bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Thinking too positive? Revisiting current methods of population-genetic selection inference
Authors: Bank Claudia , Ewing Gregory B. , Ferrer-Admettla Anna , Foll Matthieu , Jensen Jeffrey D. 
Published: September 2014

AbstractIn the age of next-generation sequencing, the availability of increasing amounts and quality of data at decreasing cost ought to allow for a better understanding of how natural selection is shaping the genome than ever before. Yet, alternative forces such as demography and background selection obscure the footprints of positive selection that we would like to identify. Here, we illustrate recent developments in this area, and outline a roadmap for improved selection inference. We argue (1) that the development and obligatory use of advanced simulation tools is necessary for improved identification of selected loci, (2) that genomic information from multiple-time points will enhance the power of inference, and (3) that results from experimental evolution should be utilized to better inform population-genomic studies.
3 lessons for successful transformational change
Authors: Franklin Melanie 
Published: September 2014

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that defining how a change is to be planned and implemented is as important for its success as defining what the change is expected to achieve.

Design/methodology/approach
– All information is drawn from the questions asked and the challenges raised by the senior managers responsible for the transformation of their organisation. For this reason, their names and the name of their organisation have been withheld and the description of what the organisation does contains insufficient information to enable it to be easily identified.

Findings
– Lack of central support for the change activities had led to duplication of effort, implementing the change via a “silo” based mentality has led to a lack of cooperation across business units, poor recognition of the time and effort needed to implement change has led to competition between change activities and business as usual activities.

Research limitations/implications
– The information contained in this paper is from the perspective of an executive coach not working full time in the organisation, so who may be unaware of other initiatives in the organisation that may have contributed to the change effort.

Practical implications
– The conclusions drawn from this case study can be applied to any type of organisational change, in any industry and any size of organisation.

Originality/value
– The practical activities and lessons learned shared in this paper are based on author's experiences with an ongoing transformational change initiative.
A comparison of intra- and inter-organizational global careers
Authors: H. Näsholm Malin 
Published: September 2014

Purpose
– Although research has shown differences between self-initiated experiences and expatriation, this differentiation has rarely been made when it comes to more long-term global careers. The purpose of this paper is to identify similarities and differences between repeat expatriates and international itinerants in their career paths, subjective experiences, and narratives of how they relate to their context.

Design/methodology/approach
– A narrative approach was used and interviews were conducted with ten repeat expatriates and ten international itinerants. The career paths of the 20 Swedish global careerists and how they narrate their careers are analyzed, and the two types of global careerists are compared.

Findings
– Results show that the repeat expatriates and international itinerants differ in their subjective experiences of global careers, and how they narrate them. Three broad domains are identified that integrate a range of issues that are important for global careerists. These domains are the organization and career domain, the country and culture domain, and the family, communities, and networks domain. The repeat expatriates and international itinerants differ in how they relate to these and what is important to them.

Practical implications
– The differences found have implications for organizations in terms of recruitment, management, and retention of a global talent pool.

Originality/value
– This research contributes to the understanding of subjective experiences of global careers and integrates a range of aspects in the context of global careerists that are important to them. Moreover, it contributes to the understanding of global careers by differentiating between those with intra- and inter-organizational global careers.
Can vague brand slogans promote desirable consumer responses?
Authors: Strutton David , Roswinanto Widyarso 
Published: September 2014

Purpose– This study aims to investigate the effects associated with the strategic use of vague, as opposed to precise, advertised brand slogans on various consumer responses.Design/methodology/approach– A content analysis study was conducted to explore the pattern of vagueness in advertising slogans from 1,441 consumer-oriented brands. Based on the resultant delineation/definition of vagueness, two experimental studies followed. Vignette advertising slogans were manipulated to achieve different level of vagueness. The initial 2 × 2 factorial between subjects design engaged vagueness level of brand slogans and consumers’ need for cognition as factors. Brand recall functioned as the dependent variable. The second experiment featured another 2 × 2 factorial design that used vagueness level and length of brand slogan as factors. Brand attitude, persuasiveness and purchase intention functioned as dependent variables.Findings– Vagueness level of advertising/branding slogans did not significantly affect brand recall. Interactions between vagueness level and length of advertisement slogans exercised significant effects on evoked thought, brand attitude and persuasiveness but not on purchase intention. At net, this study generated original theoretical and managerial insights about how and why desirable branding outcomes can be generated by managing the vagueness and word count of brand slogans, and a platform from which future research on this topic could be based.Research limitations/implications– First, the sample was limited to the southwestern USA. Second, in the slogan vignettes that were used, other cues were deliberately eliminated. A brand slogan essentially devoid of other cues may have been perceived as less realistic by respondents, thus reducing the relevance of their responses. However, a similar tradeoff always exists between more realistic states and controlled conditions.Practical implications– This study produces original theoretical and managerial insights about how and why several desirable branding outcomes are likely to result when vague, rather than precise, advertising slogans are deployed under certain manageable conditions. Each insight just referenced ensues from a study that itself was grounded in an extensive content analysis of contemporary print advertising slogans. This content analysis generated a substantial amount of practical and actionable insight about the treatment and use and management of slogans. This study demonstrates that the vagueness, precision and/or word count of slogans can be manipulated in ways that yield three communication outcomes that redound directly to the marketing interests of brand and advertising managers.Originality/value– The findings provide unique insight into how vagueness level of advertising slogans can be managed and how such a level can affect consumers’ perceptions.
Who pays the price for loyalty? The role of self-consciousness
Authors: Tolbert Sylvia Long , Kohli Chiranjeev , Suri Rajneesh 
Published: September 2014

