes.Originality/valueThis research is one of the first to examine the moderating role of customers’ emotion regulation strategies in determining their behavioural responses. Conducted in the hospitality services context, this study provides support for relationships among perceived injustice, customer emotions, emotion regulation, customer satisfaction, negative word-of-mouth and repurchase intentions.
Beyond exit and voice: developing an integrated taxonomy of consumer complaining behaviour
Authors: Istanbulluoglu Doga , Leek Sheena , Szmigin Isabelle T. 
Published: March 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to help researchers and practitioners to understand and respond to consumer complaining behaviour (CCB) by developing a taxonomy that addresses the inadequacies of previous consumer complaining taxonomies and models, simplifies the terminology and covers both traditional and new ways of complaining.

Design/methodology/approach
Based on a systematic review of 210 studies, a concept-centric analysis of CCB literature was conducted. Seminal taxonomies and models of CCB are revisited and a critical evaluation of these is presented.

Findings
An integrated taxonomy of CCB is proposed which enhances the understanding of complaining in the twenty-first century by clarifying the ambiguities and overlapping constructs in the previous taxonomies.

Research limitations/implications
The integrated taxonomy of CCB eliminates the ambiguity of previous approaches and introduces more coherent constructs in relation to the theory of CCB. The taxonomy comprehensively defines and describes the range of complaining actions to provide a complete framework. As a result, the authors’ understanding of CCB is developed through a focus on complaining actions, their characteristics and what these actions afford companies in their attempts to deal with complaints (i.e. audience and amount of information available).

Practical implications
Practitioners can use the integrated taxonomy of CCB to structure their complaint handling processes to obtain maximum customer feedback, to improve their product/service and to retain customers through satisfactorily addressing their complaints.

Originality/value
Although the literature on consumer complaining is mature, this is the first paper that offers a comprehensive taxonomy that explains CCB while addressing new developments in computer-mediated communications.