bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Remating responses are consistent with male post-copulatory manipulation but not reinforcement inD. pseudoobscura
Authors: Davis Jeremy S. , Castillo Dean M. , Moyle Leonie C. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractReinforcement occurs when hybridization between closely related lineages produces low fitness offspring, prompting selection for elevated reproductive isolation specifically in areas of sympatry. Both pre-mating and post-mating prezygotic behaviors have been shown to be the target of reinforcing selection, but it remains unclear whether remating behaviors experience reinforcement, although they can also influence offspring identity and limit formation of hybrids. Here we evaluated evidence for reinforcing selection on remating behaviors inD. pseudoobscura, by comparing remating traits in females from populations historically allopatric and sympatric withD. persimilis. We found that the propensity to remate was not higher in sympatric females, compared to allopatric females, regardless of whether the first mated male was heterospecific or conspecific. Moreover, remating behavior did not contribute to interspecific reproductive isolation among any population; that is, females showed no higher propensity to remate following a heterospecific first mating than they were following a conspecific first mating. Instead, we found that females are less likely to remate after initial matings with unfamiliar males, regardless of species identity. This is consistent with one scenario of postmating sexual conflict in which females are poorly defended against post-copulatory manipulation by males with whom they have not co-evolved. Our results are generally inconsistent with reinforcement on remating traits, and suggest that this behavior might be more strongly shaped by the consequences of local antagonistic male-female interactions than interactions with heterospecifics.
Glaser’s function and stochastic orders for mixture distributions
Authors: Jarrahiferiz Jalil , Mohtashami Borzadaran G.R. , Rezaei Roknabadi A.H. 
Published: August 2016

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study likelihood ratio order for mixture and its components via their Glaser’s functions for weighted distributions. So, some theoretical examples using exponential family and their mixtures are presented.

Design/methodology/approach
First, Glaser’s functions of mixture and its components for weighted distributions in different scenarios are computed. Then by them the likelihood ratio order is investigated between mixture and its components.

Findings
The authors find conditions for weight functions under which the mixture random variable is between of its components in likelihood ratio order.

Originality/value
Results are obtained for weight function in general. It is well known that the some special weights are order statistics, up and down records, hazard rate, reversed hazard rate, moment generating function, etc. So, the results are valid for all of them.
A multiple case study analysis of Six Sigma practices in Indian manufacturing companies
Authors: Antony Jiju , Gijo E.V. , Kumar Vikas , Ghadge Abhijeet 
Published: August 2016

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the fundamental barriers/challenges, benefits, commonly used tools and techniques, organisational infrastructure and impact on organisational performance in three Indian manufacturing companies.

Design/methodology/approach
A multi-case study analysis using the exploratory case study research was adopted by the authors to obtain a deeper insight into the Six Sigma implementation within three distinctive manufacturing organisations in India. Interviews were conducted with relevant staff (Six Sigma Deployment Champions, Six Sigma Master Black Belts and Six Sigma Black Belts) in all three companies.

Findings
Some of the barriers in implementing and sustaining Six Sigma identified from the case studies include: lack of accuracy of data generated from the processes, lack of understanding of the benefits of Six Sigma in the early stages of its adoption, high-attrition rate of Six Sigma Black Belts and so on. The benefits of Six Sigma included improvement of process yield, reduction of rework and rejection, reduction of raw material inventory, improved on-time delivery, on-time availability of material for production and so on. Supplier-input-process-output-customer, cause and effect diagram, process mapping, hypothesis tests (two sample test, F-test, etc.), control charts (X-bar-R chart, individual chart, etc.), simple graphical tools such as histograms, box plots and dot plots were the most commonly used tools of Six Sigma across the companies that participated for this research. All three companies have reported that Six Sigma had a positive impact on organisational performance and moreover the study also revealed that Six Sigma had positive impact on customer satisfaction, return-on-investment, productivity and product quality.

Research limitations/implications
The study was carried out in three Indian companies and therefore the findings cannot be generalised. The authors are extending the study to three more companies and the findings will be reported in the forthcoming months.

Practical implications
The findings of the study provide a good foundation to understand the fundamental barriers, benefits, commonly used tools and whether Six Sigma is having any impact on business performance in the Indian context. Very few empirical studies have been carried out on Six Sigma implementation in the Indian manufacturing companies and this research sets an agenda for a number of studies to follow on in the forthcoming years.

Originality/value
In authors’ opinion, this is possibly one of the first multi-case empirical studies on Six Sigma implementation in the Indian manufacturing companies. The results of the study can be used to benchmark with similar studies in other countries to understand the good and bad management practices of Six Sigma implementation.
Safety climate, worker health and organizational health performance
Authors: Bronkhorst Babette , Vermeeren Brenda 
Published: August 2016

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between organizational safety climate and organizational health performance outcomes (i.e. absenteeism, presenteeism, health care utilization) mediated by individual worker health. The authors used three pathways to examine this relationship: a physical pathway starting with physical safety climate and mediated by musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), a psychosocial pathway starting with psychosocial safety climate and mediated by emotional exhaustion, and a combined pathway starting with psychosocial safety climate and mediated by both MSDs and emotional exhaustion.

