University of Groningen

About: University of Groningen is a education organization based out in Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 36346 authors who have published 69116 publications receiving 2940370 citations. The organization is also known as: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen & RUG.

The timing of birds' breeding seasons: a review of experiments that manipulated timing of breeding

Abstract: Reproductive success usually declines in the course of the season, which may be a direct effect of breeding time, an effect of quality (individuals with high phenotypic or environmental quality breeding early), or a combination of the two. Being able to distinguish between these possibilities is crucial when trying to understand individual variation in annual routines, for instance when to breed, moult and migrate. We review experiments with free-living birds performed to distinguish between the ‘timing’ and ‘quality’ hypothesis. ‘Clean’ manipulation of breeding time seems impossible, and we therefore discuss strong and weak points of different manipulation techniques. We find that the qualitative results were independent of manipulation technique (inducing replacement clutches versus cross-fostering early and late clutches). Given that the two techniques differ strongly in demands made on the birds, this suggests that potential experimental biases are limited. Overall, the evidence indicated that date and quality are both important, depending on fitness component and species, although evidence for the date hypothesis was found more frequently. We expected both effects to be prevalent, since only if date per se is important, does an incentive exist for high-quality birds to breed early. We discuss mechanisms mediating the seasonal decline in reproductive success, and distinguish between effects of absolute date and relative date, for instance timing relative to seasonal environmental fluctuations or conspecifics. The latter is important at least in some cases, suggesting that the optimal breeding time may be frequency dependent, but this has been little studied. A recurring pattern among cross-fostering studies was that delay experiments provided evidence for the quality hypothesis, while advance experiments provided evidence for the date hypothesis. This indicates that late pairs are constrained from producing a clutch earlier in the season, presumably by the fitness costs this would entail. This provides us with a paradox: evidence for the date hypothesis leads us to conclude that quality is important for the ability to breed early.

Predictors of pregnancy complications in women with congenital heart disease

Abstract: Aims:Data regarding pregnancy outcome in women with congenital heart disease (CHD) are limited.Methods and results: In 1802 women with CHD, 1302 completed pregnancies were observed. Independent predictors of cardiac, obstetric, and neonatal complications were calculated using logistic regression. The most prevalent cardiac complications during pregnancy were arrhythmias (4.7) and heart failure (1.6). Factors independently associated with maternal cardiac complications were the presence of cyanotic heart disease (corrected/uncorrected) (P < 0.0001), the use of cardiac medication before pregnancy (P < 0.0001), and left heart obstruction (P < 0.0001). New characteristics were mechanical valve replacement (P = 0.0014), and systemic (P = 0.04) or pulmonary atrioventricular valve regurgitation related with the underlying (moderately) complex CHD (P = 0.03). A new risk score for cardiac complications is proposed. The most prevalent obstetric complications were hypertensive complications (12.2). No correlation of maternal characteristics with adverse obstetric outcome was found. The most prevalent neonatal complications were premature birth (12), small for gestational age (14), and mortality (4). Cyanotic heart disease (corrected/uncorrected) (P = 0.0003), mechanical valve replacement (P = 0.03), maternal smoking (P = 0.007), multiple gestation (P = 0.0014), and the use of cardiac medication (P = 0.0009) correlated with adverse neonatal outcome.Conclusion: In our tertiary CHD cohort, cardiac, obstetric, and neonatal complications were frequently encountered, and (new) correlations of maternal baseline data with adverse outcome are reported. A new risk score for adverse cardiac complications is proposed, although prospective validation remains necessary.

The role of collaboration in supply chain resilience

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to explore how collaboration influences supply chain resilience. Collaborative activities and their underlying mechanisms in relation to visibility, velocity and flexibility are investigated. Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory case study consisting of eight buyer–supplier relationships in the food processing industry was conducted. Findings – Key findings show how specific collaborative activities (information-sharing, collaborative communication, mutually created knowledge and joint relationship efforts) increase supply chain resilience via increased visibility, velocity and flexibility. Underlying mechanisms and interdependencies of these factors within the supply chain network are identified. Originality/value – This is one of the first papers to provide in-depth insights into collaboration as a formative element of resilience in a supply chain setting. A series of propositions explain the specific influence of collaborative activities on supply chain resilience beyond a single company perspective.

Prosocial Spending and Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Evidence for a Psychological Universal

Abstract: This research provides the first support for a possible psychological universal: Human beings around the world derive emotional benefits from using their financial resources to help others (prosocial spending). In Study 1, survey data from 136 countries were examined and showed that prosocial spending is associated with greater happiness around the world, in poor and rich countries alike. To test for causality, in Studies 2a and 2b, we used experimental methodology, demonstrating that recalling a past instance of prosocial spending has a causal impact on happiness across countries that differ greatly in terms of wealth (Canada, Uganda, and India). Finally, in Study 3, participants in Canada and South Africa randomly assigned to buy items for charity reported higher levels of positive affect than participants assigned to buy the same items for themselves, even when this prosocial spending did not provide an opportunity to build or strengthen social ties. Our findings suggest that the reward experienced from helping others may be deeply ingrained in human nature, emerging in diverse cultural and economic contexts.

Older workers' motivation to continue to work: Five meanings of age: A conceptual review.

Abstract: – Little is known about the motivation for older workers to work and to remain active in the labor market. Research on age and motivation is limited and, moreover, conceptually diverse. This paper aims to address age‐related factors that influence the work motivation of older workers. More specifically, it seeks to examine how various conceptualizations of the age factor affect the direction and termination of the motivation to continue to work of older workers., – A literature review of age‐related factors and motivation to continue to work is the approach taken in the paper., – Results from 24 empirical and nine conceptual studies indicate that most age‐related factors can have a negative impact on the motivation to continue to work of older people. These findings suggest that age‐related factors are important in understanding older workers' motivation to continue to work and that further research is needed to more fully understand the underlying processes that govern how these age‐related factors influence the motivation to continue to work., – Based on the aforementioned findings, the paper was able to formulate a research agenda for future research, such as: a need for a meta‐analysis on age and motivation to determine the actual effect sizes, and additional theoretical attention to the underlying age‐related processes., – Age‐related factors identified in this study, such as declining health and career plateaus, should be addressed by HRM policies. HRM practices that could motivate older workers to continue to work include ergonomic adjustments and continuous career development., – Research on age and motivation is limited and conceptually diverse. This paper is one of the first studies to explore the relations between different conceptualizations of age and motivation.