bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sequence effects in service bundles: Implications for service design and scheduling
Authors: Dixon Michael , Verma Rohit 
Published: January 2013

AbstractResearchers in several academic disciplines have investigated the effect of the sequence of pleasure and pain on the customer in service, experience, or healthcare‐related interactions. Specifically, past research from psychology, behavioral economics, and other related fields suggests that the sequence effect can significantly impact a customer's overall impression of a service interaction. In this article, we test the influence that the sequence of discrete events separated by several days or weeks plays on customers’ assessment of service bundles. If the relative importance of the sequence effect for discrete bundles is known, then a service designer and event scheduler can optimize and develop a better sequence of interactions for the customers, leading to higher satisfaction, loyalty, and repurchase. Using an extensive multi‐year ticket purchase database from a world‐renowned performing arts venue, we develop and test econometric models to predict season ticket subscription repurchase. The estimated models show that sequence effects do indeed play a significant role in determining customer repurchase of subscriptions. These results have important implications for effective service design and capacity planning for a wide range of service industries. This article suggests both managerial implications and future research opportunities related to sequence effects in service operations.
A novel fatty acid lipophilic index and risk of CHD in US men: the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study
Authors: Wu Hongyu , Ding Eric L. , Toledo Estefanía T. , Campos Hannia , Baylin Ana , Hu Frank B. , Sun Qi 
Published: January 2013

Few epidemiological studies have examined the association between an overall fatty acid (FA) profile and CHD risk. The aim of the present study was to examine a novel index that summarises individual FA levels based on FA affinity and fluidity in relation to CHD risk in men. In a prospective nested case–control study, FA in plasma and erythrocytes were measured in 459 CHD cases and 879 matched controls. Lipophilic index (LI) was computed by summing the products between FA levels and melting point of each FA to reflect the overall FA lipophilicity. Among controls, higher plasma LI was significantly correlated with adverse profiles of blood lipids, inflammatory markers and adiponectin. After multivariate adjustment for age, smoking, BMI and other CHD risk factors, plasma LI was significantly associated with an increased risk of CHD: the relative risk was 1·61 (95 % CI 1·03, 2·53;Pfor trend = 0·04) comparing extreme quintiles. This association was attenuated to 1·21 (95 % CI 0·48, 3·09;Pfor trend = 0·77) after adjusting for plasma levels of totaltrans-FA, long-chainn-3 FA and polyunsaturated:saturated fat ratio. Erythrocyte LI was not significantly associated with CHD risk. The present data indicate that a novel LI is associated with an adverse profile of cardiovascular risk markers and increased risk of CHD in men; its usefulness as a complement of individual FA in assessing disease risk needs to be elucidated in future studies.
Diets rich inn-6 PUFA induce intestinal microbial dysbiosis in aged mice
Authors: Ghosh Sanjoy , Molcan Erin , DeCoffe Daniella , Dai Chaunbin , Gibson Deanna L. 
Published: January 2013

Controversies have emerged regarding the beneficialv.detrimental effects of dietaryn-6 PUFA. The alteration of the intestinal microbiota, a phenomenon termed dysbiosis, occurs during several chronic inflammatory diseases, but has not been well studied in an aged population. With present ‘Western’ diets predominantly composed ofn-6 PUFA, we hypothesised that PUFA-rich diets cause intestinal dysbiosis in an aged population. C57BL/6 mice (aged 2 years) were fed a high-fat (40 % energy), isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diet composed of rapeseed oil, maize oil or maize oil supplemented with fish oil. We examined ileal microbiota using fluorescencein situhybridisation and stained tissues by immunofluorescence for the presence of immune cells and oxidative stress. We observed that feeding high-fat diets rich inn-6 PUFA promoted bacterial overgrowth but depleted microbes from the Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla. This corresponded with increased body mass and infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils. Fish oil supplementation (rich in long-chainn-3 PUFA like DHA and EPA) restored the microbiota and inflammatory cell infiltration and promoted regulatory T-cell recruitment. However, fish oil supplementation was associated with increased oxidative stress, evident by the increased presence of 4-hydroxynonenal, a product of lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that ann-6 PUFA-rich diet can cause dysbiosis and intestinal inflammation in aged mice. However, while fish oil supplementation on ann-6 PUFA diet reverses dysbiosis, the combination ofn-6 andn-3 PUFA, like DHA/EPA, leads to increased oxidative stress, which could exacerbate gastrointestinal disorders in the elderly.
Effect ofCSN1S1gene polymorphism and stage of lactation on milk yield and composition of extensively reared goats
Authors: Balia Filippo , Pazzola Michele , Dettori Maria Luisa , Mura Maria Consuelo , Luridiana Sebastiano , Carcangiu Vincenzo , Piras Gianpiera , Vacca Giuseppe Massimo 
Published: January 2013

