bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Spiral welded pipe improvement by implementation of Six Sigma
Authors: Kakaei-Lafdani M.H. , Karevan Ali , Tee Kong Fah , Yazdani Majid 
Published: May 2021

PurposeOnline spiral pipe manufacturing is one of the most common processes for producing water and gas transmission pipes. Weld quality and pipe circumstances are the most important qualitative characteristics of these pipes determining the overall cost of production. The purpose of this paper is describing how to implement Six Sigma on the production of spiral welded pipes with a real case study.Design/methodology/approachFirst, the capability of the pipe production process has been performed by using the defects per million opportunities to allow for comparison and analysis of the project effectiveness. Then, the variation pattern of this index, after an improvement project, has been investigated. Finally, Taguchi's loss functions are used to evaluate the effectiveness of these projects.FindingsThe results represent a significant improvement in the production process and a reduction in production costs regarding both weld quality and pipe circumstances. Due to the successful implementation of Six Sigma project in welding and pipe quality improvement, the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (DMAIC) method can be used effectively in defining weld and pipe quality.Originality/valueIn this proposed work, for the first time, research on the implementation of Six Sigma in the pipeline and welding industries on two online spiral production machines has been investigated. The DMAIC method has been used for the first time to improve the dimensional quality and weld quality of spiral pipes.
Innovating during the pandemic? Policing, domestic abuse and multi-agency risk assessment conferencing (MARACs)
Authors: Walklate Sandra , Godfrey Barry , Richardson Jane 
Published: May 2021

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the challenges posed for the ongoing implementation of multi-agency risk assessment conferences (MARACs) for police forces in England and Wales during the 2020 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach
This is rapid response research involving qualitative methods primarily online semi-structured interviewing with a sample of police domestic abuse leads in England and Wales.

Findings
The findings point to increased use of virtual platforms particularly for MARACs and that this has beneficial consequences both for the police and in their view also for victim-survivors.

Research limitations/implications
The findings reported here are from policing domestic abuse leads. More work needs to be done to explore the value of engaging in virtual MARACs for all the agencies concerned but also whether MARACs continue to be the best way to ensure the victim-survivor is kept in view.

Practical implications
The use of virtual platforms carries a range of practice implications for the future of MARACs for the foreseeable future. These range from ensuring attendance of the appropriate agencies to the range and frequency of meetings, to infrastructural support for all agencies to engage.

Originality/value
This is an original study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council examining police and court responses to domestic abuse during the covid-19 pandemic.
Antecedents of brand equity on halal tourism destination
Authors: Preko Alexander , Mohammed Iddrisu , Allaberganov Azizbek 
Published: May 2021

Purpose
This study aims to examine the antecedents of halal brand equity on destination brand equity (DBE) within the tourism sector. Although much has been done on halal tourism, the issue of halal and brand equity has received little attention in a non-Islamic state context.

Design/methodology/approach
Using the brand equity theory, 312 Muslim tourists were conveniently drawn from the Larabanga tourism site with the use of structural equation modelling technique to analyse the data.

Findings
The study revealed that halal brand awareness and halal value have positive and significant impact on DBE. Also, halal perceived brand quality and halal image had a negative but significant impact on DBE.

Research limitations/implications
This research is on a country-specific halal brand equity tourism destination, which means that the findings cannot be generalized to other geographical areas.

Practical implications
The study provides an insight into halal tourism and destination equity, which is important for marketers, the ministry of tourism and local tourism officials to support halal tourism in a non-Islamic country.

