ExTaxsI: an exploration tool of biodiversity molecular data

AbstractBackgroundThe increasing availability of multi omics data is leading to continually revise estimates of existing biodiversity data. In particular, the molecular data enable to characterize novel species yet unknown and to increase the information linked to those already observed with new genomic data. For this reason, the management and visualization of existing molecular data, and their related metadata, through the implementation of easy to use IT tools have become a key point for the development of future research. The more users are able to access biodiversity related information, the greater the ability of the scientific community to expand the knowledge in this area.ResultsIn our research we have focused on the development of ExTaxsI (Exploring Taxonomies Information), an IT tool able to retrieve biodiversity data stored in NCBI databases and provide a simple and explorable visualization. Through the three case studies presented here, we have shown how an efficient organization of the data already present can lead to obtaining new information that is fundamental as a starting point for new research. Our approach was also able to highlight the limits in the distribution data availability, a key factor to consider in the experimental design phase of broad spectrum studies, such as metagenomics.ConclusionsExTaxI can easily produce explorable visualization of molecular data and its metadata, with the aim to help researchers to improve experimental designs and highlight the main gaps in the coverage of available data.

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The interplay of customer experience and commitment

Journal of Services Marketing ◽

10.1108/jsm-09-2016-0337 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 148-160 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Timothy Keiningham ◽

Joan Ball ◽

Sabine Benoit (née Moeller) ◽

Helen L. Bruce ◽

Alexander Buoye ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Strong Support ◽

Customer Experience ◽

Future Research ◽

Content Type ◽

Customer Commitment ◽

Key Factor ◽

New Research ◽

Positive Word Of Mouth ◽

Emerging Topics ◽

Insight Into

Purpose This research aims to better understand customer experience, as it relates to customer commitment and provides a framework for future research into the intersection of these emerging streams of research. Design/methodology/approach This research contributes to theoretical and practical perspectives on customer experience and its measurement by integrating extant literature with customer commitment and customer satisfaction literature. Findings The breadth of the domains that encompass customer experience – cognitive, emotional, physical, sensorial and social – makes simplistic metrics impossible for gauging the entirety of customers’ experiences. These findings provide strong support of the need for new research into customer experience and customer commitment. Practical implications Given the complexity of customer experience, managers are unlikely to track and manage all relevant elements of the concept. This research provides a framework identifying empirically the most salient attributes of customer experience with particular emphasis on those elements that enhance commitment. This offers insight into service design to correspond with specific commitment and experience dimensions. Originality/value This research is the first to examine the customer experience as it relates to customer commitment – a key factor in customer loyalty, positive word of mouth and other desired outcomes for managers and marketers. This paper provides a framework for future research into these emerging topics.

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James Rennie (1787–1867), author, naturalist and lecturer

Archives of Natural History ◽

10.3366/e0260954108000120 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 128-142 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

FREDERICK G. PAGE

Keyword(s):

Personal Character ◽

New Information ◽

New Research ◽

Unknown Period ◽

Unpublished Works

New research is presented on the life of James Rennie (1787–1867) before his emigration to Australia in 1840. Though fragmentary and incomplete the results show Rennie as a naturalist of considerable standing and of literary and scientific skill. This new information illustrates an intriguingly marginal life in science of the period. On his personal character caution is exercised, although a thread of dogmatism, determination and self assurance, bordering on arrogance, can be traced from his student days until his departure from Britain. Rennie's early unpublished essays clearly point to his potential as a scientific writer. Rennie's final 27 years in Australia are not covered in any detail because of the lack of documentation about this relatively unknown period of his life outside Britain. A bibliography of his published and unpublished works is given as an appendix, together with notes and new insights into attribution.

