bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Echo state networks with multiple readout modules
Authors: Laan Andres , Vicente Raul 
Published: April 2015

We propose a new readout architecture for echo state networks where multiple linear readout modules are activated at distinct time points to varying degrees by a separate controller module. The controller module, like the reservoir of the echo state network, can be initialized randomly. All linear readout modules are trained through simple linear regression, which is the only adaptive step in the modified algorithm. The resulting architecture provides modest improvements on a variety of time series processing tasks (between 5 to 50% in performance metric depending on the task studied). The novel architecture is guaranteed to perform at least as accurately as a conventional linear readout. It can be utilized as a general purpose readout method when augmentations to performance relative to the standard method is needed.PACS numbers:05.45.Tp, 07.05.Mh
Phylogenetic analysis supports a link between DUF1220 domain number and primate brain expansion
Authors: Zimmer Fabian , Montgomery Stephen H. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractThe expansion of DUF1220 domain copy number during human evolution is a dramatic example of rapid and repeated domain duplication. However, the phenotypic relevance of DUF1220 dosage is unknown. Although patterns of expression, homology and disease associations suggest a role in cortical development, this hypothesis has not been robustly tested using phylogenetic methods. Here, we estimate DUF1220 domain counts across 12 primate genomes using a nucleotide Hidden Markov Model. We then test a series of hypotheses designed to examine the potential evolutionary significance of DUF1220 copy number expansion. Our results suggest a robust association with brain size, and more specifically neocortex volume. In contradiction to previous hypotheses we find a strong association with postnatal brain development, but not with prenatal brain development. Our results provide further evidence of a conserved association between specific loci and brain size across primates, suggesting human brain evolution occurred through a continuation of existing processes.
On the modeling of oil well drilling processes
Authors: Della Nave Esteban , Dvorkin Eduardo Natalio 
Published: April 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present the development of a simulator of oil well drilling processes.

Design/methodology/approach
– The simulator incorporates the main variables that are used by drilling engineers in the definition of the drilling processes. The code is useful a priori, in the design of a drilling process, as a tool for comparing different design options and predicting their results and a posteriori of a failure to understand its genesis and therefore provide know-why to improve the drilling techniques.

Findings
– The developed finite element simulator uses a co-rotational Bernoulli beam element, an explicit time integration scheme and an explicit contact algorithm. The numerical results show that the simulator is stable and provides consistent solutions.

Practical implications
– During the drilling of oil wells, the fatigue damage and wear of the drilling column is of utmost concern. To determine the mechanical behavior of the drilling column standard simplified analyses are usually performed using commercially available codes; however, those standard analyses do not include a transient dynamic simulation of the process; hence, it is necessary to develop a specific tool for the detailed dynamic simulation of drilling processes.

Originality/value
– A simulator able to perform a description of the drilling process in the time range will be an important contribution to the tools used by drilling engineers.
Guest editorial: humanitarian logistics - an opportunity for service research
Authors: Heaslip Graham 
Published: April 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature service operations management (OM) and its application to the field of humanitarian operations.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper serves as the editorial for this issue of JHLSCM.

Findings
– The paper suggests that there is an opportunity for service OM academics to apply their knowledge and skills to answer fundamental questions in the humanitarian OM field.

Research limitations/implications
– There is a need for a re-conceptualization of the term “humanitarian operations” to include services. Humanitarian OM is not just products but also services.

Originality/value
– The paper contributes to the knowledge and applications of services OM in humanitarian operations research. This is the first work to identify how services OM theories can be adopted for humanitarian OM research. This research should serve as a foundation for future research.
Does online collaboration with customers drive innovation performance?
Authors: Ryzhkova Natalia 
Published: April 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the actual usage of online methods for collaboration with customers and firms’ innovation performance. Drawing on theories of knowledge flows and knowledge creation, this study analyses the results of customer collaboration in the online mode in comparison to the offline mode.Design/methodology/approach– The data for the econometric analysis comes from managers of 102 so-called “gazelles”, knowledge-intensive service firms that were characterized by exceptionally stable growth rates in Sweden during 2010 and 2011.Findings– This study confirms the significance of information and communication technology (ICT)-supported collaboration with customers for a firm’s innovation performance. Interacting with customers using online methods has a positive effect on companies’ innovation output. Besides, knowledge-intensive service companies demonstrate more extensive though less intensive use of online channels for collaborating with customers compared to offline methods.Research limitations/implications– The data for this study has typical limitations resulting from the collection method of web-surveying. Future research should refine the findings of this study using various measures of firms’ innovation performance.Practical implications– Firms should be more receptive towards online methods of collaboration with customers because using such strategy can increase their probability to introduce service innovations. The insights from this study are especially valuable for companies in knowledge-intensive service industries because the sample consist of companies that can be regarded as successful cases.Originality/value– This study is one of the first that addresses the issue of the impact of collaborative technologies on innovation performance. The sample of steady-growing gazelle companies adds value to the results.
Customer defection in retail banking
Authors: Piha Lamprini P. , Avlonitis George J. 
Published: April 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to provide managers and researchers a comprehensive view of the root causes of customer departure and empirically test the attitudinal and behavioural consequences of failed service quality in a retail banking context.

