bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improving service quality through customer journey analysis
Authors: Halvorsrud Ragnhild , Kvale Knut , Følstad Asbjørn 
Published: November 2016

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a framework based on customer journeys for a structured portrayal of service delivery from the customer’s point of view. The paper also introduces customer journey analysis (CJA) for empirical investigation of individual service experiences in a multichannel environment.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents case studies for onboarding new customers on broadband services. CJA starts with modeling of the service process in terms of touchpoints. The individual customer journeys are reconstructed through methodological triangulation of interviews, diary studies, and process tracking.FindingsThe paper provides empirical insights into individual customer journeys. Four types of deviations during service delivery are identified: occurrence of ad hoc touchpoints, irregularities in the sequence of logically connected touchpoints, occurrence of failures in touchpoints, and missing touchpoints. CJA seems effective in revealing problematic and incoherent service delivery that may result in unfavorable customer experiences.Practical implicationsFor a service company, the proposed framework may serve as a unifying language to ease cross-departmental communication and approach service quality in a systematic way. CJA discloses the gap between the planned and actual service delivery and can be used as a tool for service improvement.Originality/valueThe framework provides concepts, definitions, and a visual notation to structure and manage services in terms of customer journeys. CJA is a novel method for empirical studies of the service delivery process and the associated customer experience.
Clarifying multilevel governance
Authors: TORTOLA PIER DOMENICO 
Published: November 2016

AbstractDespite its widespread use in European studies and beyond, the concept of multilevel governance (MLG) still suffers from a considerable degree of uncertainty as to its precise meaning, which in turn hinders the cumulative development of this research programme. In an attempt to stimulate a systematic methodological discussion of the idea of MLG, this article presents a critical reconstruction of the concept structured around three ‘axes of ambiguity’– the applicability of MLG beyond the European Union; the role of non‐state actors; the focus on policy‐making structures versus processes – followed by a conceptual assessment and clarification strategy based on John Gerring's criterial framework. Building particularly on Gerring's criterion of causal utility, the article argues that the MLG concept is best clarified along the (not necessarily exclusive) lines of two theoretical directions emerging from the literature: MLG as a theory of state transformation, and MLG as a theory of public policy. For each of the two models, the criterial framework also indicates a number of corresponding conceptual shortcomings which MLG scholars should try to reduce as much as possible in future refinements of this idea.
The Influence of the Rebaudioside A Content of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) on the Determination of Sweetness Equivalence in Bittersweet Chocolates, Using the Time‐Intensity Analysis
Authors: Azevedo Bruna M. , Ferreira Janaína M. M. , Luccas Valdecir , Bolini Helena M. A. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe consumption of diet products has increased greatly in recent years. The objectives of the study were to develop a bittersweet chocolate added inulin and stevias with different rebaudioside A contents (60%, 80%, and 97%). Five chocolate samples were formulated with different sucrose concentrations to determine the ideal sucrose concentration for bittersweet chocolate. The use of just‐about‐right scale identified an ideal sucrose concentration of 47.5% (w/w). The sweetness equivalence in sugar‐free bittersweet chocolates was determined by the time–intensity method by 14 selected and trained judges. The data collected during each session of sensory evaluation furnished the following parameters in relation to the sweet stimulus: Imax (maximum intensity recorded), Timax (time at which the maximum intensity was recorded), Area (area of time × intensity curve), and Ttot (total duration time of the stimulus). The time–intensity analysis indicated that the percentages of rebaudioside A did not interfere with the sweetness intensity of the sweetener stevia in bittersweet chocolate and there was no significant difference in the concentrations tested (0.16%, 0.22%, 0.27%) of each stevia, in relation to the parameters evaluated. In addition, the reduction in fat content did not alter the perception of the sweetness intensity of the samples. These results showed important information to research and development of chocolate products. Therefore, the use of the lowest stevia concentration tested (0.16%) is the most indicated for use, since this quantity was sufficient to reach the ideal sweetness of the product, so there was no point in adding more.
Coupling of the Water Cycle with Patterns of Urban Growth in the Baltimore Metropolitan Region, United States
Authors: Bhaskar Aditi S. , Jantz Claire , Welty Claire , Drzyzga Scott A. , Miller Andrew J. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractRegional municipal water plans typically do not recognize complex coupling patterns or that increased withdrawals in one location can result in changes in water availability in others. We investigated the interaction between urban growth and water availability in the Baltimore metropolitan region where urban growth has occurred beyond the reaches of municipal water systems into areas that rely on wells in low‐productivity Piedmont aquifers. We used the urban growth model SLEUTH and the hydrologic model ParFlow.CLM to evaluate this interaction with urban growth scenarios in 2007 and 2030. We found decreasing groundwater availability outside of the municipal water service area. Within the municipal service area we found zones of increasing storage resulting from increased urban growth, where reduced vegetation cover dominated the effect of urbanization on the hydrologic cycle. We also found areas of decreasing storage, where expanding impervious surfaces played a larger role. Although the magnitude of urban growth and change in water availability for the simulation period were generally small, there was considerable spatial heterogeneity of changes in subsurface storage. This suggests that there are locally concentrated areas of groundwater sensitivity to urban growth where water shortages could occur or where drying up of headwater streams would be more likely. The simulation approach presented here could be used to identify early warning indicators of future risk.
Genetic variation in leptin and leptin receptor genes as a risk factor for idiopathic male infertility
Authors: Hodžić A. , Ristanović M. , Zorn B. , Tulić C. , Maver A. , Novaković I. , Plaseska‐Karanfilska D. , Peterlin B. 
Published: November 2016