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Motivating Compliance: Firm Response to Mandatory Disclosure Policies

Accounting Horizons ◽

10.2308/acch-52037 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 103-119

Author(s):

Colleen M. Boland ◽

Chris E. Hogan ◽

Marilyn F. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Conflict Of Interest ◽

Low Cost ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Data Availability ◽

Policy Adoption ◽

Future Research ◽

Regulated Firms ◽

Firm Response ◽

Disclosure Rules ◽

The Impact

SYNOPSIS Mandatory existence disclosure rules require an organization to disclose a policy's existence, but not its content. We examine policy adoption frequencies in the year immediately after the IRS required mandatory existence disclosure by nonprofits of various governance policies. We also examine adoption frequencies in the year of the subsequent change from mandatory existence disclosure to a disclose-and-explain regime that required supplemental disclosures about the content and implementation of conflict of interest policies. Our results suggest that in areas where there is unclear regulatory authority, mandatory existence disclosure is an effective and low cost regulatory device for encouraging the adoption of policies desired by regulators, provided those policies are cost-effective for regulated firms to implement. In addition, we find that disclose-and-explain regulatory regimes provide stronger incentives for policy adoption than do mandatory existence disclosure regimes and also discourage “check the box” behavior. Future research should examine the impact of mandatory existence disclosure rules in the year that the regulation is implemented. Data Availability: Data are available from sources cited in the text.

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Consumer Neuroscience Techniques in Advertising Research: A Bibliometric Citation Analysis

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13031589 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 1589

Author(s):

Juan Sánchez-Fernández ◽

Luis-Alberto Casado-Aranda ◽

Ana-Belén Bastidas-Manzano

Keyword(s):

Self Report ◽

Future Research ◽

Complex Nature ◽

Clear Understanding ◽

Continuous Growth ◽

Main Research ◽

Consumer Neuroscience ◽

Starting Point ◽

Wide Range ◽

Performance Analysis Tools

The limitations of self-report techniques (i.e., questionnaires or surveys) in measuring consumer response to advertising stimuli have necessitated more objective and accurate tools from the fields of neuroscience and psychology for the study of consumer behavior, resulting in the creation of consumer neuroscience. This recent marketing sub-field stems from a wide range of disciplines and applies multiple types of techniques to diverse advertising subdomains (e.g., advertising constructs, media elements, or prediction strategies). Due to its complex nature and continuous growth, this area of research calls for a clear understanding of its evolution, current scope, and potential domains in the field of advertising. Thus, this current research is among the first to apply a bibliometric approach to clarify the main research streams analyzing advertising persuasion using neuroimaging. Particularly, this paper combines a comprehensive review with performance analysis tools of 203 papers published between 1986 and 2019 in outlets indexed by the ISI Web of Science database. Our findings describe the research tools, journals, and themes that are worth considering in future research. The current study also provides an agenda for future research and therefore constitutes a starting point for advertising academics and professionals intending to use neuroimaging techniques.

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Application of the Socio-Ecological System Framework to Forest Fire Risk Management: A Systematic Literature Review

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13042121 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 2121 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ingrid Vigna ◽

Angelo Besana ◽

Elena Comino ◽

Alessandro Pezzoli

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

Community Involvement ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Local Community ◽

Fire Risk ◽

Future Research ◽

Specific Reference ◽

Clear Understanding ◽

Wildfire Risk ◽

Starting Point

Although increasing concern about climate change has raised awareness of the fundamental role of forest ecosystems, forests are threatened by human-induced impacts worldwide. Among them, wildfire risk is clearly the result of the interaction between human activities, ecological domains, and climate. However, a clear understanding of these interactions is still needed both at the global and local levels. Numerous studies have proven the validity of the socioecological system (SES) approach in addressing this kind of interdisciplinary issue. Therefore, a systematic review of the existing literature on the application of SES frameworks to forest ecosystems is carried out, with a specific focus on wildfire risk management. The results demonstrate the existence of different methodological approaches that can be grouped into seven main categories, which range from qualitative analysis to quantitative spatially explicit investigations. The strengths and limitations of the approaches are discussed, with a specific reference to the geographical setting of the works. The research suggests the importance of local community involvement and local knowledge consideration in wildfire risk management. This review provides a starting point for future research on forest SES and a supporting tool for the development of a sustainable wildfire risk adaptation and mitigation strategy.