Design/methodology/approach
– A quantitative study was conducted among retail banking customers who had defected from a large retail bank provider. Data from 989 usable responses to a questionnaire filled through a telephone survey were applied to model estimation through structural equation modelling.

Findings
– Findings demonstrate the effect of failed service quality on customers’ negative attitudes towards the retail bank provider (dissatisfaction and lack of commitment), the direct negative impact of failed service quality on loyalty (the opposite of defection), as well as its indirect negative impact on loyalty through negative attitudes. The moderating role of customers’ switching costs and subjective knowledge of the bank’s products is revealed and the relative impact of each failed service quality factor on negative attitudes and behavioural intentions is assessed.

Practical implications
– Key areas causing customer dissatisfaction and eventually defection are shown to bank managers, providing direction for implementing strategies and mechanisms in order to effectively reduce the defection rate.

Originality/value
– The theoretical model, which was in large confirmed through the empirical data, offers for the first time empirical evidence regarding the extent to which the general categories of reasons to defect in a service context identified in the literature are indeed causing customer exit.
Australian citizenship in interesting times
Authors: Cary Lisa , Pruyn Marc , Austin Jon 
Published: April 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to understand, more deeply, what the field of citizenship education stands for, in both theory and practice, historically and currently, and especially, in relation to the new Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship. The authors have drawn on the backgrounds in social studies/social education, multicultural education, democracy education and Indigenous studies, in order to more deeply and profoundly understand “civics and citizenship education” and what it represents today in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach
– Methodologically, the authors see epistemological spaces as discursive productions from post-structural/post-modern and critical perspectives. These positions draw upon the notion of discourse as an absent power that can validate/legitimize vs negate/de-legitimize. The authors employ a meta-level analysis that historicizes the spaces made possible/impossible for those in deviant subject positions through a critique of the current literature juxtaposed with a presentation and analysis of “citizenship snapshots” of the authors. In this way, the authors attempt to move beyond conceptions of deviant citizenship based on curricular content and instructional method, and explore the realms of epistemology through the study of exclusion/inclusion.

Findings
– Reflecting the highly personal and individualized nature of the type of research required to be conducted in this aspect of national and personal identity, each of the authors draws here on personal experiences with aspects of citizenship that are not noticeably present in the current national curriculum. Specifically, the three “citizenship snapshots” at the heart of this paper’s discussion and analysis – snapshots constructed by academics who both understand and resist the racialised/classed privilege bestowed upon them by nation states – are: “The boomerang citizen”, “privileged and non-privileged citizen immigrants”, and “Indigenous citizenship, sovereignty & colonialism”.

Originality/value
– Drawing both on the current international scholarship on citizenship, power and social changes and the critical/post-structuralist qualitative methodology set forth by the authors, this work describes and problematizes the evolving “citizenship identities” in an attempt to critically assess the new civics and citizenship component of the Australian curriculum; understand the ongoing development of national, regional and global “trans/international” citizenship youth identities; and make connections between citizenship education, identity development and the global youth “occupy”/liberation movements.
Researching the researcher: the heart and mind in sub-prime times
Authors: emerald elke , Carpenter Lorelei 
Published: April 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to gather research-stories, that is, the stories of the researcher themselves. The authors gather stories that situate researchers in their social, political, personal and professional contexts to learn about being a researcher in a University at this particular historical moment.

Design/methodology/approach
– The authors’ stories began with the naive question – “What is it like to be a researcher in a University right now?”. The authors asked this question of Julie White’s (2012) “disposable academics” (p. 50); short-term and casualised staff with insecure teaching or research contracts. They asked White’s (2012, p. 48) “academic infantry” the mid-career researchers who have felt the labour intensification of recent times. They also asked senior academics, established professors with established research histories and the security (they hope) of a steady track record and a list of external grants.

Findings
– The answers were not simple. They were stories of the pragmatics of managing the new academic scene; maintaining a research passion despite the pressures of new managerialism’s focus on certain forms of efficiency, external accountability and monitoring; resolving the apparent losses of autonomy, academic freedom, support, security and academic dignity. The authors heard emotional and vulnerable stories, stories of personal investment and emotionally and physically risky and dangerous encounters. The authors learnt something of the complex business of negotiating personal and professional subjectivities.