SummaryThe aim of this study was to examine whether there is an association among genetic variability in leptin (LEP) and leptin receptor (LEPR) genes and male infertility. We performed a case–control study and were searching for an association between polymorphisms of LEP and LEPR genes and male infertility. The study group consisted of 317 patients with idiopathic infertility and a control group of 241 fertile men from Slovenia. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in LEP gene and four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in LEPR gene were chosen and genotyped. Statistically significant SNP was further validated in additional 255 infertile patients and 168 controls from Serbia and Macedonia. In the Slovenian population, we found a statistically significant difference in genotype distribution for rs10244329 polymorphism in LEP gene (recessive genotype model, p value = 0.048). The trend toward statistically significant difference in genotype distribution for rs10244329 polymorphism was confirmed in the Serbian and Macedonian populations (p value = 0.07). Our data suggest that genetic variability in the LEP gene might be associated with male infertility warranting further confirmation and mechanistic investigations.
Retinal oxygen saturation in Chinese adolescents
Authors: Liu Xue , Wang Shuang , Liu Yi , Liu Li Juan , Lv Yan Yun , Tang Ping , Jonas Jost B. , Xu Liang 
Published: November 2016

AbstractPurposeTo study the retinal oxygen saturation in normal eyes of Chinese adolescents.MethodsPerforming retinal oximetry with the Oxymap T1 Retinal Oximeter in healthy children and adolescents (aged 5–18 years old), we measured the arterial (SaO2) and venular (SvO2) oxygen saturation and the arteriovenous difference in oxygen saturation (Sa‐vO2).ResultsThe study included 122 individuals with a mean age of 13.0 ± 2.9 years (range: 5–18 years) and a mean refractive error of −3.25 ± 2.49 dioptres (range:−8.88 to +3.13 dioptres). Mean SaO2, SvO2 and Sa‐vO2 was 85.5 ± 7.1%, 48.2 ± 5.5% and 37.3 ± 6.5%, respectively. Mean SaO2 was significantly (p < 0.001) the lowest in the inferotemporal quadrant (79.1 ± 9.0%), followed by the superotemporal quadrant (83.4 ± 9.7%), the inferonasal quadrant (90.4 ± 10.6%) and the superonasal quadrant (93.4 ± 10.8%). In a similar manner, the values of the SvO2 were the lowest (p < 0.001) in the inferotemporal quadrant (42.1 ± 8.3%), followed by the superotemporal quadrant (47.8 ± 7.2%), the inferonasal quadrant (52.3 ± 8.4%) and the superonasal quadrant (55.1 ± 7.6%). Arteriovenous difference in oxygen saturation (Sa‐vO2) did not differ significantly (all p > 0.05) between the fundus quadrants. In multiple linear regression analysis, SaO2 increased (regression coefficient r2 = 0.28) with older age (standardized regression coefficient β: 0.23; p = 0.01) and more myopic refractive error (β: −0.39; p < 0.001). Higher SvO2 was significantly correlated with more myopic refractive error (β: −0.46; p < 0.001; r2 = 0.20), while Sa‐vO2 increased significantly only with older age in the multivariate analysis (β: 0.26; p = 0.01; r2 = 0.07).ConclusionsOur study provides normative data for Chinese children and adolescents who showed lower values than adults for SaO2 and SvO2. SaO2 increased with older age and higher myopic refractive error, SvO2 increased with higher myopic refractive error, and Sa‐vO2 increased with older age.
Perceptions of stigma and its correlates among patients with major depressive disorder: A multicenter survey from China
Authors: Shi‐Jie Feng , Hong‐Mei Gao , Li Wang , Bin‐Hong Wang , Yi‐Ru Fang , Gang Wang , Tian‐Mei Si 
Published: November 2016