Originality/value
This paper fills a gap by presenting the first comprehensive overview of halal brand equity research that enhances ongoing discussions in the hospitality and tourism field in a non-Islamic context and proposes priorities for future research.
Susceptibility status of larval Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al Nazawi Ashwaq M. , Ashall Simon , Weetman David 
Published: May 2021

AbstractVector control programs worldwide are facing the challenge of mosquitoes becoming resistant to available insecticides. Larviciding is a crucial preventative measure for dengue control but data on insecticide resistance of larval Aedes aegypti in the Middle East Region are limited. This study assesses the susceptibility status of Ae. aegypti collected from the two most important dengue foci in Saudi Arabia, Jeddah and Makkah, to important chemical and biological larvicides; the organophosphate temephos and Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, Bti). Whilst worldwide, and particularly in Latin America, high‐level resistance to temephos is common, Jeddah and Makkah populations exhibited full susceptibility to both temephos and Bti. Larval bioassays did not detect resistance in Makkah and Jeddah to temephos or Bti where a resistance ratio <5 compared to the New Orleans susceptible strain. These data suggest each can be considered by vector control programs for preventative dengue control in the region, as part of temporal rotations or spatial mosaics to manage insecticide resistance.Larval bioassays did not detect resistance in either Makkah or Jeddah to temephos or Bti (all resistance ratios <5 compared to a standard susceptible strain.
Time‐varying effect of sex on prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma surgical patients in China
Authors: Wang Zezhou , Mo Miao , Zhou Changming , Feng Xiaoshuang , Shen Jie , Ye Ting , Zhang Yang , Hu Hong , Chen Haiquan , Zheng Ying 
Published: May 2021

AbstractBackgroundLittle is known about the prognostic advantage of sex for pulmonary adenocarcinoma among Chinese patients. In this study, we aimed to investigate the true sex differences in prognosis by adjusting for confounders and to explore whether the differences were time‐varying.MethodsWe identified 4438 lung adenocarcinoma patients who underwent surgery at a regional Cancer Center of China from 2008 to 2016, retrospectively. Sex, age group, smoking history, year of diagnosis and pathological stage were collected. Time‐dependent Cox regression models with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) based on propensity score were used to assess the effect of sex and account for confounders. Landmark analyses were conducted to assess survival before, and after, five years.ResultsOf these patients, 1761 (39.7%) were men and 2677 (60.3%) were women. Median follow‐up time was 52.6 months. After IPTW adjustment, women were found to have significantly better survival than men varying with time in both crude and IPTW models (hazard ratio [HR] [t] = 0.453*1.015t, where t is the length of time from treatment and its unit is month, p < 0.001). Women had significantly better survival than men within 0–5 years after surgery (HR = 0.763, 95% CI: 0.649–0.897, p = 0.001), whereas there was no difference after five years (HR = 1.135, 95% CI: 0.803–1.605, p = 0.472). In subgroup analysis, women in the 61–71+ age group, in the more than 20 year packs group, pathological stage 0–IB group, and 2013–2016 diagnosis period group revealed the same prognostic pattern.ConclusionsCompared with men, women had better survival after surgical resection of lung adenocarcinoma, especially those who were older and nonsmokers or heavy‐smokers and were pathological stage 0–IB in early years, while the advantage for women diminished with time.
Bark functional ecology and its influence on the distribution of Australian half‐butt eucalypts
Authors: Lawes Michael J. , Woolley Leigh‐Ann , Van Holsbeeck Sam , Murphy Brett P. , Burrows Geoffrey E. , Midgley Jeremy J. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractHalf‐butt eucalypts (genera: Eucalyptus and Corymbia) have both thick outer bark at the stem base (half‐butt) conferring resistance to surface fire, and thin photosynthetic canopy bark that reduces moisture stress. Here we examine how the functional ecology of dual outer bark types influences the wide distribution of Australian half‐butt species. We evaluate the proposition that half‐butts should predominate in semi‐arid environments prone to surface fires. We measured the bark thickness, butt height relative to flame/fire char height and tree height, height of first branch, and the location and prevalence of epicormic resprouting of co‐occurring Eucalyptus miniata (half‐butt) and E. tetrodonta (fibrous bark only) individuals, across 15 sites with contrasting fire frequencies (2000–2015) in the Darwin region. Total tree height was compared with butt height for all E. miniata individuals. The survival of half‐butt and other eucalypt species, as well as non‐eucalypts, was investigated at three sites affected by intense gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus) fire. The proportion of half‐butt species in each of Australia’s 85 bioregions was calculated from geographic distribution records of 618 eucalypt species. Mean annual fire frequency (1997–2010), fire type (crown or surface fires) and climate in each bioregion was determined from satellite‐derived records.Butt height at a site, including gamba grass sites, was not induced by flame height or affected by fire frequency and was approximately half the canopy height of the tree, suggesting it is internally regulated. The half‐butt E. miniata and full‐bark eucalypts were similarly resilient (survival) under surface fire conditions. Half‐butt species predominated in arid and semi‐arid bioregions characterised by surface fire, consistent with our proposition that half‐butt bark is an adaptation to surface fire, and thin photosynthetic outer canopy bark reduces moisture stress, accounting for the wide distribution of half‐butt eucalypts in arid and seasonally dry regions of Australia.
Effects of fermented Yupingfeng on intramuscular fatty acids and ruminal microbiota in Qingyuan black goats
Authors: Yang Hong , Tan Shuwen , Chen Siyu , Wu Yongliang , Yang Ying , Li Hua , Yu Hui 
Published: May 2021

