bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
ETD: total cost of ownership – collecting, archiving and providing access
Authors: Han Yan 
Published: June 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to provide a case study of total cost of ownership (TOC) for Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD). Only few articles have been published to discuss the costs associated with repository and/or theses and dissertations (TD).

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper first provides literature reviews in costs associated with repository and TD. By using the DCC life cycle model, the author presents costs for each actionable category: create or receive, appraise & select, ingest, preservation action, store, access, use and reuse and transform. The paper presents four TOCs to illustrate the changes of TOCs from 2005 to current time.

Findings
– The paper gives one case study of the TOCs for ETD over the years, and illustrates how the University lowered the TOCs. The current ETD's TOC is on a par with these costs of two other studies published related to repository titles. The TOC has been decreased from the traditional paper-based TD of $75 per title to ETD of $69 in 2005. By removing the ProQuest processing fee of $55, the TOC decreased to $14.37 in 2010. The TOC is currently $6.33 per title after the ETD collection was migrated to the University of Arizona repository.

Research limitations/implications
– Readers shall be aware that there are no “transform” and little “preservation action” tasks performed. The current cost of “transform” is $0 due to the nature of ETD of its rigid format requirements,

Originality/value
– The paper fulfills the need to study costs associated with repository titles, especially ETD titles. It also provide a way to estimate costs for institutions planning to start ETD collections.
Customer value disclosure and analyst forecasts: the influence of environmental dynamism
Authors: Josée Ledoux Marie , Cormier Denis , Houle Sylvain 
Published: June 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to study the economic benefits of a pro-active disclosure strategy in a dynamic environment. More specifically, the paper explores the relationships between customer value disclosure, analyst following, and earnings forecasts, taking into account environmental dynamism as captured by R&D intensity, sales variability, and the reverse of industry concentration.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper considers the possibility that a firm's information dynamics may simultaneously affect disclosure strategy, analyst following, and analyst forecasts. Regression models are used in the testing of the hypotheses.

Findings
– First, results show that customer value disclosure is positively associated with analyst following and consensus in analyst earning forecasts. Second, environmental dynamism enhances the association between customer value disclosure and analyst following as well as consensus among analysts. Those results suggest that customer metrics attract analysts and improve their ability to forecast earnings. Moreover, customer value disclosure appears particularly relevant for forecasting earnings of firms involved in dynamic environments.

Practical implications
– Customer value disclosure would allow financial analysts to better assess future earnings in a context of uncertainty. Moreover, analysts may be reluctant to follow a firm facing high environmental dynamism without a clear corporate disclosure commitment. In such a context, managers may consider disclosing strategic information in an attempt to attract financial analysts.

Originality/value
– The findings reveal that the relations between customer value disclosure, analyst following, and analyst forecasts are not straightforward but are affected by a firm's environmental uncertainty.
Enterprise risk management implementation in construction firms
Authors: Zhao Xianbo , Hwang Bon-Gang , Pheng Low Sui 
Published: June 2014

Purpose
– The purposes of this paper are to: first, identify the critical drivers for and hindrances to enterprise risk management (ERM) implementation in Singapore-based Chinese construction firms (CCFs); second, interpret the critical drivers and hindrances in tandem with organizational change theories; and third, provide possible strategies to strengthen the drivers and overcome the hindrances.

Design/methodology/approach
– A questionnaire survey was conducted and responses were received from 35 experienced managers in CCFs operating in Singapore.

Findings
– A total of 13 drivers and 25 hindrances with significant influence were identified. Of them, “improved decision-making” was the top driver, while “insufficient resources (e.g. time, money, people, etc.)” was the most influential hindrance.

Research limitations/implications
– As the survey was performed with the Singapore-based CCFs, there may be geographical limitation on the identification of the critical drivers for and hindrances to ERM implementation. The sample size was still small, despite a relatively high response rate.

Practical implications
– Specific strategies were identified to strengthen the drivers for ERM implementation and overcome the hindrances to ERM implementation.

