bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The GSS is an unreliable indicator of biological sciences postdoc population trends
Authors: Pickett Christopher L. , Bankston Adriana , McDowell Gary S. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe postdoctoral research position is an essential step on the academic career track, and the biomedical research enterprise has become heavily dependent on postdoctoral scholars to conduct experimental research. Monitoring postdoc population trends is important for crafting and evaluating policies that affect this critical population. The tool most use for understanding the trends of the biological sciences postdoc population is the Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering (GSS) administered by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. To determine how well institutions tracked their postdocs, we analyzed the yearly changes in the biological sciences postdoc population at institutions surveyed by the GSS from 1980 to 2015. We find examples of large changes in the biological sciences postdoc population at one or a few institutions most years from 1980 to 2015. Most universities could not explain the data presented in the GSS, and for those that provided an explanation, the most common causes were improved institutional policies and more robust tracking of their postdocs. These large changes, unrelated to hiring or layoffs, sometimes masked population trends in the broader biological sciences postdoc population. We propose the adoption of a unified definition and titles for postdocs and the creation of an index to better assess biological sciences postdoc population trends.AbbreviationsNSFNational Science FoundationNCSESNational Center for Science and Engineering StatisticsGSSSurvey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering
Restricted access to beneficial mutations slows adaptation and biases fixed mutations in diploids
Authors: Marad Daniel A. , Lang Gregory I. 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTPloidy varies considerably in nature. Yet, our understanding of the impact of ploidy on adaptation is incomplete. Many microbial evolution experiments characterize adaptation in haploid organisms, but few focus on diploid organisms. Here, we perform a 4,000-generation evolution experiment using diploid strains of the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that the rate of adaptation and spectrum of beneficial mutations are influenced by ploidy. Haldane’s sieve effectively restricts access to beneficial mutations in diploid populations, leading to a slower rate of adaptation and a spectrum of beneficial mutations shifted towards dominant mutations. Genomic position also plays an important role, as the prevalence of homozygous mutations is largely dependent on their proximity to a recombination hotspot. Our results demonstrate key aspects of diploid adaptation that have previously been understudied and provide support for several proposed theories.
New barcoded primers for efficient retrieval of cercozoan sequences in high-throughput environmental diversity surveys, with emphasis on worldwide biological soil crusts
Authors: Fiore-Donno Anna Maria , Rixen Christian , Rippin Martin , Glaser Karin , Samolov Elena , Karsten Ulf , Becker Burkhard , Bonkowski Michael 
Published: August 2017

AbstractWe describe the performance of a new metabarcoding approach to investigate the environmental diversity of a prominent group of widespread unicellular organisms, the Cercozoa. Cercozoa is an immensely large group of protists and although it may dominate in soil and aquatic ecosystems, its environmental diversity remains undersampled. We designed PCR primers targeting the hyper-variable region V4 of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU or 18S) gene, which is the recommended barcode marker for Cercozoa. The length of the amplified fragment (ca. 350 bp) is suitable for Illumina MiSeq, the most cost-effective platform for molecular environmental surveys. We provide barcoded primers, an economical alternative to multiple libraries for multiplex sequencing of over a hundred samples.In silico, our primers matched 68% of the cercozoan sequences of the reference database and performed better than previously proposed new generation sequencing primers. In mountain grasslands soils and in biological soil crusts from a variety of climatic regions, we were able to detect cercozoan sequences encompassing nearly the whole range of the phylum. We obtained 901 OTUs at 97% similarity threshold from 26 samples, with ca. 50,000 sequences per site, and only 8% of non-cercozoan sequences. We could contribute to a further increase of the diversity of Cercozoa, since only 43% of the OTUs were 97-100% similar to any known sequence. Our study thus provides an advanced tool for cercozoan metabarcoding and to investigate their diversity and distribution in the environment.
Predicting motivation: computational models of PFC can explain neural coding of motivation and effort-based decision-making in health and disease
Authors: Vassena Eliana , Deraeve James , Alexander William H. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractHuman behavior is strongly driven by the pursuit of rewards. In daily life, however, benefits mostly come at a cost, often requiring that effort be exerted in order to obtain potential benefits. Medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) are frequently implicated in the expectation of effortful control, showing increased activity as a function of predicted task difficulty. Such activity partially overlaps with expectation of reward, and has been observed both during decision-making and during task preparation. Recently, novel computational frameworks have been developed to explain activity in these regions during cognitive control, based on the principle of prediction and prediction error (PRO model, Alexander and Brown, 2011, HER Model, Alexander and Brown, 2015). Despite the broad explanatory power of these models, it is not clear whether they can also accommodate effects related to the expectation of effort observed in MPFC and DLPFC. Here, we propose a translation of these computational frameworks to the domain of effort-based behavior. First, we discuss how the PRO model, based on prediction error, can explain effort-related activity in MPFC, by reframing effort-based behavior in a predictive context. We propose that MPFC activity reflects monitoring of motivationally relevant variables (such as effort and reward), by coding expectations, and discrepancies from such expectations. Moreover, we derive behavioral and neural model-based predictions for healthy controls and clinical populations with impairments of motivation. Second, we illustrate the possible translation to effort-based behavior of the HER model, an extended version of PRO model based on hierarchical error prediction, developed to explain MPFC-DLPFC interactions. We derive behavioral predictions which describe how effort and reward information is coded in PFC, and how changing the configuration of such environmental information might affect decision-making and task-performance involving motivation.
Serial representation of items during working memory maintenance at letter-selective cortical sites
Authors: Bahramisharif Ali , Jensen Ole , Jacobs Joshua , Lisman John 
Published: August 2017