Purpose– This paper aims to study the role of self-consciousness from the point of view of firm loyalty. Firms increasingly vie to gain, and then maintain, loyal consumers. A firm’s assumption that such consumers will be willing to pay premium prices, however, contradicts consumers’ rational motivations to seek low prices. This research suggests that consumers’ self-consciousness and the nature of their loyalty toward a firm help resolve this apparent contradiction. The results show that when past purchases reflect an exclusive relationship with a retailer, participants with high public self-consciousness valued relatively low-price offers, whereas those with high private self-consciousness expressed high-value perceptions for higher priced offers. However, when past purchases were divided between retail partners, self-consciousness showed no impact on value perceptions.Design/methodology/approach– Firms increasingly vie to gain, and then maintain, loyal consumers. A firm’s assumption that such consumers will be willing to pay premium prices, however, contradicts consumers’ rational motivations to seek low prices. This research suggests that consumers’ self-consciousness and the nature of their loyalty toward a firm help resolve this apparent contradiction. The results show that when past purchases reflect an exclusive relationship with a retailer, participants with high public self-consciousness valued relatively low-price offers, whereas those with high private self-consciousness expressed high-value perceptions for higher priced offers. However, when past purchases were divided between retail partners, self-consciousness showed no impact on value perceptions.Findings– Analysis reveals that consumers’ evaluations and search behaviors are influenced by characteristics of the medium (retail vs e-tail), but this effect is moderated by both gender and price knowledge. Females prefer a brick and mortar environment and are likely to seek information at such retailers even when similar products are available online. However, males evaluate online offers better than identical store offers and are less inclined to engage in channel transition. Finally, evaluations of online offers are positively related to price knowledge, whereas a reverse pattern of results is obtained for retail offers.Originality/value– The findings shed light on how consumers evaluate identical online vs retail price offers, and their associated search intentions. These findings have practical implications for merchants who adopt a dual presence.
Brand switching of high-technology capital products: how product features dictate the switching decision
Authors: Al-Kwifi Sam , Ahmed Zafar U. , Yammout Dina 
Published: September 2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that underpin brand switching of medical imaging products by mass-market users. Most of the literature on brand switching is focused on competitive market products, for which switching costs are manageable. However, little consideration is given to brand switching of high-technology capital products.Design/methodology/approach– The conceptual model is developed based on the existing literature on B2B brand switching. An online survey was developed and distributed to decision makers involved in purchasing medical imaging technology.Findings– The results confirm the expectation that product features is the most influential factor underpinning brand switching. Product features are critical for medical organizations who want to maintain their competitive advantage. The findings suggest that the set of factors that influence the decision to switch is unique for users of different market segments in the same industry (e.g. lead users and mass-market users). This difference stems from technology utilization of each market segment.Research limitations/implications– In high-technology markets, managers should develop a reliable strategy to evaluate the antecedents behind brand switching that are specific to their industry. Knowledge of the major factors that cause users to switch is essential to allow firms to determine the strategy needed to prevent the erosion of their market share.Originality/value– Although the literature reports considerable research on brand switching, this study is a first-of-its-kind in that it demonstrates that the factors underpinning brand switching vary within the same industry, based on the characteristics of each market segment. This paper develops new knowledge on the factors that influence the decision of users of high-technology capital products to switch between brands to renew or improve their internal capabilities.
How energy efficient office buildings challenge and contribute to usability
Authors: Meistad Torill 
Published: September 2014

Purpose
– This is an analysis of modern office buildings with high energy efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to focus on how such buildings affects usability for the organizations occupying the buildings.