AbstractOur previous work has demonstrated that Yupingfeng, a Chinese herb medicine, considered as prebiotic showed beneficial properties in poultry health and disease prevention and regulated intestinal microbiota. The effects of Yupingfeng on fatty acids related to meat flavor and ruminal microbiota are not yet known in Qingyuan black goat. In this study, we supplemented fermented (FYP) and unfermented (UYP) Yupingfeng in different combinations to 90 goats. Compared with the normal control group, FYP and UYP significantly increased the concentration of palmitic acid, octadecanoic acid, and arachidonate acid (related to meat flavor) in the longissimus dorsi muscle (p < .05). In addition, the significant upregulation of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and fatty acid translocase (CD36) was observed in the FYP and UYP groups (p < .05). In addition, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the most abundance in goat rumen. At the genus level, FYP and UYP significantly increased Ruminococcus related to fiber degradation, and Alistipes related to short‐chain fatty acids production. In summary, Yupingfeng could improve fatty acids of goat meat, which is probably triggered by the increase of PPARγ and CD36, and microbial activity. Besides, FYP showed more beneficial effects than UYP, with increased flavor fatty acids and beneficial microbes.
Immunoreactivity for Dab2 and Foxp3 suggests that immune‐suppressive cells are present in the regenerating tail blastema of lizard
Authors: Alibardi Lorenzo 
Published: May 2021

AbstractImmunoreactivity for Dab2 and Foxp3 suggests that immune‐suppressive cells are present in the regenerating tail blastema of lizard. Acta Zoologica (Stockolm). Tail regeneration in lizards likely occurs in immune‐evasive conditions. In order to strengthen this hypothesis, the presence of the tumour suppressor and macrophage marker Dab2 and the lymphocyte regulatory marker, Foxp3, are evaluated by immunofluorescence in lizard regenerating blastema. The observations reveal sparse Dab2 and Foxp3 cells among blastema cells, identified, respectively, as healing M2‐macrophages and Tregs‐lymphocytes. Dab2 is also detected in basal/suprabasal layers of the apical wound epidermis, suggesting that this protein may participate in controlling cell proliferation of the growing tail by regulating Epidermal Mesenchymal Transition. Tregs marker, Foxp3, is localized in sparse cells among blastema mesenchymal cells and in the regenerating apical ependyma, suggesting the presence of immune cells that stimulate healing and sustain blastema growth. However, due to a similar 14 amino acid‐long epitope between Foxp3 and Foxj1, the employed antibody might also recognize the latter protein, known to be involved in ciliogenesis of ependymal cells in fish and amphibians. It is, therefore, possible that Foxj1 may also be produced in the regenerating ependyma of lizards during ciliogenesis. The study further supports the hypothesis that lizard tail regeneration occurs in immune‐tolerant conditions and that organ regeneration in vertebrates can only occur in an immune‐suppressed or immune‐evasive environment.
Gender differences in perceived workplace harassment and gender egalitarianism: A comparative cross‐national analysis
Authors: Otterbach Steffen , Sousa‐Poza Alfonso , Zhang Xing 
Published: May 2021