AbstractWe used intracranial recordings to study brain oscillations during a working memory task. To analyze sites involved in working memory, we focused on sites at which the elevation of the broadband gamma signal depended on which letter was presented. We tested a previously proposed model according to which different items are active at different phases of the theta cycle (in different gamma cycles within the theta cycle). Consistent with this model, the theta phase of letter-induced gamma elevation during maintenance reflected the order of letter presentation. These results suggest that working memory is organized by a theta-gamma code and provide strong support for the serial representation of items held in working memory.
The impact of experimental design choices on parameter inference for models of growing cell colonies
Authors: Parker Andrew , Simpson Matthew J. , Baker Ruth E. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractTo better understand development, repair and disease progression it is useful to quantify the behaviour of proliferative and motile cell populations as they grow and expand to fill their local environment. Inferring parameters associated with mechanistic models of cell colony growth using quantitative data collected from carefully designed experiments provides a natural means to elucidate the relative contributions of various processes to the growth of the colony. In this work we explore how experimental design impacts our ability to infer parameters for simple models of the growth of proliferative and motile cell populations. We adopt a Bayesian approach, which allows us to characterise the uncertainty associated with estimates of the model parameters. Our results suggest that experimental designs that incorporate initial spatial heterogeneities in cell positions facilitate parameter inference without the requirement of cell tracking, whilst designs that involve uniform initial placement of cells require cell tracking for accurate parameter inference. As cell tracking is an experimental bottleneck in many studies of this type, our recommendations for experimental design provide for significant potential time and cost savings in the analysis of cell colony growth.
Exploring customer engagement valences in the social services
Authors: Naumann Kay , Lay-Hwa Bowden Jana , Gabbott Mark 
Published: August 2017

PurposeMinimal attention is given to the negative valences of customer engagement and how they manifest in ways that detract from service value. The purpose of this paper is to uncover the meaning and conceptual dimensions of disengagement and negative engagement in conjunction with positive engagement. It explores how three valences of engagement manifest towards dual objects: the service community and the focal service organisation. This exploration is based within a new and novel social service context.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach using (four) focus groups is used.FindingsA conceptual model of customer engagement is derived from the groups that include strongly held and positive customer engagement; passive, yet negatively orientated customer disengagement; and active and destructive negative customer engagement. Positive customer engagement is found to be directed at the service community object, whereas customer disengagement and negative engagement are directed at the focal service organisation object. A spillover effect is also revealed whereby negative engagement with the focal service organisation detracts from customers’ positive engagement within their service community. This suggests that engagement within a social service is multifaceted: several engagement valences may exist within one service relationship. It also suggests that these engagement valences are interrelated.Originality/valueThis is the first paper to apply three valences of engagement within the one focal relationship and examine how they manifest towards two objects, providing a unique perspective of how different interactions within the service ecosystem can influence engagement.
The influence of Vietnamese consumers’ altruistic values on their purchase of energy efficient appliances
Authors: Nguyen The Ninh , Lobo Antonio , Greenland Steven 
Published: August 2017