Originality/value
– This study present the theoretical rational behind the critical drivers for and hindrances to ERM implementation. As few studies have attempted to investigate ERM in construction firms, this study contributes to the literature through interpreting ERM implementation from an organizational change perspective. The identification of the drivers and hindrances and the managerial implications provide practitioners and academics with valuable information as well as a clear understanding of how to consolidate ERM programs and overcome the hindrances.
An interdisciplinary method for brand association research
Authors: Ranfagni Silvia , Guercini Simone , Crawford Camiciottoli Belinda 
Published: June 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to discuss the current role of qualitative research in the analysis of the relations between brands and consumers in new market spaces, with particular reference to how it can be enhanced with quantitative techniques to study interactions in online communities.

Design/methodology/approach
– The paper reviews key scientific contributions in the area of qualitative marketing research. Drawing from this theoretical background, the authors then propose the integration of digital ethnography (a qualitative approach) with quantitative text mining as an innovative approach to gain insights into perceptions of brand associations among online consumers.

Findings
– The paper contributes to a greater awareness of both limitations and new perspectives in relation to qualitative market research, while suggesting innovative paths for future research.

Practical implications
– The new methodological approach described can be used to better understand brand knowledge based on consumer brand associations. These insights can then be applied towards developing and implementing effective branding strategies.

Originality/value
– The authors propose an interdisciplinary methodology to study consumer behaviour in online communities which incorporates digital ethnography and computer-assisted textual analysis. Particularly the latter technique (borrowed from the field of linguistics) has not yet been exploited extensively in marketing research, but is capable of offering new types of knowledge with important implications for strategic brand management.
Impact of non-homogenous distributor's preferred allocation on shortages in hospitals
Authors: Gnanlet Adelina , Paul Choi Hyun-cheol 
Published: June 2014

Purpose
– Hospitals procure high volumes of medical supplies through large distributors in order to leverage economies of scale. However, when shortages hit, hospitals incur high penalty costs by purchasing from secondary markets. In this paper, the authors counter the hospital's typical purchasing strategy that a collaborative relationship with a large, Tier I medical supply distributor is beneficial under all conditions. The paper finds that during shortages the more beneficial strategy is for the hospital to add a medium-sized, Tier II distributor who offers a transactional relationship and is willing to provide a “preferred allocation” in return for a pre-committed annual purchase contract. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
– The authors assume availability of order volume to be a stochastic process and formulate the problem as a two-stage stochastic programming model, with optimal allocation in the second stage. The authors analyze the first-stage objective function using full-factorial numerical experimentation and perform a complete search for optimal volume mix. In addition, the model accounts for purchasing relationship, shortage cost, and varying price discount schedules.

Findings
– Under no shortage situation, hospitals purchase its entire order volume from Tier I distributor. However, during shortages, for any increase in preferred allocation from the Tier II distributor, hospitals purchase high volumes from the Tier II distributor except when preferred allocation and availability is high. The paper finds that the average cost savings for the use of preferred allocation is 16.14 percent.

Originality/value
– Existing purchasing literature focusses on the benefit of using single/multiple homogenous distributors under all conditions. In this paper, the authors examine the benefit of using non-homogenous distributors under conditions of shortage when one of them is willing to provide preferred allocation under varying price discount schedules.
Effects of online advertising on automobile sales
Authors: Peng Jianping , Zhang Guoying , Zhang Shaoling , Dai Xin , Li Jing 
Published: June 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of online advertising spending on automobile sales through both search and non-search advertising.

Design/methodology/approach
– Sales data of the top 52 vehicle models were collected in two consecutive years in China. The advertising spending data of both formats were collected from a leading consulting company and a major search engine company. Then several empirical models were proposed to evaluate the effects of online advertising on automobile sales. Two extended models were further investigated for search advertising.