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Globalization Impact on Multinational Enterprises

World ◽

10.3390/world2020014 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 216-230

Author(s):

Justine Kyove ◽

Katerina Streltsova ◽

Ufuoma Odibo ◽

Giuseppe T. Cirella

Keyword(s):

Developing Country ◽

Multinational Enterprises ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Global Market ◽

Data Availability ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Developed Country ◽

Excellent Starting Point ◽

Starting Point ◽

The Impact

The impact of globalization on multinational enterprises was examined from the years 1980 to 2020. A scoping literature review was conducted for a total of 141 articles. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed typologies were categorized and conclusions were drawn regarding the influence and performance (i.e., positive or negative effects) of globalization. Developed countries show more saturated markets than developing countries that favor developing country multinational enterprises to rely heavily on foreign sales for revenue growth. Developed country multinationals are likely to use more advanced factors of production to create revenue, whereas developing country multinationals are more likely to use less advanced forms. A number of common trends and issues showed corporate social responsibility, emerging markets, political issues, and economic matters as key to global market production. Recommendations signal a strong need for more research that addresses contributive effects in the different economies, starting with the emerging to the developed. Limitations of data availability and inconsistency posed a challenge for this review, yet the use of operationalization, techniques, and analyses from the business literature enabled this study to be an excellent starting point for additional work in the field.

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The use of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to address causality in complex systems: a systematic review of research on public health interventions

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10926-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Benjamin Hanckel ◽

Mark Petticrew ◽

James Thomas ◽

Judith Green

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Comparative Analysis ◽

Complex Systems ◽

Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽

Complex Interventions ◽

Health Interventions ◽

Data Availability ◽

Future Research ◽

Public Health Interventions ◽

Minimum Criteria

Abstract Background Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) is a method for identifying the configurations of conditions that lead to specific outcomes. Given its potential for providing evidence of causality in complex systems, QCA is increasingly used in evaluative research to examine the uptake or impacts of public health interventions. We map this emerging field, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of QCA approaches identified in published studies, and identify implications for future research and reporting. Methods PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were systematically searched for peer-reviewed studies published in English up to December 2019 that had used QCA methods to identify the conditions associated with the uptake and/or effectiveness of interventions for public health. Data relating to the interventions studied (settings/level of intervention/populations), methods (type of QCA, case level, source of data, other methods used) and reported strengths and weaknesses of QCA were extracted and synthesised narratively. Results The search identified 1384 papers, of which 27 (describing 26 studies) met the inclusion criteria. Interventions evaluated ranged across: nutrition/obesity (n = 8); physical activity (n = 4); health inequalities (n = 3); mental health (n = 2); community engagement (n = 3); chronic condition management (n = 3); vaccine adoption or implementation (n = 2); programme implementation (n = 3); breastfeeding (n = 2), and general population health (n = 1). The majority of studies (n = 24) were of interventions solely or predominantly in high income countries. Key strengths reported were that QCA provides a method for addressing causal complexity; and that it provides a systematic approach for understanding the mechanisms at work in implementation across contexts. Weaknesses reported related to data availability limitations, especially on ineffective interventions. The majority of papers demonstrated good knowledge of cases, and justification of case selection, but other criteria of methodological quality were less comprehensively met. Conclusion QCA is a promising approach for addressing the role of context in complex interventions, and for identifying causal configurations of conditions that predict implementation and/or outcomes when there is sufficiently detailed understanding of a series of comparable cases. As the use of QCA in evaluative health research increases, there may be a need to develop advice for public health researchers and journals on minimum criteria for quality and reporting.

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Disaster Management in Smart Cities

Smart Cities ◽

10.3390/smartcities4020042 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 819-839

Author(s):

Luís B. Elvas ◽

Bruno Miguel Mataloto ◽

Ana Lúcia Martins ◽

João C. Ferreira

Keyword(s):