The effect ofCSN1S1genotype and lactation stage on milk yield and composition were investigated in 80 extensively reared goats. Milk yield was recorded in early, mid and late lactation and individual milk samples were collected to determine: fat, protein, lactose and casein content, pH, freezing point, somatic cell count (SCC) and total microbic mesophilic count (TMC). Relative casein composition and amino acid profile were quantified by HPLC. Fatty acid profile was measured by gas-chromatography. Genotype did not affect milk yield, while this trait was significantly affected by lactation stage (P < 0·01).CSN1S1BB goats produced significantly higher protein and casein percentages (P < 0·05). αs1-casein (CN) was significantly higher in BB and AB goats than AF and BF, showing intermediate values in AA goats (P < 0·01). The protein percentage and the αs1and αs2-CN fractions were not affected by lactation stage, while the casein content and the β and κ-CN significantly increased throughout lactation (P < 0·01). C4 : 0 and C6 : 0 were not affected by genotype, while C8 : 0 and C10 : 0 were higher in the AA goats than BB; most of the long chain FA were higher in BB than AA goats. MUFA and PUFA increased in late lactation. In addition, BB goats showed higher essential amino acids, resulting in an optimal composition from the nutritional point of view, when compared with AA goats. The increase of MUFA, PUFA, essential and cis-FA in late lactation indicate that the lipid composition of goat's milk, with the progress of lactation, tends to improve its nutritional value.
Identification of the Enterobacteriaceae in Montasio cheese and assessment of their amino acid decarboxylase activity
Authors: Maifreni Michela , Frigo Francesca , Bartolomeoli Ingrid , Innocente Nadia , Biasutti Marialuisa , Marino Marilena 
Published: January 2013

The aim of the study was to identify the species of Enterobacteriaceae present in Montasio cheese and to assess their potential to produce biogenic amines. Plate count methods and an Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus Polymerase Chain Reaction (ERIC-PCR) approach, combined with 16S rDNA sequencing, were used to investigate the Enterobacteriaceae community present during the cheesemaking and ripening of 6 batches of Montasio cheese. Additionally, the potential decarboxylation abilities of selected bacterial isolates were qualitatively and quantitatively assessed against tyrosine, histidine, ornithine and lysine. The most predominant species detected during cheese manufacturing and ripening were Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli and Hafnia alvei. The non-limiting physico-chemical conditions (pH, NaCl% and aw) during ripening were probably the cause of the presence of detectable levels of Enterobacteriaceae up to 120 d of ripening. The HPLC test showed that cadaverine and putrescine were the amines produced in higher amounts by almost all isolates, indicating that the presence of these amines in cheese can be linked to the presence of high counts of Enterobacteriaceae. 44 isolates produced low amounts of histamine (<300 ppm), and four isolates produced more than 1000 ppm of this amine. Only 9 isolates, belonging to the species Citrobacter freundii, Esch. coli and Raoultella ornithinolytica, appeared to produce tyramine. These data provided new information regarding the decarboxylase activity of some Enterobacteriaceae species, including Pantoea agglomerans, Esch. fergusonii and R. ornithinolytica.
The surgical anatomy and clinical relevance of the neglected right lymphatic duct: review
Authors: Smith M E , Riffat F , Jani P 
Published: January 2013