AbstractBackgroundThe stigma of major depressive disorder (MDD) is an important public health problem. This study evaluated stigma in MDD patients in China using explanatory model interview catalogue (EMIC) questionnaire and the demographic and clinical symptom factors associated with the stigma of these patients.MethodsA total of 158 MDD patients from domestic 3 mental health centers were surveyed. We used the EMIC questionnaire to assess stigma of these patients, Montgomery and Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) to assess depressive severity, self‐reporting inventory (SCL‐90) to assess mental health level, Sheehan disability scale (SDS) to assess social function, and fatigue severity scale (FSS) to assess degree of fatigue.ResultsThe stigma scores were significantly higher in the 18‐ to 30‐year‐old (z = 2.875, P = .024) and 31‐ to 40‐year‐old (z = 3.204, P = .008) groups than the 51‐ to 65‐year‐old group; in the full‐time employment group than the retired group (z = 3.163, P = .016). The stigma scores exhibited significant negative correlation with age (r = −0.169, P = .034) but positive correlations with the scores of MADRS (r = .212, P = .007), total scores (r = .273, P = .001) and subscales of interpersonal sensitivity (r = .233, P = .003), depression (r = .336, P < .001), and anxiety (r = .228, P = .004) of SCL‐90, scores of FSS (r = .230, P = .004), and SDS (r = .254, P = .001). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that depression subscale of SCL‐90 and FSS were independently correlated with stigma.ConclusionThe age, employment status, fatigue, and depressive severity are closely associated with the perceived stigma of MDD patients and may be important factors considered for stigma interventions of MDD in China.
Atypical scrapie in Australia
Authors: Cook RW , Bingham J , Besier AS , Bayley CL , Hawes M , Shearer PL , Yamada M , Bergfeld J , Williams DT , Middleton DJ 
Published: November 2016

BackgroundSince its initial detection in Norway in 1998, atypical scrapie (‘atypical/Nor98 scrapie’) has been reported in sheep in the majority of European countries (including in regions free of classical scrapie) and in the Falkland Islands, the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.Case seriesThe diagnosis in Australia of atypical scrapie in four Merino and one Merino‐cross sheep showing clinical signs of neurological disease was based on the detection of grey matter neuropil vacuolation (spongiform change) in the brain (particularly in the molecular layer of the cerebellar cortex) and associated abnormal prion protein (PrPSc
) deposition in both grey and white matter. Changes were minimal in the caudal brainstem, the predilection site for lesions of classical scrapie.ConclusionThe distinctive lesion profile of atypical scrapie in these five sheep highlights the diagnostic importance of routine histological evaluation of the cerebellum for evidence of neuropil vacuolation and associated PrPSc
deposition in adult sheep with suspected neurological disease.
Payment systems and incentives in dentistry
Authors: Grytten Jostein 
Published: November 2016