Design/methodology/approach
Three mediational multilevel analyses were conducted using a sample of 8,761 employees working in 177 health care organizations.

Findings
Although the findings did not support the hypothesized physical pathway, they showed that the psychosocial pathway worked satisfactorily for two of the three health performance outcomes (absenteeism and presenteeism). The combined physical and psychosocial pathway explained differences in the third outcome: health care utilization.

Originality/value
This is one of the few studies to include both physical and psychosocial pathways that lead to employee health and organizational performance. The results underscore the importance of paying attention to psychological health and safety in the health care workplace. Not only for the psychological health of employees, but also to improve their physical health and subsequent organizational health performance.
Conserving species‐rich predator assemblages strengthens natural pest control in a climate warming context
Authors: Drieu Robin , Rusch Adrien 
Published: August 2016

Abstract

Recent evidence has shown that a consideration of multiple drivers is important if we want to understand how ecosystem functioning will respond to global change.
In the present study, we used a substitutive approach to examine how two major components of global change, warming and predator diversity, affect the top‐down control of two phytophagous insect pests. Predator assemblages were created using a substitutive design to give three single‐species treatments (low diversity) and one three‐species treatment (high diversity) under two temperature treatments (current seasonal temperature and an increase of +3°C over current temperatures).
The results obtained indicate a shift from substitutive to complementarity effects among predatory species with experimental warming. Experimental warming revealed complementarity between the predatory species in diverse assemblages because higher predation rates on both prey species were found in the high diversity treatment compared with what was expected based on low diversity treatments at the same temperature.
Our analyses of prey selectivity provided evidence that resource‐niche partitioning is involved in the emergence of functional complementarity under warming. The present study highlights the importance of maintaining diverse predator assemblages if we want to increase natural pest control services in agroecosystems and reduce dependence on agrochemicals in a climate change context.
Levels of CD40L and other inflammatory biomarkers in obese and non‐obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Sarray Sameh , Almawi Wassim Y. 
Published: August 2016

ProblemWe investigated whether changes in sCD40L, hs‐CRP, IL‐6, and TNF‐α levels are associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Method of studyCase–control study involving 143 women with and 165 women without PCOS.Result(s):Reduced sCD40L, and increased hs‐CRP and IL‐6, but not TNF‐α, levels were seen between cases and controls. ROC analysis demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for sCD40L and hs‐CRP as PCOS predictors. Altered sCD40L levels were associated with PCOS, irrespective of body weight. Significant differences in IL‐6 levels were seen between non‐obese subjects and for TNF‐α in obese subjects. sCD40L correlated negatively with age, insulin, HOMA‐IR, LH, free testosterone, FAI, and hirsutism, but positively with SHBG. CRP correlated positively with BMI, insulin, HOMA‐IR, free testosterone, and hirsutism. IL‐6 correlated positively with hirsutism. TNF‐α correlated positively with age, but negatively with insulin and HOMA‐IR.ConclusionCD40L, more than IL‐6, or TNF‐α, constitutes a predictor to explain PCOS and associated features.
Role of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α3 subtype in vascular inflammation
Authors: Yang Cui , Li Zhengtao , Yan Saimei , He Yonghui , Dai Rong , Leung George Pek‐heng , Pan Shitian , Yang Jinyan , Yan Rong , Du Guanhua 
Published: August 2016

Background and PurposeVascular inflammation is a major factor contributing to the development of vascular diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α3 subtype (α3‐nAChR) in vascular inflammation.Experimental ApproachVascular inflammation was studied in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE−/−) mice fed a high‐fat diet. Inflammatory markers were measured in mouse aortic endothelial cells (MAECs) and macrophages after α3‐nAChRs were antagonized pharmacologically, or after the gene of α3‐nAChRs was silenced.Key ResultsTreatment with α‐conotoxin MII (MII; an α3‐nAChR antagonist) increased the number of inflammatory cells infiltrating the aortic walls and further impaired the endothelium‐dependent vasodilatations in the aorta of ApoE−/− mice. MII also increased the plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, the infiltration of classical activated macrophages into the arterial wall of ApoE−/− mice was markedly elevated by MII but that of alternative activated macrophages was reduced. In MAECs, the lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated secretion of adhesion molecules and inflammatory cytokines was enhanced by MII, or by silencing the gene of α3‐nAChRs. This effect was reversed by inhibitors of the PI3K‐Akt‐IκKα/β‐IκBα‐NFκB pathways. In macrophages, the classical activation was enhanced, but the alternative activation was reduced when the gene of α3‐nACh receptors was silenced. These effects were prevented by inhibitors of the IκKα/β‐IκBα‐NFκB and JAK2‐STAT6‐PPARγ pathways respectively.Conclusions and Implicationsα3‐nAChRs play a pivotal role in regulating the inflammatory responses in endothelial cells and macrophages. The mechanisms involve the modulations of multiple cell signalling pathways.
Tumor volume determines the feasibility of cell‐free DNA sequencing for mutation detection in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Ohira Tatsuo , Sakai Kazuko , Matsubayashi Jun , Kajiwara Naohiro , Kakihana Masatoshi , Hagiwara Masaru , Hibi Masaaki , Yoshida Koichi , Maeda Junichi , Ohtani Keishi , Nagao Toshitaka , Nishio Kazuto , Ikeda Norihiko 
Published: August 2016