AbstractBackground:The major lymphatic vessels may be damaged during neck dissection or other cervical surgery, resulting in chyloma or chyle fistula. While commonly considered to be predominantly a complication of left-sided surgery, the thoracic duct may be damaged on either side of the neck due to the extreme variability in the anatomy of the central lymphatic system.Method and results:This paper reviews the variable anatomy and embryology of the thoracic and right lymphatic ducts, particularly aspects relevant to head and neck surgery.
The significance of Körber's “Typenherbar”, with an explanation of the locality abbreviations on his labels
Authors: LIŠKA Jiří 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe article explains the current structure of Körber's herbarium, located in the Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Leiden (L). Originally, Körber's herbarium was composed of two separate collections. One part,Koerber Typenherbar, represents well-developed samples of each species, but they are in fact often fragments of specimens from the main collection (Koerber Stammherbar). Several examples are presented which demonstrate the relationship between both parts of the collection, various origins of specimens in theKoerber Typenherbarand their importance for lectotypification. Some specimens in Körber's herbarium were labelled only with an abbreviation or a symbol instead of a locality. All abbreviations/symbols with their explanations, kept in the Leiden herbarium archive, are listed here with information on the current names of the sampling localities in Poland and the Czech Republic.
Lichens on Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris – from tree bottom to the top
Authors: MARMOR Liis , TÕRRA Tiiu , SAAG Lauri , LEPPIK Ede , RANDLANE Tiina 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe vertical gradient of the community structure of epiphytic lichens in forest canopies was studied in southern Estonian coniferous forests. All lichen species on 15 Norway spruces and 15 Scots pines were recorded; age of trees ≥100 years. Species were sampled in height ranges on entire trees from the bottom to the top. The number of lichen species on pine trunks decreased with height from the ground, whereas the number of species on branches increased. There was no significant vertical change in the number of lichen species on spruce trunks; number of species on spruce branches was highest in mid canopy. The mean number of lichen species on a tree was 41 in spruces and 34 in pines; the mean number of species on the first 2 m was 14 in spruces and 12 in pines. According to the results, about two thirds of a tree's lichen species remain unrecorded if only the first 2 m near the ground are surveyed. Many lichen species were found only higher than 2 m, including several common species (e.g. Buellia griseovirens, Lecanora pulicaris, and Melanohalea exasperatula), but also some locally rather rare (Fellhanera subtilis, Micarea nitschkeana, Rinodina efflorescens) or red-listed ones (Evernia mesomorpha, Usnea barbata, U. fulvoreagens, U. substerilis, U. wasmuthii) and one new species for Estonia, Lecanora farinaria. There were also some species, such as Chaenotheca stemonea, Cladonia cenotea and C. norvegica, that were restricted to the lowest 2 m. The results indicate that canopy lichens form a significant part of lichen diversity in coniferous forests, and could add valuable information when estimating forest lichen diversity for conservation and other purposes.
In vitro culturing and resynthesis of the mycobiont Protoparmeliopsis muralis with algal bionts
Authors: GUZOW-KRZEMIŃSKA Beata , STOCKER-WÖRGÖTTER Elfie 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe widespread and ubiquitous lichen-forming fungus Protoparmeliopsis muralis is able to form a thallus with Trebouxia species. In this study, several photobiont strains were isolated from different specimens of P. muralis and cultured in vitro. The compatibility of Trebouxia spp. and Asterochloris algae with P. muralis were investigated in in vitro resynthesis experiments and the re-lichenized bionts were observed with the scanning electron microscope. It was found that, in addition to compatible photobionts, also a presumably incompatible Asterochloris sp. was able to interact with the mycobiont. The life strategy that enables the mycobiont to form associations with a wider range of photobionts could be advantageous for the survival of the lichen and successful colonization of new habitats.
New morphological aspects of cephalodium formation in the lichenLobaria pulmonaria(Lecanorales, Ascomycota)
Authors: CORNEJO Carolina , SCHEIDEGGER Christoph 
Published: January 2013