AbstractUsing 2015 International Social Survey Program (ISSP) data on 38,179 individuals from 36 countries in 9 relatively homogeneous global regions, we analyze the gender differences and the gender gap in perceived workplace harassment (PWH) with particular attention to gender equality's and gender egalitarianism's roles in molding these differences. We find that despite large regional differences, women in most countries are more likely than men to perceive workplace harassment, although this likelihood is higher in countries that score favorably on our gender equality measures. Hence, political empowerment and better economic opportunities alter women's perceptions of workplace harassment, increasing the probability of their experiencing it. Our results also underscore the important roles of values and gender egalitarian practices. Whereas enhanced gender egalitarianism values increase women's perceptions of workplace harassment, concrete practices tend to reduce them. Especially for management, this result highlights the importance of actually implementing gender equality policies at a corporate level, because a discrepancy between corporate values and practices on this issue will only accentuate the perception of harassment.
Mind the gap: Habit and self‐determined motivation predict health behaviours in middle‐aged and older adults
Authors: Mullan Barbara , Olivier Claudia , Thøgersen‐Ntoumani Cecilie 
Published: May 2021

ObjectivesPhysical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption are two key health behaviours associated with the health and well‐being of middle‐aged and older adults. The present research investigated how habit and self‐determined motivation interact with intention to prospectively predict physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption in middle‐aged and older adults.DesignA prospective correlational design (two data collection points) was used.MethodsA convenience sample of 195 adults completed online questionnaires measuring intention, habit, and self‐determined motivation. One week later, 177 participants (67.2% female), aged 52–87 years (M = 61.50, SD = 5.90), completed self‐report measures of physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption over the previous week.ResultsSeparate hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. For physical activity, the model explained 46% of the variance in behaviour, F(8, 168) = 17.88, p < .001 and a large effect size (ƒ2 = .85). Two‐way interactions contributed an additional 3.70% of unique variance in physical activity, F(3, 165) = 4.07, p = .008, ƒ2 = .04. For fruit and vegetable consumption, the model explained 19.20% of the variance in behaviour, F(5, 171) = 8.13, p < .001 and a medium effect size (ƒ2 = .24). Two‐way interactions did not significantly improve the model, F(3, 168) = 1.68, p = .174.ConclusionsHabit and self‐determined motivation were both important in narrowing the intention–behaviour gap for two key health behaviours, and combining these processes may better inform strategies to support people’s intentions to improve these health behaviours.
Habitat structure mediates vulnerability to climate change through its effects on thermoregulatory behavior
Authors: Neel Lauren K. , Logan Michael L. , Nicholson Daniel J. , Miller Christina , Chung Albert K. , Maayan Inbar , Degon Zach , DuBois Madeline , Curlis John David , Taylor Quinn , Keegan Kaitlin M. , McMillan W. O. , Losos Jonathan B. , Cox Christian L. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractTropical ectotherms are thought to be especially vulnerable to climate change because they are thermal specialists, having evolved in aseasonal thermal environments. However, even within the tropics, habitat structure can influence opportunities for behavioral thermoregulation. Open (and edge) habitats likely promote more effective thermoregulation due to the high spatial heterogeneity of the thermal landscape, while forests are thermally homogenous and may constrain opportunities for behavioral buffering of environmental temperatures. Nevertheless, the ways in which behavior and physiology interact at local scales to influence the response to climate change are rarely investigated. We examined the thermal ecology and physiology of two lizard species that occupy distinct environments in the tropics. The brown anole lizard (Anolis sagrei) lives along forest edges in The Bahamas, whereas the Panamanian slender anole (Anolis apletophallus) lives under the canopy of mature forests in Panama. We combined detailed estimates of environmental variation, thermoregulatory behavior, and physiology to model the vulnerability of each of these species. Our projections suggest that forest‐dwelling slender anoles will experience severely reduced locomotor performance, activity time, and energy budgets as the climate warms over the coming century. Conversely, the forest‐edge‐dwelling brown anoles may use behavioral compensation in the face of warming, maintaining population viability for many decades. Our results indicate that local habitat variation, through its effects on behavior and physiology, is a major determinant of vulnerability to climate change. When attempting to predict the impacts of climate change on a given population, broad‐scale characteristics such as latitude may have limited predictive power.
PP1 regulatory subunit NIPP1 regulates transcription of E2F1 target genes following DNA damage
Authors: Hanaki Shunsuke , Habara Makoto , Masaki Takahiro , Maeda Keisuke , Sato Yuki , Nakanishi Makoto , Shimada Midori 
Published: May 2021