AbstractIn this commentary, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the following incentive‐based remuneration systems in dentistry: fee‐for‐service remuneration, per capita remuneration, a mixed payment system (a combination of fee‐for‐service remuneration and per capita remuneration) and pay‐for‐performance. The two latter schemes are fairly new in dentistry. Fee‐for‐service payments secure high quality, but lead to increased costs, probably due to supplier‐induced demand. Per capita payments secure effectiveness, but may lead to under‐treatment and patient selection. A mixed payment scheme produces results somewhere between over‐ and under‐treatment. The prospective component (the per capita payment) promotes efficiency, while the retrospective component (the fee‐for‐service payment) secures high quality of the care that is provided. A pay‐for‐performance payment scheme is specifically designed towards improvements in dental health. This is done by linking provider reimbursements directly to performance indicators measuring dental health outcomes and quality of the services. Experience from general health services is that pay‐for‐performance payment has not been very successful. This is due to significant design and implementation obstacles and lack of provider acceptance. A major criticism of all the incentive‐based remuneration schemes is that they may undermine the dentists’ intrinsic motivation for performing a task. This is a crowding‐out effect, which is particularly strong when monetary incentives are introduced for care that is cognitively demanding and complex, for example as in dentistry. One way in which intrinsic motivation may not be undermined is to introduce a fixed salary component into the remuneration scheme. Dentists would then be able to choose their type of contract according to their abilities and their preferences for nonmonetary rewards as opposed to monetary rewards. If a fixed salary component cannot be introduced into the remuneration scheme, the fees should be ‘neutral’; that is, they should just cover the costs of the services provided. This is one way in which supplier‐induced demand can be limited and costs contained.
Long‐term low‐dose macrolides for chronic rhinosinusitis in adults – a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Lasso A. , Masoudian P. , Quinn J.G. , Cowan J. , Labajian V. , Bonaparte J.P. , Kilty S. 
Published: November 2016

BackgroundChronic rhinosinusitis is a very common inflammatory disease that impairs quality of life and is associated with high healthcare spending. Chronic rhinosinusitis treatment commonly involves the use of intranasal corticosteroids, oral antibiotics, and surgery. Macrolides have been identified as a potential treatment option for chronic rhinosinusitis due to their immunomodulatory effects; however, the evidence supporting their use is still conflicting.ObjectiveThe purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate new evidence along with previously reported studies of the use of macrolides in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis.Search strategyMedline, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, LILACS, clinicaltrials.gov, and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were all searched (until June 2015 Medline and EMBASE searches were updated January 2016). Randomised controlled trials comparing low‐dose macrolide antibiotics versus placebo, as an adjunct to other therapies, or low‐dose macrolide therapy alone versus other therapies were included in this review.Evaluation methodQuality of the evidence was evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Continuous outcomes were expressed as mean differences or standardised mean differences with 95% confidence interval. Data were pooled using fixed‐effects models.ResultsNine randomised controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. Studies were classified into three distinct comparisons: Low‐dose macrolide therapy vs. placebo, low‐dose macrolide +/− nasal steroids vs. nasal steroid and low‐dose macrolides vs. other therapies. The overall quality of the evidence is low due to limitations in study design, imprecision, and indirectness.ConclusionsPositive results were seen with the use of macrolide therapy in the postoperative period in patients with nasal polyps. A firm conclusion with respect to the effectiveness of the use of macrolides for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis cannot be reached based on the available evidence. Further study using a placebo‐controlled design evaluating the use of macrolides in clearly defined chronic rhinosinusitis populations is needed.
Prevalence of multimodal species abundance distributions is linked to spatial and taxonomic breadth
Authors: Antão Laura H. , Connolly Sean R. , Magurran Anne E. , Soares Amadeu , Dornelas Maria 
Published: November 2016