AbstractCephalodia were investigated on young and mature thalli ofLobaria pulmonaria. Cephalodia originate from contact between hyphae and cyanobacteria on the upper or lower cortex or, less frequently, in the apical zone. Young thalli were found to associate with cyanobacteria even in the anchoring zone. Cephalodia formed on the young thalli or the anchoring hyphae share the same phenotypic characteristics. In spite of being composed of paraplectenchymatous hyphae, the cortex of mature thalli preserves a considerable plasticity, enabling the formation of cephalodia. The cyanobacterial incorporation process begins with cortical hyphae growing out towards adjacent cyanobacterial colonies, enveloping them and incorporating them into the thallus. The incorporation process is the same on the upper and the lower cortex. Early stages of cephalodia are usually found in young lobes, whereas in the older parts of the thallus only mature cephalodia are found.
Long-term data for endemic frog genera reveal potential conservation crisis in the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia
Authors: Gower David J. , Aberra Roman K. , Schwaller Silvia , Largen Malcolm J. , Collen Ben , Spawls Stephen , Menegon Michele , Zimkus Breda M. , de Sá Rafael , Mengistu Abebe A. , Gebresenbet Fikirte , Moore Robin D. , Saber Samy A. , Loader Simon P. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractPopulations of many frogs have declined alarmingly in recent years, placing nearly one third of the > 6,000 species under threat of extinction. Declines have been attributed largely to habitat loss, environmental degradation and/or infectious diseases such as chytridiomycosis. Many frogs undergo dramatic natural population fluctuations such that long-term data are required to determine population trends without undue influence of stochastic factors. We present long-term quantitative data (individuals encountered per person hour of searching) for four monotypic frog genera endemic to an Afromontane region of exceptional importance but growing conservation concern: one endemic to the Ethiopian highlands (Spinophrynoides osgoodi) and three endemic to the Bale Mountains (Altiphrynoides malcolmi, Balebreviceps hillmani, Ericabatrachus baleensis), collected during 15 field trips to the Bale Mountains between 1971 and 2009. Only a single confirmed sighting of S. osgoodi has been made since 1995. The other three species have also declined, at least locally. E. baleensis appears to have been extirpated at its type locality and at the same site B. hillmani has declined. These declines are in association with substantial habitat degradation caused by a growing human population. Chytrid fungus has been found on several frog species in Bale, although no dead or moribund frogs have been encountered. These results expose an urgent need for more amphibian surveys in the Bale Mountains. Additionally, we argue that detrimental human exploitation must be halted immediately in at least some parts of the Harenna Forest if a conservation crisis is to be averted.
Review of the distribution and conservation status of the terrestrial reptiles of the Cape Verde Islands
Authors: Vasconcelos Raquel , Brito José Carlos , Carranza Salvador , Harris D. James 
Published: January 2013