Originality/value
– The authors heard emotional and vulnerable stories, stories of personal investment and emotionally and physically risky and dangerous encounters. They learnt something of the complex business of negotiating personal and professional subjectivities.
Post‐anthesis changes in the labellum of Cypripedium macranthos var. rebunense (Orchidaceae) and a speculation on functional design of the labellum
Authors: Sugiura Naoto , Yumiyama Megumi 
Published: April 2015

AbstractIn bumblebee‐pollinated Cypripedium macranthos var. rebunense, some plants have small labella that do not allow pollinating queens to enter, but they occasionally produce capsules for reasons that remain unclear. We found that after anthesis, the labellum gradually droops, and its width and length (but not height) distinctly increase, eventually producing an elongate and dorsoventrally compressed shape. The rate of increase in labellum size was significantly greater in flowers that initially had a smaller labellum, so that the post‐anthesis changes actually enabled large‐bodied bumblebees to enter those labella. Therefore, we conclude that C. macranthos var. rebunense relied on only bumblebee queens for pollination, irrespective of labellum size at the time of anthesis. Observations of in‐labellum bumblebee behavior suggested that the elongate and dorsoventrally compressed shape and the inclination seemed to result in more predictable and desirable bumblebee movements into the labellum.
A preliminary and qualitative study of resource ratio theory to nitrifying lab‐scale bioreactors
Authors: Bellucci Micol , Ofiţeru Irina D. , Beneduce Luciano , Graham David W. , Head Ian M. , Curtis Thomas P. 
Published: April 2015

SummaryThe incorporation of microbial diversity in design would ideally require predictive theory that would relate operational parameters to the numbers and distribution of taxa. Resource ratio‐theory (RRT) might be one such theory. Based on Monod kinetics, it explains diversity in function of resource‐ratio and richness. However, to be usable in biological engineered system, the growth parameters of all the bacteria under consideration and the resource supply and diffusion parameters for all the relevant nutrients should be determined. This is challenging, but plausible, at least for low diversity groups with simple resource requirements like the ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB). One of the major successes ofRRTwas its ability to explain the ‘paradox of enrichment’ which states that diversity first increases and then decreases with resource richness. Here, we demonstrate that this pattern can be seen in lab‐scale‐activated sludge reactors and parallel simulations that incorporate the principles ofRRTin a floc‐based system. High and low ammonia and oxygen were supplied to continuous flow bioreactors with resource conditions correlating with the composition and diversity of residentAOBcommunities based onAOB16SrDNAclone libraries. Neither the experimental work nor the simulations are definitive proof for the application ofRRTin this context. However, it is sufficient evidence that such approach might work and justify a more rigorous investigation.
Marine hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria as whole‐cell biosensors for n‐alkanes
Authors: Sevilla Emma , Yuste Luis , Rojo Fernando 
Published: April 2015

SummaryWhole‐cell biosensors offer potentially useful, cost‐effective systems for the in‐situ monitoring of seawater for hydrocarbons derived from accidental spills. The present work compares the performance of a biosensor system for the detection of alkanes in seawater, hosted in either Escherichia coli (commonly employed in whole‐cell biosensors but not optimized for alkane assimilation) or different marine bacteria specialized in assimilating alkanes. The sensor system was based on the Pseudomonas putida AlkS regulatory protein and the PalkB promoter fused to a gene encoding the green fluorescent protein. While the E. coli sensor provided the fastest response to pure alkanes (25‐fold induction after 2 h under the conditions used), a sensor based on Alcanivorax borkumensis was slower, requiring 3–4 h to reach similar induction values. However, the A. borkumensis sensor showed a fourfold lower detection threshold for octane (0.5 μM), and was also better at sensing the alkanes present in petrol. At petrol concentrations of 0.0125%, the A. borkumensis sensor rendered a sevenfold induction, while E. coli sensor showed no response. We discuss possible explanations to this behaviour in terms of the cellular adaptations to alkane uptake and the basal fluorescence produced by each bacterial strain, which was lowest for A. borkumensis.
A rare case of cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy
Authors: Meah Nekma , Khirwadkar Nitin , Ellison Judith 
Published: April 2015

AbstractCutaneous collagenous vasculopathy is a rare microangiopathy first described by Salama and Rosenthal in 2000. Several cases have been reported to date, describing distinct histological findings of thick hyaline collagenous blood vessel walls in the superficial dermis. Clinical confusion can arise with generalised essential telangiectasia. We report a case occurring in a 76‐year‐old woman who presented with a 2‐year history of a telangiectatic rash progressing from her knees upwards. The diagnosis was confirmed on skin biopsy and treatment with pulsed dye laser was later initiated at the patient's request.
Postoperative morbidity survey, mortality and length of stay following emergency laparotomy
Authors: Howes T. E. , Cook T. M. , Corrigan L. J. , Dalton S. J. , Richards S. K. , Peden C. J. 
Published: April 2015