Findings
– The results revealed that both formats of online advertising have significantly positive effects on automobile sales. However, excessive spending on non-search advertising does not help sales and a moderate budget is preferred. On the other hand, spending on search advertising has no such constraint to improve the vehicle sales.

Practical implications
– The empirical findings have proved the importance of online advertising to the automobile companies and thus can help companies improve their decision making in online advertising allocation strategies.

Originality/value
– This study provides a better understanding of the relationship between online advertising spending and automobile sales, and helps business to define sophisticated online advertising strategies to improve sales performance.
REVIEW: The detection of aquatic animal species using environmental DNA – a review of eDNA as a survey tool in ecology
Authors: Rees Helen C. , Maddison Ben C. , Middleditch David J. , Patmore James R.M. , Gough Kevin C. 
Published: June 2014

Summary

Knowledge of species distribution is critical to ecological management and conservation biology. Effective management requires the detection of populations, which can sometimes be at low densities and is usually based on visual detection and counting.

Recently, there has been considerable interest in the detection of short species‐specific environmental DNA (eDNA) fragments to allow aquatic species monitoring within different environments due to the potential of greater sensitivity over traditional survey methods which can be time‐consuming and costly.

Environmental DNA analysis is increasingly being used in the detection of rare or invasive species and has also been applied to eDNA persistence studies and estimations of species biomass and distribution. When combined with next‐generation sequencing methods, it has been demonstrated that entire faunas can be identified.

Different environments require different sampling methodologies, but there remain areas where laboratory methodologies could be standardized to allow results to be compared across studies.

Synthesis and applications. We review recently published studies that use eDNA to monitor aquatic populations, discuss the methodologies used and the application of eDNA analysis as a survey tool in ecology. We include innovative ideas for how eDNA can be used for conservation and management citing test cases, for instance, the potential for on‐site analyses, including the application of eDNA analysis to carbon nanotube platforms or laser transmission spectroscopy to facilitate rapid on‐site detections. The use of eDNA monitoring is already being adopted in the UK for ecological surveys.
Costs of female reproduction in a conifer tree: a whole‐tree level assessment
Authors: Santos‐del‐Blanco Luis , Climent José 
Published: June 2014

Summary

Costs of reproduction lie at the core of basic ecological and evolutionary theories, and their existence is commonly invoked to explain adaptive processes. Despite their sheer importance, empirical evidence for the existence and quantification of costs of reproduction in tree species comes mostly from correlational studies, while more comprehensive approaches remain missing. Manipulative experiments are a preferred approach to study cost of reproduction, as they allow controlling for otherwise inherent confounding factors like size or genetic background.

Here, we conducted a manipulative experiment in a Pinus halepensis common garden, removing developing cones from a group of trees and comparing growth and reproduction after treatment with a control group. We also estimated phenotypic and genetic correlations between reproductive and vegetative traits.

Manipulated trees grew slightly more than control trees just after treatment, with just a transient, marginally non‐significant difference. By contrast, larger differences were observed for the number of female cones initiated 1 year after treatment, with an increase of 70% more cones in the manipulated group. Phenotypic and genetic correlations showed that smaller trees invested a higher proportion of their resources in reproduction, compared with larger trees, which could be interpreted as an indirect evidence for costs of reproduction.

Synthesis. This research showed a high impact of current reproduction on reproductive potential, even when not significant on vegetative growth. This has strong implications for how we understand adaptive strategies in forest trees and should encourage further interest on their still poorly known reproductive life‐history traits.
Mammalian Insectivores Exert Top‐Down Effects on Azteca Ants
Authors: Hirsch Ben T. , Martinez Daniel , Kurten Erin L. , Brown Danielle D. , Carson Walter P. 
Published: June 2014