AbstractCape Verde has a higher number of reptile taxa and endemics than any of the five archipelagos in the Macaronesian region. Mapping the precise distributions and assessing the conservation status of reptiles is the first step towards effective conservation. Presence/absence and abundance data were gathered from extensive fieldwork and post-1980 literature. Evaluation of conservation status was considered at specific and subspecific levels, following IUCN Red List criteria and usingRAMAS. Fieldwork confirmed the occurrence of 34 of 37 previously recorded taxa (31 native, three exotic). One taxon continues to be considered Extinct. Three broad distribution and rarity patterns were identified: widespread and abundant taxa occurring on ≥ 2 islands/islets, widespread or abundant taxa restricted to one island, and rare or limited range taxa occurring on small areas of islands or islets. More than a third of taxa have areas of occupancy < 20 km2and extents of occurrence < 100 km2. Geckos are rarer than skinks because of their high habitat specialization, with 58% occurring on only one island/islet. About half of all taxa are potentially threatened, twice the proportion of those in the Canary Islands, a difference that could be explained by the smaller area and greater aridity of the Cape Verde islands. The criterion used for most threat categorizations is geographical range, and the most pervasive threats are natural disasters, intrinsic factors of the species and introduced species. The importance of applying conservation status at the subspecific level to island endemics is emphasized. Several conservation measures are proposed, including optimized design of protected areas.
Use of Bayesian population viability analysis to assess multiple management decisions in the recovery programme for the Endangered takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri
Authors: Hegg Danilo , MacKenzie Darryl I. , Jamieson Ian G. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractPopulation modelling is an invaluable tool for identifying effective management strategies for threatened species whose populations are too small for experimental manipulation. Recently developed Bayesian approaches allow us to combine deterministic models with probability distributions to create stochastic models that account for uncertainty. We illustrate this approach in the case of the takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri, an Endangered flightless rail, which is supported by one of New Zealand's costliest recovery programmes. Using mark–recapture and logistic regression models implemented in a Bayesian framework we calculated demographic parameters for a fully stochastic population model based on 25 years of data collected from the last wild population of takahe in the Murchison Mountains, Fiordland. Our model results show that stoat trapping, captive rearing and cross-fostering of eggs/chicks in wild pairs all have a positive effect on takahe demography. If it were not for these management actions the Fiordland population would probably be declining (λ = 0.985; confidence interval, CI = 0.39–1.08), with a non-negligible risk of quasi-extinction (P = 16%) within 20 years. The captive rearing of eggs and chicks has been the main factor responsible for the positive growth observed during the last decade but in the future expanding stoat trapping to cover the entire Murchison Mountains would be the single most beneficial management action for the takahe population (λ = 1.038; CI = 0.86–1.10), followed by captive rearing (λ = 1.027; CI = 0.85–1.09).
Differences in stakeholder perceptions of the jaguar Panthera onca and puma Puma concolor in the tropical lowlands of Guatemala
Authors: Soto-Shoender José R. , Main Martin B. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractWe conducted a survey questionnaire to assess and compare public perceptions and knowledge of jaguars Panthera onca and pumas Puma concolor among two stakeholder groups likely to come into conflict with these large carnivores: cattle ranchers living near protected areas and inhabitants of two villages located within the multiple-use forest of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala. We tested whether stakeholder group (i.e. rancher or villager) or previous experience with livestock attacks by carnivores predicted a negative perception of jaguars and pumas. The odds of people fearing an attack on humans by these felids and of recognizing the ecological importance of these species was best explained by stakeholder group. Villagers exhibited a more negative perception towards these felids than did cattle ranchers. Our results highlight the importance of tailoring conservation programmes in high risk areas to the needs of specific stakeholder groups. Further research is needed to understand which factors (i.e. ecological settings, socio-economic differences) best explain these differences and whether these differences in perception vary within groups. Programmes that work with local people to assess the ecological importance of large predators and the true risks of carnivore attacks on livestock and humans along with low-cost conflict mitigation measures should be implemented to increase the level of tolerance towards these carnivores.
Effects of distance and direction on tangential tactile perception of the index finger pad
Authors: Placencia Greg , Rahimi Mansour , Khoshnevis Behrokh 
Published: January 2013

SUMMARYTangential motion on a finger pad is a promising method of transmitting directional tactile information to human users. This study examined the identification and discrimination of tangential force motion on an index finger pad. An experimental device was built to automatically and randomly move a small probe in eight radial directions (45° apart) and two distances (0.5 and 1.5 mm). Index fingers of 62 subjects were tested. The results showed that moving the probe at 1.5 mm was detected with more accuracy than the 0.5 mm one. And, the absolute direction was not a statistically significant variable affecting accuracy for 1.5 mm distance, but was a significant effect for 0.5 mm distance. Implications of these results are discussed and future developments are offered within the context of a proposed Braille design with tangential actuators.