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how consumers’ altruistic values influence their personal norms, environmental attitudes, subjective norms and perceived barriers, all of which in turn influence their pro-environmental behaviour (i.e. the purchase of energy efficient household appliances).Design/methodology/approachThis research follows a hypothetic-deductive approach. A unique conceptual model examines the role of consumers’ altruistic values in relation to their environmentally responsible purchase behaviour. Structured questionnaires were administered to randomly selected Vietnamese consumers who visited busy electronics and appliance specialist stores, which yielded 682 usable responses.FindingsStructural equation modelling revealed that consumers’ altruistic values tend to positively influence their personal norms, environmental attitudes, subjective norms and mitigate their perceived barriers in relation to the purchase of energy efficient appliances.Practical implicationsMarketers, policymakers and sustainability campaigners should develop relevant communication and education programmes that emphasise the importance of purchasing energy efficient appliances for the environment and society, arousing consumers’ sense of moral obligation and societal responsibility to purchase such products. They should also provide a convenient and easily accessible shopping environment for consumers.Originality/valueThis research makes an important contribution by presenting and testing a new altruistic-values-based model that seeks to understand consumers’ environmentally responsible purchase behaviour. This model could serve as a blueprint for future studies in the domain of pro-environmental behaviour, especially those in emerging markets.
A brand foci model to explain achievement needs: a contradictory explanation
Authors: Sierra Jeremy J. , Taute Harry A. , Lee Byung-Kwan 
Published: August 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the indirect effect of smartphone-brand tribalism on the need for achievement.

Design/methodology/approach
Using survey data from 272 South Korean respondents, path analysis is used to evaluate the hypotheses.

Findings
Only the sense of community dimension of brand tribalism affects brand pride (PRIDE), which in turn leads to a sequential process of brand attitude, purchase intention, and need for achievement (NACHIEVE).

Research limitations/implications
South Korean data may confine generalizability. As effect sizes in this context are understood, researchers have an additional benchmark for future brand tribalism and PRIDE research.

Practical implications
The psychological underpinning and, the presence of brand tribes in society cannot be overlooked by strategists. Such tribal-laden following is also evident within smartphone communities. By further understanding brand tribalism outcomes, marketers and brand leaders are in an improved position to develop strategies that appeal to targeted customers, ultimately growing and strengthening their brand tribes.

Originality/value
Supported by the anthropological view of brand tribalism, this research contributes to the branding literature by examining the indirect effects of brand tribalism on the NACHIEVE through brand-related attitudes and behavioral intentions. Where previous research using westerners indicates the explanatory power of defense of the tribe on brand-related factors, no effect in this regard is found here using eastern smartphone consumers.
A game-theoretic approach to evaluating the competitiveness of container carriers in the Northeast Asian shipping market
Authors: Park Byung-In , Min Hokey 
Published: August 2017

Purpose
In times of increasing shipping risks and uncertainty, the purpose of this paper is to analyze fiercely competitive shipping markets in the Asia-Pacific region and help the carriers develop the optimal pricing schemes, shipping networks (e.g. routes and shipping frequency), and future investment plans.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper develops viable maritime logistics strategies based on the non-cooperative game theory which determines the optimal vessel size/type, shipping route, and shipping frequency, while taking into account multiple cost components and unpredictable shipping market dynamics.

Findings
This study revealed that the container carrier’s optimal shipping strategy was insensitive to changes in freight rates, fuel prices, and loading/unloading fees at the destination ports. However, it tends to be more sensitive to an increase in the shipping volume than the aforementioned parameters. In other words, aggressive pricing schemes and drastic cost-cutting measures alone cannot enhance carrier competitiveness in today’s shipping markets characterized by overcapacity and weak demand.

Originality/value
This paper is one of a few attempts to identify a host of factors influencing the container carrier’s competitiveness using the game theory and develop an optimal shipping strategy in the presence of conflicting interests of multiple stakeholders (e.g. carriers, shippers, and port authorities). To validate the rigor and usefulness of the proposed game-theoretic model, the authors also experiment it with an actual case study of container carriers serving the Northeast Asian shipping market.
Linking values and ideologies: a scale of managerial social responsibility values
Authors: Turker Duygu , Ozmen Y. Serkan 
Published: August 2017

Purpose
The literature on corporate social responsibility (CSR) provides fragmented and sometimes contradictory empirical findings on the role of managerial values in CSR. This is partly due to the absence of a unifying framework and its subsequent measurement. Following the Schwartz’s (1994) Value Survey (SVS), this study aims to provide an original scale to measure CSR values based on their ideological underpinnings of classical liberalism and economic egalitarianism.