AbstractInsectivorous mammals are hypothesized to reduce the abundance of their insect prey. Using a 14‐yr mammal exclusion experiment, we demonstrate for the first time that a widespread and abundant Neotropical mammalian insectivore (Tamandua: Tamandua mexicana) reduced Azteca ant abundance. Azteca ant nests inside mammal exclosures were significantly larger than nests in control plots, where tamanduas were more abundant. These top‐down effects were caused not only by direct consumption, but also through non‐trophic direct effects, specifically nest damage. In contrast, tamanduas appeared to exert no significant top‐down effect on termite prey, which have strong chemical defenses. Our results are consistent with theory that strong defenses against predation can mitigate the top‐down effects of predators on some prey species. We argue that predicting the degree of top‐down effects caused by predators requires both a quantitative knowledge of prey choice and an understanding of the anti‐predator defenses of prey.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 2‐oxo‐pyrazine‐3‐carboxamide‐yl Nucleoside Analogues and Their Epimers as Inhibitors of Influenza A Viruses
Authors: Gao Jingjing , Luo Xianjin , Li Yuhuan , Gao Rongmei , Chen Haifeng , Ji Dingjue 
Published: June 2014

Novel 2‐oxo‐pyrazine‐3‐carboxamide‐yl nucleoside analogues and their epimers were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their activities against influenza A viruses H1N1 and H3N2 in Madin‐Darby canine kidney cells. All the compounds showed low cytotoxicities in these anti‐influenza tests. One of the epimers, 4‐[(1S, 3R, 4R, 7R)‐7‐hydroxy‐1‐(hydroxymethyl)‐2,5‐dioxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan‐3‐yl]‐3‐oxo‐3,4‐dihydropyrazine‐2‐carboxamide 8a, with high antiviral activities (IC50 = 7.41, 5.63 μm for H3N2 and H1N1, respectively) and remarkable low cytotoxicity (TC50 > 200 μm), has great potential for further development as a novel anti‐influenza A agent. Molecular docking of compound 8a with RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase was performed to understand the binding mode between these inhibitors and the active site of RdRp and to rationalize some SARs.
In vitro functional studies of rare CYP21A2 mutations and establishment of an activity gradient for nonclassic mutations improve phenotype predictions in congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Authors: Barbaro Michela , Soardi Fernanda C. , Östberg Linus J. , Persson Bengt , de Mello Maricilda Palandi , Wedell Anna , Lajic Svetlana 
Published: June 2014

SummaryBackgroundA detailed genotype–phenotype evaluation is presented by studying the enzyme activities of five rare amino acid substitutions (Arg233Gly, Ala265Ser, Arg341Trp, Arg366Cys and Met473Ile) identified in the CYP21A2 gene in patients investigated for Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).ObjectiveTo investigate whether the mutations identified in the CYP21A2 gene are disease causing and to establish a gradient for the degree of enzyme impairment to improve prediction of patient phenotype.Design and patientsThe CYP21A2 genes of seven patients investigated for CAH were sequenced and five mutations were identified. The mutant proteins were expressed in vitro in COS‐1 cells, and the enzyme activities towards the two natural substrates were determined to verify the disease‐causing state of the mutations. The in vitro activities of these rare mutations were also compared with the activities of four mutations known to cause nonclassic CAH (Pro30Leu, Val281Leu, Pro453Ser and Pro482Ser) in addition to an in silico structural evaluation of the novel mutants.Main outcome measureTo verify the disease‐causing state of novel mutations.ResultsFive CYP21A2 mutations were identified (Arg233Gly, Ala265Ser, Arg341Trp, Arg366Cys and Met473Ile). All mutant proteins exhibited enzyme activities above 5%, and four mutations were classified as nonclassic and one as a normal variant. By comparing the investigated protein changes with four common mutations causing nonclassic CAH, a gradient for the degree of enzyme impairment could be established. Studying rare mutations in CAH increases our knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms that render a mutation pathogenic. It also improves phenotype predictions and genetic counselling for future generations.
(R)‐alpha‐methylhistamine Suppresses Inhibitory Neurotransmission in Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Neurons Counteracting Propofol‐Induced Amnesia in Rats
Authors: Li Wei‐Wei , Cheng Long‐Zhen , Zou Zui , Tian Mou‐Li , Zhang Hao , Raya Abou Dargham , Wang Yun , Shi Xue‐Yin 
Published: June 2014