Next‐generation sequencing (NGS) and digital PCR technologies allow analysis of the mutational profile of circulating cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) in individuals with advanced lung cancer. We have now evaluated the feasibility of cfDNA sequencing for mutation detection in patients with non‐small cell lung cancer at earlier stages. A total of 150 matched tumor and serum samples were collected from non‐small cell lung cancer patients at stages IA–IIIA. Amplicon sequencing with DNA extracted from tumor tissue detected frequent mutations in EGFR (37% of patients), TP53 (39%), and KRAS (10%), consistent with previous findings. In contrast, NGS of cfDNA identified only EGFR, TP53, and PIK3CA mutations in three, five, and one patient, respectively, even though adequate amounts of cfDNA were extracted (median of 4936 copies/mL serum). Next‐generation sequencing showed a high accuracy (98.8%) compared with droplet digital PCR for cfDNA mutation detection, suggesting that the low frequency of mutations in cfDNA was not due to a low assay sensitivity. Whereas the yield of cfDNA did not differ among tumor stages, the cfDNA mutations were detected in seven patients at stages IIA–IIIA and at T2b or T3. Tumor volume was significantly higher in the cfDNA mutation‐positive patients than in the negative patients at stages T2b–T4 (159.1 ± 58.0 vs. 52.5 ± 9.9 cm3, P = 0.014). Our results thus suggest that tumor volume is a determinant of the feasibility of mutation detection with cfDNA as the analyte.
Genetic and Environmental Links Between Natural Language Use and Cognitive Ability in Toddlers
Authors: Canfield Caitlin F. , Edelson Lisa R. , Saudino Kimberly J. 
Published: August 2016

Although the phenotypic correlation between language and nonverbal cognitive ability is well‐documented, studies examining the etiology of the covariance between these abilities are scant, particularly in very young children. The goal of this study was to address this gap in the literature by examining the genetic and environmental links between language use, assessed through conversational language samples, and nonverbal cognition in a sample of 3‐year‐old twins (N = 281 pairs). Significant genetic and nonshared environmental influences were found for nonverbal cognitive ability and language measures, including mean length of utterance and number of different words, as well as significant genetic covariance between cognitive ability and both language measures.
Determinants of Cash Holdings in Multinational Corporation's Foreign Subsidiaries: US Subsidiaries in China
Authors: Beuselinck Christof , Du Yan 
Published: August 2016