Disaster Management ◽

Smart City ◽

Smart Cities ◽

Practical Implication ◽

Data Availability ◽

Critical Infrastructures ◽

Cascading Effects ◽

Data Driven Approach ◽

New Research ◽

The City

The smart city concept, in which data from different systems are available, contains a multitude of critical infrastructures. This data availability opens new research opportunities in the study of the interdependency between those critical infrastructures and cascading effects solutions and focuses on the smart city as a network of critical infrastructures. This paper proposes an integrated resilience system linking interconnected critical infrastructures in a smart city to improve disaster resilience. A data-driven approach is considered, using artificial intelligence and methods to minimize cascading effects and the destruction of failing critical infrastructures and their components (at a city level). The proposed approach allows rapid recovery of infrastructures’ service performance levels after disasters while keeping the coverage of the assessment of risks, prevention, detection, response, and mitigation of consequences. The proposed approach has the originality and the practical implication of providing a decision support system that handles the infrastructures that will support the city disaster management system—make the city prepare, adapt, absorb, respond, and recover from disasters by taking advantage of the interconnections between its various critical infrastructures to increase the overall resilience capacity. The city of Lisbon (Portugal) is used as a case to show the practical application of the approach.

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Multi-Period Portfolio Optimization with Investor Views under Regime Switching

Journal of Risk and Financial Management ◽

10.3390/jrfm14010003 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 3

Author(s):

Razvan Oprisor ◽

Roy Kwon

Keyword(s):

Regime Switching ◽

Portfolio Allocation ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Future Research ◽

Expected Return ◽

Asset Return ◽

Market Portfolio ◽

New Information ◽

Trading Model ◽

Portfolio Managers

We propose a novel multi-period trading model that allows portfolio managers to perform optimal portfolio allocation while incorporating their interpretable investment views. This model’s significant advantage is its intuitive and reactive design that incorporates the latest asset return regimes to quantitatively solve managers’ question: how certain should one be that a given investment view is occurring? First, we describe a framework for multi-period portfolio allocation formulated as a convex optimization problem that trades off expected return, risk and transaction costs. Using a framework borrowed from model predictive control introduced by Boyd et al., we employ optimization to plan a sequence of trades using forecasts of future quantities, only the first set being executed. Multi-period trading lends itself to dynamic readjustment of the portfolio when gaining new information. Second, we use the Black-Litterman model to combine investment views specified in a simple linear combination based format with the market portfolio. A data-driven method to adjust the confidence in the manager’s views by comparing them to dynamically updated regime-switching forecasts is proposed. Our contribution is to incorporate both multi-period trading and interpretable investment views into one framework and offer a novel method of using regime-switching to determine each view’s confidence. This method replaces portfolio managers’ need to provide estimated confidence levels for their views, substituting them with a dynamic quantitative approach. The framework is reactive, tractable and tested on 15 years of daily historical data. In a numerical example, this method’s benefits are found to deliver higher excess returns for the same degree of risk in both the case when an investment view proves to be correct, but, more notably, also the case when a view proves to be incorrect. To facilitate ease of use and future research, we also developed an open-source software library that replicates our results.

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Enhancing Internet Search Abilities for People with Intellectual Disabilities in Sri Lanka

ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing ◽

10.1145/3460202 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 1-36

Author(s):

Theja K. Arachchi ◽

Laurianne Sitbon ◽

Jinglan Zhang ◽

Ruwan Gamage ◽

Priyantha Hewagamage

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Visual Memory ◽

Web Search ◽

Future Research ◽

Learning Needs ◽

Learning Tools ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Starting Point ◽

Google Search

This article presents how young adults with intellectual disability (ID) from Sri Lanka, who had not previously used the Internet, interacted with Google search while enhancing their web search abilities throughout three web search workshops. Considering the little attention paid to the learning needs of people with ID in the current offering of web search learning tools, we iteratively developed a suite of learning tools to support our participants when they need help in the web search workshops. We employed an iterative participatory approach, with observations and semi-structured interviews, to reflect on how to design eLearning tools that enhance the participants’ interactions with web search. The qualitative thematic analysis resulted in five distinct themes on strategies to support, build on, and develop the abilities of young adults with IDs as they engage with Google search in their native language: application of existing abilities, basic skills to match learning needs, conceptual understanding, animations to facilitate visual memory, and promoting active engagement. These themes will be a starting point for understanding participants’ learning needs and behavior on web search, which would be important for future research on learning support as well as on software design.

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