SummaryBackgroundPropofol is a short‐acting, intravenous general anesthetic that is widely used in clinical practice for short procedures; however, it causes depressed cognitive function for several hours thereafter. (R)‐alpha‐methylhistamine (RAMH), a selective histamine H3 receptor agonist, can enhance memory retention and attenuates memory impairment in rats. In this study, we investigated whether RAMH could rescue propofol‐induced memory deficits and the underlying mechanisms partaking in this process.MethodsIn the modified Morris water maze (MWM) test, rats were randomized into the following groups: control, propofol (25 mg/kg, i.p., 30 min before training), RAMH (10 mg/kg, i.p., 60 min before training), and propofol plus RAMH. All randomized rats were subjected to 2 days of training, and a probe test was conducted on day 3. Field excitatory postsynaptic potentials were recorded from CA1 neurons in rat hippocampal slices, and long‐term potentiation (LTP) was induced by either theta‐burst stimulation (TBS) or high‐frequency tetanic stimulation (HFS). Spontaneous and miniature inhibitory (sIPSCs, mIPSCs) or excitatory (sEPSCs, mEPSCs) postsynaptic currents were recorded from CA1 pyramidal neurons by whole‐cell patch clamp.ResultsIn the MWM task, propofol injection significantly impaired spatial memory retention. Pretreatment with RAMH reversed propofol‐induced memory retention. In hippocampal CA1 slices, propofol perfusion markedly inhibited TBS‐ but not HFS‐induced LTP. Co‐perfusion of RAMH reversed the inhibitory effect of propofol on TBS‐induced LTP reduction. Furthermore, in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, RAMH significantly suppressed the frequency but not the amplitude of sIPSCs and mIPSCs and had little effects on both the frequency and amplitude of sEPSCs and mEPSCs.ConclusionsOur results suggest that RAMH, by inhibiting presynaptic GABAergic neurotransmission, suppresses inhibitory neurotransmission in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, which in turn reverses inhibition of CA1 LTP and the spatial memory deficits induced by propofol in rats.
Amiloride and SN‐6 Suppress Audiogenic Seizure Susceptibility in Genetically Epilepsy‐Prone Rats
Authors: Quansah Hillary , N'Gouemo Prosper 
Published: June 2014

SummaryAimsWe have recently reported that amiloride, a potent and nonselective blocker of acid‐sensing ion channels, prevents the development of pilocarpine‐induced seizures and status epilepticus. Amiloride is also known to suppress the activity of Na+/Ca2+ and Na+/H+ exchangers that have been implicated in the pathophysiology of seizures. Here, we evaluated the effects of amiloride, SN‐6 (a potent blocker of Na+/Ca2+ exchangers) and zoniporide (a potent blocker of Na+/H+ exchangers) on acoustically evoked seizures (audiogenic seizures, AGS) in genetically epilepsy‐prone rats (GEPR‐3s), a model of inherited generalized epilepsy.MethodsMale, six‐week‐old GEPR‐3s were used. The GEPR‐3s were tested for AGS susceptibility before and after treatment with various doses of amiloride, SN‐6, and zoniporide (1, 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg; per os).ResultsWe found that pretreatment with amiloride and SN‐6 markedly reduced the incidence and severity of AGS in the GEPR‐3s. In contrast, administration of zoniporide only minimally reduced the incidence and severity of AGS in the GEPR‐3s. A combination of noneffective doses of SN‐6 and zoniporide also suppressed AGS susceptibility in the GEPR‐3s.ConclusionsThese findings suggest acid‐sensing ion channels and the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger may play an important role in the pathophysiology of inherited AGS susceptibility in the GEPR‐3s.