AbstractManuscript TypeEmpiricalResearch Question/IssueWe examine determinants of cash holdings in Chinese subsidiaries of US multinational corporations (MNCs), a setting where growth opportunities make cash holdings desirable for investment opportunities but also vulnerable to potential expropriation because of poor investor protection.Research Findings/InsightsWe show that headquarters accumulate larger cash holdings in foreign subsidiaries with locally registered patents and in foreign subsidiaries operating in the same industry as corporate headquarters. Further, foreign cash holdings are higher when these are safeguarded by a subsidiary board. Moreover, the effect of shared industry on subsidiary cash holdings is larger when a board is installed in the subsidiary. Finally, the positive relation between a subsidiary's capability to innovate and to transfer knowledge and its level of cash holdings is stronger when the subsidiary is led by US expatriate CEOs.Theoretical/Academic ImplicationsOur results indicate that MNCs accumulate cash in foreign subsidiaries with innovation and knowledge transfer capabilities. Furthermore, and in line with agency theory, we find that MNCs safeguard foreign cash via the installing of subsidiary boards and expatriate CEOs. These findings suggest that the installing of monitoring devices are crucial in reducing the potential expropriation risk of foreign cash holdings.Practitioner/Policy ImplicationsOur study highlights the importance of considering foreign subsidiaries' positions in innovation and in knowledge transfer when MNCs make decisions on the levels of overseas cash holdings. It offers insights regarding the importance of subsidiary boards and expatriate CEOs in monitoring and controlling foreign subsidiaries.
Large‐scale climatic drivers of regional winter bird population trends
Authors: Lehikoinen Aleksi , Foppen Ruud P. B. , Heldbjerg Henning , Lindström Åke , van Manen Willem , Piirainen Sirke , van Turnhout Chris A. M. , Butchart Stuart H. M. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractAimChanges in climate and land use practices have been found to affect animal populations in different parts of the world. These studies have typically been conducted during the breeding season, whereas the non‐breeding season (hereafter ‘winter’) has received much less attention. Changes in regional winter abundances could be caused by changes in overall population sizes and/or redistribution of populations. We tested these mechanisms for terrestrial winter bird population changes in Northern Europe and explored the role of climate change and species habitat preference.LocationThe Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland.MethodsWe used winter bird counts from four countries conducted annually between 15 December and 20 January in 1980/1981–2013/2014. We report national population trends for 50 species for which a trend could be calculated in at least three of the countries. We analysed country‐specific population growth rates in relation to species’ climatic summer and winter niches, habitat preference and migratory behaviour.ResultsSpecies breeding in colder (typically northern) areas showed more negative winter population trends than species breeding in warmer areas. Regional winter population trends were negatively correlated with characteristics of their winter climatic niche: populations in the colder part of their winter distribution increased in abundance, whereas populations in the warmer part of their winter distribution decreased. Woodland species tended to do better than farmland species. Migratory behaviour did not explain variation in population trends.Main conclusionsThe generally decreasing winter population trends of cold‐dwelling breeding species probably reflect the general decline in population sizes of these species. In contrast, increasing winter population trends for populations in the colder parts of the winter distribution indicate a redistribution of wintering individuals towards the north‐east. Both these patterns are likely caused by climate change.
Competition with Asymmetric Experience Uncertainty
Authors: Galbreth Michael R. , Ghosh Bikram 
Published: August 2016

ABSTRACTThe value of an experience good is idiosyncratic to consumers and is not fully realized until after a purchase is made. This uncertainty related to experience, or “experience uncertainty,” has been shown in prior research to have important implications in a competitive context. In this article, we consider two firms that are asymmetric along two dimensions—base quality and the distribution of experience uncertainty. The interaction of these asymmetries shapes consumer demand and thus is an important driver of the equilibrium strategies of competing firms. We show that an increase in the experience uncertainty of one competitor might in fact lead to higher profits for both firms, including the firm whose product has become less certain to consumers. These unexpected results can be understood by examining how experience uncertainty drives endogenous market segmentation and price elasticity. We provide simple conditions under which more experience uncertainty can increase the profits of both competing firms.
Schooling Bodies to Read and Write: A Technosomatic Perspective
Authors: Vlieghe Joris 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIn this article Joris Vlieghe defends the view that technologies of reading and writing are more than merely instruments that support education, arguing that these technologies themselves decide what education is all about and that they form subjectivity in substantial ways. Expanding on insights taken from media theory, Vlieghe uses the work of Bernard Stiegler in order to develop a “technosomatic” account of literacy initiation, that is, a perspective that zooms in on the physical dimensions of how to operate writing and reading technologies. He argues that that the bodily gestures and disciplines that constitute (elementary) literacy give rise to a particular space of experience, which comes down to a heavily embodied, first‐hand sense of what it means to be able to produce script. Vlieghe contends that the advent of digital writing and reading technologies implies a fundamental shift in this sense of ability, and that in order to understand digital literacy we need to take into account the technosomatic aspects of learning to read and write with digital media (a dimension that is absent from the way in which the New Literacies movement approaches the phenomenon of digitization).
Research, Governance, and Technologies of Openness
Authors: Hodgson Naomi 
Published: August 2016

AbstractRecent policy changes in the European Union have introduced the requirement for publicly funded research to be published in open access. This can be seen as part of a mode of democratic accountability that not only promotes transparency but also, Naomi Hodgson argues, is constituted by visibility and openness. By drawing attention to the way in which the researcher is asked to understand herself in this policy context, Hodgson illustrates how particular technologies of performance measurement and management, and of publication, enter the researcher into this economy of visibility. The understanding of openness as a corrective to the traditional closed access system of publishing and the marketization of academia is challenged, then, in this article, which indicates how these technologies of reading and writing constitute the researcher as a particular figure in the emergent mode of governance.
How We Use and Are Used by Social Media in Education
Authors: Burbules Nicholas C. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIn this article, Nicholas C. Burbules explores the effects of various social media on the ways people communicate, and the implications of these effects for the use of social media in educational contexts. Facebook, Twitter, and a host of other applications are being used in increasing numbers, especially by young people. It is where they live, share, and learn, so it is to be expected that educators would want to find ways to use these technologies to engage them. At the same time, however, these new media come with a host of issues and dangers as well as possibilities. Creative educators need to be aware of these in weighing the advantages and disadvantages of social media for educational purposes.