AbstractDNA damage induces transcriptional repression of E2F1 target genes and a reduction in histone H3‐Thr11 phosphorylation (H3‐pThr11) at E2F1 target gene promoters. Dephosphorylation of H3‐pThr11 is partly mediated by Chk1 kinase and protein phosphatase 1γ (PP1γ) phosphatase. Here, we isolated NIPP1 as a regulator of PP1γ‐mediated H3‐pThr11 by surveying nearly 200 PP1 interactor proteins. We found that NIPP1 inhibits PP1γ‐mediated dephosphorylation of H3‐pThr11 both in vivo and in vitro. By generating NIPP1‐depleted cells, we showed that NIPP1 is required for cell proliferation and the expression of E2F1 target genes. Upon DNA damage, activated protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylated the NIPP1‐Ser199 residue, adjacent to the PP1 binding motif (RVxF), and triggered the dissociation of NIPP1 from PP1γ, leading to the activation of PP1γ. Furthermore, the inhibition of PKA activity led to the activation of E2F target genes. Statistical analysis confirmed that the expression of NIPP1 was positively correlated with E2F target genes. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the PP1 regulatory subunit NIPP1 modulates E2F1 target genes by linking PKA and PP1γ during DNA damage.
Differences in the ultrasonographic appearance of thyroid nodules after radiofrequency ablation
Authors: Wu Ming‐Hsun , Chen Kuen‐Yuan , Chen Argon , Chen Chiung‐Nien 
Published: May 2021

AbstractContextRadiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a well‐tolerated approach to treating benign thyroid nodules (TNs), but no index can predict its success. Other than size decrease, little is known about TN appearance on ultrasonography (US) after RFA.ObjectiveThis study aimed to (a) assess the effectiveness of single‐session RFA treatment, (b) determine whether pre‐ablation US characteristics correlate with its effectiveness, and (c) demonstrate TN characteristics on baseline and follow‐up US.DesignRetrospective cohort study among the patients who underwent single‐session RFA for the treatment of benign TNs at a referral medical center between January 2018 and April 2019.PatientsA total of 116 patients (137 nodules) were included in the study.MeasurementsCharacteristics were quantified using commercial software. TNs were classified into 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) sonographic patterns and American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR‐TI‐RADS) categories.ResultsThe average volume reduction ratio (VRR) was 74.51% in 1 year (95% confidence interval, 70.63%–78.39%). The only pre‐ablation US feature significantly different between nodules with VRR <50% and VRR >50% was the cyst composition (0.05 vs. 0.02, p‐value = .02). The VRR and margin change in the first 3 months after ablation were found to be leading indicators significantly correlated to the VRR in 6 months with correlation coefficients (r) = .72 and −.28 (p‐value < .0001 and = .0008) and VRR in 1 year with r = .65 and −.17 (p‐value < .0001 and = .046), respectively. After RFA, more TNs became ATA high suspicion (2.9% vs. 19.7%, p < .0001) and more appeared to be the non‐ATA patterns (12.4% vs. 23.4%, p < .0001). Also, a greater number of post‐RFA TNs were classified as ACR‐TI‐RADS categories 4 and 5 (40.1% vs. 70.1%, p < .0001).ConclusionsRadiofrequency ablation therapy is effective for treating TNs. Pre‐ablation cyst components, 3‐month post‐ablation volume reduction and margin change of TNs were related to the 6‐month and 1‐year response. Clinicians should consider that TNs would appear peculiar on US after RFA, mistakenly suggesting malignant potential.