AbstractAimSpecies abundance distributions (SADs) are a synthetic measure of biodiversity and community structure. Although typically described by unimodal logseries or lognormal distributions, empirical SADs can also exhibit multiple modes. However, we do not know how prevalent multimodality is, nor do we have an understanding of the factors leading to this pattern. Here we quantify the prevalence of multimodality in SADs across a wide range of taxa, habitats and spatial extents.LocationGlobal.MethodsWe used the second‐order Akaike information criterion for small sample sizes (AICc) and likelihood ratio tests (LRTs) to test whether models with more than one mode accurately describe the empirical abundance frequency distributions of the underlying communities. We analysed 117 empirical datasets from intensely sampled communities, including taxa ranging from birds, plants, fish and invertebrates, from terrestrial, marine and freshwater habitats.ResultsWe find evidence for multimodality in 14.5% of the SADs when using AICc and LRT. This is a conservative estimate, as AICc alone estimates a prevalence of multimodality of 22%. We additionally show that the pattern is more common in data encompassing broader spatial scales and greater taxonomic breadth, suggesting that multimodality increases with ecological heterogeneity.Main conclusionsWe suggest that higher levels of ecological heterogeneity, underpinned by larger spatial extent and higher taxonomic breadth, can yield multimodal SADs. Our analysis shows that multimodality occurs with a prevalence that warrants its systematic consideration when assessing SAD shape and emphasizes the need for macroecological theories to include multimodality in the range of SADs they predict.
Migration distance, ecological barriers and en‐route variation in the migratory behaviour of terrestrial bird populations
Authors: La Sorte Frank A. , Fink Daniel 
Published: November 2016

AbstractAimSeasonal migration is a common strategy used by terrestrial birds that breed in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Evidence suggests that long‐distance migrants have limited flexibility in migratory behaviour during the onset of migration but greater flexibility during the migration journey. Here, we examine how two geographical factors are correlated with en‐route flexibility. Due to stronger time‐selection pressures, we expected species with longer migration distances to have greater en‐route variation, that increases when large ecological barriers to migration are present.LocationWestern Hemisphere.MethodsWe estimated annual population‐level migration trajectories for 55 terrestrial bird species over 7 years (2009–15) based on occurrence information from eBird. We calculated migration speed and annual variation in migration speed, timing and location. We examined these metrics as a function of migration distance for species in the eastern (n = 41) and western (n = 14) migration flyways. The eastern flyway contains two large ecological barriers to migration, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.ResultsSpring migration speeds exceeded autumn migration speeds in both flyways. Migration speeds were faster in the eastern flyway during both seasons. Annual variation in migration speed increased as migration distances increased in both flyways during both seasons. Annual variation in migration timing and location increased as migration distance increased in the eastern flyway during both seasons. In the western flyway, annual variation in migration timing and location increased as migration distance increased, but only during the autumn migration.Main conclusionsIncreasing time‐selection pressures related to migration distance and ecological barriers were associated with greater en‐route variation in migratory behaviour. Variation in migration speed was most consistently associated with variation in migratory behaviour, whereas variation in migration timing and location differed by season and was strongest when large ecological barriers were present. Our results suggest that the capacity to respond to environmental variation during migration increases as migration distances increase.
On asymmetric Bertrand duopoly with price uncertainty
Authors: Kamiński Bogumił , Łatek Maciej 
Published: November 2016

AbstractWe examine a market where consumers are compelled to rely on noisy price signals to choose among homogeneous products. The noise originates from price uncertainty due, for example, to an unknown currency exchange rate used in a transaction, or demand uncertainty due to consumers’ not being sure of the structure of their future demand. Standard theoretical models and empirical research of markets with noisy prices show that they are detrimental to consumers’ welfare. This paper identifies conditions under which opposite results can be obtained. In particular, it shows that in a market with a cost leader moderate noise levels can be beneficial to consumers’ welfare.
Endogenous timing under price competition and unions
Authors: Fanti Luciano 
Published: November 2016

AbstractWe investigate the endogenous order of moves in a duopoly under price competition with a unionized labor market. We show that the established results are not robust to the presence of unions. We find that when product substitutability is sufficiently high and unions are sufficiently wage‐interested the sub‐perfect equilibrium is the simultaneous choice of prices by firms (in sharp contrast to the received literature) and, moreover, the well‐known result that in price games there is always a preference for being a follower no longer holds true under unionization.