Design/methodology/approach
Following the scale-development procedure, a scale was developed in six steps and tested on a sample of 105 Turkish managers through confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings
On the basis of a sound theoretical construct, the study provides an original and reliable measurement tool to capture the link between ideology and values. A scale with a four-factor solution as self-transcendence, self-enhancement, openness to change and conservation was obtained at the end of the process.

Research limitations/implications
Despite that the sample size was relatively small and drawn from a single country setting, the model has a reasonable fit to the data, and the scale is reliable at 0.869 Cronbach’s alpha value. Therefore, the scale can be used in future studies to reveal the nature, structure and magnitude of socially responsible managerial values based on their ideological roots.

Social implications
Although the managerial values towards CSR have been studied for a long time, the interwoven relations of such values with diverse ideological stances are not clearly investigated in literature. By linking values and ideologies on a theoretical ground, the scale developed in this study can be used as a valuable tool to better understand socially responsible behaviours of managers in our modern societies.

Originality/value
Considering the fragmented body of knowledge in literature, this scale can be useful for both scholars and practitioners when exploring the ideologically driven and value-laden nature of socially responsible behaviours.
Experiential sponsorship activation at a sports mega-event: the case of Cisco at London 2012
Authors: Gillooly Leah , Crowther Philip , Medway Dominic 
Published: August 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the application of event design principles in the creation and execution of effective experiential sponsorship activations (ESAs) by B2B brands and examine the challenges posed by the sponsorship context to sponsors seeking to create ESAs, with proposed potential solutions.

Design/methodology/approach
A case study of Cisco’s ESA activities as part of its London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games sponsorship activation is developed, drawing on interviews with key Cisco employees and secondary sources of data, both internal and external to Cisco.

Findings
Blending the event design principles typically associated with B2B events with those more commonly found in corporate hospitality or B2C events enables sponsors to address the cognitive needs of attendees as business representatives, while also satisfying their needs as individuals seeking more sensorial experiences. Effective use of event design principles, creative marketing and promotion, and collaboration with other sponsors allow brands to overcome constraints placed on them by the unpredictable nature of sponsorship, sponsorship rights agreements and the increased clutter in the sponsorship environment.

Research limitations/implications
Existing knowledge on sponsorship activation is extended, drawing on principles of event design to offer a sponsor-focused perspective on the creation and execution of effective ESAs for B2B brands. Existing thinking around B2B event design is challenged and augmented when considering its application to ESA design.

Practical implications
Inter-sponsor collaboration and the blending of cognitive and sensorial elements of event design are important for sponsors seeking to create and deliver effective ESAs.

Originality/value
The paper draws on the event design literature to appraise the execution of ESA by B2B brands within the context of event sponsorship.
Differential host responses to parasitism shape divergent fitness costs of infection
Authors: Budischak Sarah A. , O'Neal Dawn , Jolles Anna E. , Ezenwa Vanessa O. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractFitness costs of infection are fundamental to understanding the ecology and evolution of host–parasite interactions. However, these costs, and particularly their underlying mechanisms, are challenging to evaluate in wild populations.Here, we quantified total and species‐specific costs of gastrointestinal worms on African buffalo, by combining the power of an anthelmintic treatment experiment that perturbed the entire worm community with a longitudinal study that tracked the two most dominant community members.Reducing all worms improved buffalo body condition, which was strongly associated with increases in survival and reproduction. Species‐specific analyses revealed that condition‐mediated fitness costs of infection differed between parasite species. Hosts that gained the blood‐sucking wormHaemonchus, lost condition, and this loss may have been mediated by reductions in forage intake. Hosts that resistedHaemonchusby elevatingIL‐4 and eosinophil immune defences were able to reduce their parasite loads and gain back condition.Conversely, hosts that gainedCooperia, a less pathogenic worm, gained condition and had higher survival and reproductive success. Elevating immune defences had no effect onCooperiaabundance. Coupled with the positive relationship observed betweenCooperiaand host condition, our data suggest that hosts might benefit from toleratingCooperiarather than incurring the costs of resistance.Overall, our study reveals that differential host responses to parasites play a key role in mediating the costs of infection.Aplain language summaryis available for this article.