SummaryThirty‐day mortality following emergency laparotomy is high, and greater amongst elderly patients. Studies systematically describing peri‐operative complications are sparse, and heterogeneous. We used the postoperative morbidity survey to describe the type and frequency of complications, and their relationship with outcomes for 144 patients: 114 < 80 years old, and 30 ≥ 80 years old. Cumulative postoperative morbidity survey scores and patterns of morbidity were similar (p = 0.454); however, 28‐day mortality was higher in the elderly (10/30 (33.3%) vs 11/114 (9.6%), p = 0.008), and hospital stay was longer (median (IQR [range]) 17 (13–35 [6–62]) days vs 11 (7–21 [2–159]) days, p = 0.006). Regression analysis indicated that cardiovascular, haematological, renal and wound complications were associated with longer hospital stay, and that cardiovascular complications predicted mortality. The postoperative morbidity survey system enabled structured mapping of the number and type of complications, and their relationship with outcome, following emergency laparotomy. These results indicate that rather than a greater propensity to complications following surgery, it was the failure to tolerate these that increased mortality in the elderly.
Targeting renal purinergic signalling for the treatment of lithium‐induced nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
Authors: Kishore B. K. , Carlson N. G. , Ecelbarger C. M. , Kohan D. E. , Müller C. E. , Nelson R. D. , Peti‐Peterdi J. , Zhang Y. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractLithium still retains its critical position in the treatment of bipolar disorder by virtue of its ability to prevent suicidal tendencies. However, chronic use of lithium is often limited by the development of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), a debilitating condition. Lithium‐induced NDI is due to resistance of the kidney to arginine vasopressin (AVP), leading to polyuria, natriuresis and kaliuresis. Purinergic signalling mediated by extracellular nucleotides (ATP/UTP), acting via P2Y receptors, opposes the action of AVP on renal collecting duct (CD) by decreasing the cellular cAMP and thus AQP2 protein levels. Taking a cue from this phenomenon, we discovered the potential involvement of ATP/UTP‐activated P2Y2 receptor in lithium‐induced NDI in rats and showed that P2Y2 receptor knockout mice are significantly resistant to Li‐induced polyuria, natriuresis and kaliuresis. Extension of these studies revealed that ADP‐activated P2Y12 receptor is expressed in the kidney, and its irreversible blockade by the administration of clopidogrel bisulphate (Plavix®) ameliorates Li‐induced NDI in rodents. Parallel in vitro studies showed that P2Y12 receptor blockade by the reversible antagonist PSB‐0739 sensitizes CD to the action of AVP. Thus, our studies unravelled the potential beneficial effects of targeting P2Y2 or P2Y12 receptors to counter AVP resistance in lithium‐induced NDI. If established in further studies, our findings may pave the way for the development of better and safer methods for the treatment of NDI by bringing a paradigm shift in the approach from the current therapies that predominantly counter the anti‐AVP effects to those that enhance the sensitivity of the kidney to AVP action.
The Impact of an ECV Service is Limited by Antenatal Breech Detection: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Hemelaar Joris , Lim Lee N. , Impey Lawrence W. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractBackgroundExternal cephalic version (ECV) reduces the chance of breech presentation at term birth and lowers the chance of a cesarean delivery. ECV services are now in place in many units in the United Kingdom but their effectiveness is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the reasons for breech presentation at term birth.MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study of 394 consecutive babies who were in breech presentation at term birth in a large United Kingdom maternity unit that offers ECV. The cohort was analyzed over two time periods 10 years apart: 1998–1999 and 2008–2009.ResultsOnly 33.8 percent of women had undergone a (failed) ECV attempt. This low proportion was mainly because breech presentation was not diagnosed antenatally (27.9%). Other contributing factors were: ECV not offered by clinicians (12.2%), ECV declined by women (14%), and contraindications to ECV (10.7%). Over the 10‐year period, the proportion of breech presentations that were not diagnosed antenatally increased from 23.2 to 32.5 percent (p = 0.04), which constituted 52.8 percent of women who had not undergone an ECV attempt in 2008–2009. Failure of clinicians to offer ECV reduced from 21.6 to 3.0 percent (p = 0.0001) and the proportion of women declining ECV decreased from 19.1 to 9.0 percent (p = 0.005). Overall, ECV attempts increased from 28.9 to 38.5 percent (p = 0.05).ConclusionsAlthough ECV counseling, referral, and attempt rates have increased, failure to detect breech presentation antenatally is the principal barrier to successful ECV. Improved breech detection would have a greater impact than methods to increase ECV success rates.