Design/methodology/approach
– The analysis combine results from studies of two case projects with a literature review. Case studies include qualitative interviews with key informants, internal post-occupancy evaluations and annual reports from the user organizations. The two buildings are Norwegian pioneers regarding energy efficiency.

Findings
– The new buildings provide a high degree of usability for the user organizations, including user satisfaction, efficiency and effectiveness. The case projects illustrate the potential in combining improvements for energy efficiency and the usability of buildings. There are synergistic effects in a mutual process of development for the buildings and organizations based upon strategic business goals. Management of the process is crucial in order to succeed.

Research limitations/implications
– The study applies the approach of usability to an analysis of energy efficient buildings. Two case projects exemplify potentials and challenges.

Practical implications
– Office buildings can be developed to a high degree of energy efficiency by considering the many aspects of usability for the user organizations. Integrating constructing projects into organizational development processes is crucial for the result.

Originality/value
– This study contributes to the emerging field, analyzing effects on usability for the organizations occupying energy efficient office buildings. The study also adds to the young field of analyzing the integration of the development of buildings into processes of organizational development by enlightening the potential regarding buildings with high energy ambitions.
Evaluation framework for green procurement in road construction
Authors: X. Sanchez Adriana , Lehtiranta Liisa , D. Hampson Keith , Kenley Russell 
Published: September 2014

Purpose– Most barriers and enablers of sustainable projects are related to procurement. The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for evaluating green procurement practices throughout the lifecycle of road construction projects and demonstrates its application through an Australian case study.Design/methodology/approach– The study is based on linking the phases of road construction with incentive mechanisms for proactively motivating behavioural change. A holistic view on utilised and potential incentives is attempted with a literature review and a state-of-practice review. The latter is based on interviews and 90 policy and procurement documents across five Australian states.Findings– An evaluation framework with seven procurement stages is suggested to describe current state green procurement incentives throughout the delivery lifecycle of road construction projects. The Australian case study was found to provide useful data to identify gaps and strong points of the different states regarding their level of integration of sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction elements in their procurement practices. This understanding was used to draw recommendations on future advancement of green procurement.Originality/value– Government entities across the globe can impact considerably the achievement of sustainability and GHG targets, by using their procurement practices and requirements to create incentives for contractors and suppliers to engage in more GHG conscious practices. The present study provides a systematic account of how green procurement practices can be underpinned using the Australian road construction industry as a case study, and distinguish between strong and weak links in the green procurement chain to draw recommendations for future initiatives.
Shc depletion stimulates brown fat activity in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Tomilov Alexey , Bettaieb Ahmed , Kim Kyoungmi , Sahdeo Sunil , Tomilova Natalia , Lam Adam , Hagopian Kevork , Connell Michelle , Fong Jennifer , Rowland Douglas , Griffey Stephen , Ramsey Jon , Haj Fawaz , Cortopassi Gino 
Published: September 2014

SummaryAdipose tissue is an important metabolic organ that integrates a wide array of homeostatic processes and is crucial for whole‐body insulin sensitivity and energy metabolism. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a key thermogenic tissue with a well‐established role in energy expenditure. BAT dissipates energy and protects against both hypothermia and obesity. Thus, BAT stimulation therapy is a rational strategy for the looming pandemic of obesity, whose consequences and comorbidities have a huge impact on the aged. Shc‐deficient mice (ShcKO) were previously shown to be lean, insulin sensitive, and resistant to high‐fat diet and obesity. We investigated the contribution of BAT to this phenotype. Insulin‐dependent BAT glucose uptake was higher in ShcKO mice. Primary ShcKO BAT cells exhibited increased mitochondrial respiration; increased expression of several mitochondrial and lipid‐oxidative enzymes was observed in ShcKO BAT. Levels of brown fat‐specific markers of differentiation, UCP1, PRDM16, ELOVL3, and Cox8b, were higher in ShcKO BAT. In vitro, Shc knockdown in BAT cell line increased insulin sensitivity and metabolic activity. In vivo, pharmacological stimulation of ShcKO BAT resulted in higher energy expenditure. Conversely, pharmacological inhibition of BAT abolished the improved metabolic parameters, that is the increased insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance of ShcKO mice. Similarly, in vitro Shc knockdown in BAT cell lines increased their expression of UCP1 and metabolic activity. These data suggest increased BAT activity significantly contributes to the improved metabolic phenotype of ShcKO mice.
Acute resistance exercise with blood flow restriction effects on heart rate, double product, oxygen saturation and perceived exertion
Authors: Neto Gabriel R. , Sousa Maria S. C. , Costa e Silva Gabriel V. , Gil Ana L. S. , Salles Belmiro F. , Novaes Jefferson S. 
Published: September 2014

SummaryThe aim of this study was to compare the acute effect of resistance exercise (RE) with and without blood flow restriction (BFR) on heart rate (HR), double product (DP), oxygen saturation (SpO2) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Twenty‐four men (21·79 ± 3·21 years) performed three experimental protocols in a random order (crossover): (i) high‐intensity RE at 80% of 1RM (HI), (ii) low‐intensity RE at 20% of 1RM (LI) and (iii) low‐intensity RE at 20% of 1RM combined with partial blood flow restriction (LI+BFR). HR, blood pressure, SpO2 and RPE were assessed. The data were analysed using repeated measures analysis of variance and the Wilcoxon test for RPE. The results indicated that all protocols significantly increased HR, both immediately postexercise and during the subsequent 60 min (P<0·05), and postexercise DP (P<0·05), but there were no differences between protocols. The protocols of LI and LI+BFR reduced postexercise SpO2 (P = 0·033, P = 0·007), and the LI+BFR protocol presented a perception of greater exertion in the lower limbs compared with HI (P = 0·022). We conclude that RE performed at low intensity combined with BFR seems to reduce the SpO2 after exercise and increase HR and DP while maintaining a perception of greater exertion on the lower limbs.
Mutated and amplified NRAS in a subset of cutaneous melanocytic lesions with dermal spitzoid morphology: report of two pediatric cases located on the ear
Authors: Dubruc Estelle , Balme Brigitte , Dijoud Frédérique , Disant Francois , Thomas Luc , Wang Qing , Pissaloux Daniel , de la Fouchardiere Arnaud 
Published: September 2014

Extensive cytogenetic testing is slowly unveiling the complexity of the genomics of melanocytic tumors. NRAS mutations have been the first genetic abnormality described in malignant melanomas. We report the cases of two children, presenting a melanocytic lesion located on the ear. One appeared as a combined dermal clone inside a congenital nevus and the other as a centimetric purely dermal tumor. Both tumors were composed of spindled spitzoid melanocytes with atypical histologic features. aCGH and FISH revealed an amplification of the NRAS gene. Sequencing showed an exon 3 NRAS mutation. In the combined case, the amplification was limited to the spitzoid component, underscoring a possible phenotypic shift induced by the alteration. Similarly an overexpression of CyclinD1 and elevation of ki‐67 was found in the spitzoid component confirming a raise in proliferation.Such combination of mutation and copy number increase has been previously reported for the HRAS gene in a subset of Spitz nevi. Further studies must evaluate if mutated NRAS is also amplified in melanomas arising in this clinical setting. These combined alterations could represent an early event ultimately leading to malignancy.
Positive association of free triiodothyronine with pancreatic β‐cell function in people with prediabetes
Authors: Oda T. , Taneichi H. , Takahashi K. , Togashi H. , Hangai M. , Nakagawa R. , Ono M. , Matsui M. , Sasai T. , Nagasawa K. , Honma H. , Kajiwara T. , Takahashi Y. , Takebe N. , Ishigaki Y. , Satoh J. 
Published: September 2014

AbstractAimTo analyse the effects of thyroid hormones on β‐cell function and glucose metabolism in people with prediabetes who are euthyroid.MethodsA total of 111 people who were euthyroid underwent 75‐g oral glucose tolerance tests, of whom 52 were assigned to the normal glucose tolerance and 59 to the prediabetes groups. Homeostatic model assessment of β‐cell function, insulinogenic index and areas under the curve for insulin and glucose were evaluated as indices of pancreatic β‐cell function.ResultsIn both groups, BMI, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment ratio and HDL cholesterol correlated significantly with all indices of pancreatic β‐cell function. Free triiodothyronine correlated positively with all insulin secretion indices in the prediabetes group. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that free triiodothyronine was an independent variable that had a positive correlation with all indices of β‐cell function in the prediabetes group. By contrast, no such correlation was found in the normal glucose tolerance group.ConclusionsFree triiodothyronine is associated with both basal and glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion in people with prediabetes who are euthyroid; therefore, the regulation of insulin secretion by thyroid hormones is a potentially novel therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetes.