bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Product-service system leanness assessment model: study of a UK manufacturing company
Authors: Elnadi Moustafa , Shehab Essam 
Published: September 2021

Purpose
Numerous leanness assessment models were developed for both manufacturing and service sectors. However, little research effort was made to provide an instrument that can be used to measure the leanness level of the product-service system (PSS). This paper aims to propose an index to assess the leanness of PSS in a UK manufacturing company.

Design/methodology/approach
The development of the assessment model was carried out through an iterative process. Commencing from existing literature on lean manufacturing assessment and lean service assessment, the initial model for assessing PSS leanness was developed. This initial model was refined via two consecutive phases. The first one includes semi-structured interviews with academic researchers involved in lean projects where their comments were considered. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews with several experts working in different UK manufacturing industries and involved in lean and continuous improvement projects were conducted to reach the final assessment model. After developing the model, the next step was identifying a suitable company for applying the model. The case company was selected because of its commitment to implement lean practices and its ability to participate in this study. After that, data was collected from the case company and the PSS leanness index was calculated using a multi-grade fuzzy approach. Finally, areas for further improvement were identified and the results obtained were validated.

Findings
The PSS leanness index computed for the case company indicates that the service offering process provided by the company is generally lean. Areas for further improvement were identified.

Research limitations/implications
This study focussed on a single case company and is based on the experts’ opinions; this may tend to be biased. However, future studies will be performed to multiple-case studies to enhance findings and more empirical research will be conducted to catch more insights into PSS leanness.

Practical implications
This paper provides guidelines to manufacturing companies’ managers for measuring the PSS leanness index and planning for the future. This index gives information regarding the degree of lean adoption in the service offering process and identifying the gap between the current PSS leanness level and the desired state.

Originality/value
The proposed model has been developed by the opinion of academicians and industry experts. The proposed model can provide guidelines and directions for managers for PSS leanness assessment.
Widespread Reach, not much Influence: Online News and Mass Political Attitudes and Behaviour in the UK
Authors: Newton Kenneth 
Published: September 2021

AbstractIn spite of the concern about the political influence of the new digital media, especially social media, a large amount of circumstantial evidence suggests that their impact on mass political attitudes and behaviour, which is the focus of this article, may be small. Online news is less widely trusted than the news consumed via the legacy media (TV, radio, newspapers and magazines) and social media are least trusted of all. Most people rely heavily on the mainstream legacy media for their news, which are also the most popular online news sources—especially the BBC and much the same news is accessed on the new and old media. The majority of people have a fairly mixed diet of politically neutral and partisan news and there is little evidence of political ‘echo chambers’—even among the small minority that rely heavily on a single, partisan source. All age groups gather their news in similar ways, including the youngest, who make heavy use of the social media. Nevertheless, in the absence of rigorous research on causal effects on mass political attitudes and behaviour, we do not know whether the impact of the new media is strong or weak. The circumstantial evidence suggests they are likely to be weak.
Women Voters Taking the Wheel?
Authors: Campbell Rosie , Shorrocks Rosalind 
Published: September 2021

AbstractPolitical parties increasingly segment the electorate to target subgroups of voters, giving more attention to some groups at the expense of others. In the UK, there has been sporadic and often marginal attention paid to women voters. However, the gender gap may now be too large to ignore in contemporary British politics. In this article, we question why more attention has not been paid to the preferences of women voters by political parties, and demonstrate the importance of considering gender as a crucial electoral divide in Britain.
Ambiguous noses and feminine affectations: negotiating the boundaries of race and gender in CubanEspiritismo
Authors: Ghose Alysa 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThis article argues thatEspiritismo Cruzadopractice is comprised of fluid dynamics that disrupt notions of discrete entities. The disruption of clear‐cut lines means thatEspiritismo Cruzadois fertile ground for creative and generative ambiguity. This ambiguity disrupts the boundaries between forms of religiosity and different religious actors, and in doing so both disrupts and reinforces broader frameworks of race and gender. My examination ofEspiritismo Cruzado, a Cuban religious tradition based on communication with spirits of the dead, demonstrates how the practice's ambiguity can emerge through instances of both convergence and fractures in relationships between spirits and practitioners. Convergences and conflicts emphasize concerns regarding beauty, race, and sexuality and how spirits and practitioners are implicated in the experiences of one another. Alongside these innovations, however, practice can often end up reifying overdetermined tropes of racialized and gendered figures in the wider popular Cuban imaginary. This article highlights how the mixedness thatEspiritismo Cruzadooffers is neither a straightforwardly liberatory politics of enablement nor exclusively one of constraint but rather a complicated nexus of the two.
Interactions in statistical models: Three things to know
Authors: Duncan Richard P. , Kefford Ben J. 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

In ecological studies, the magnitude and direction of interactions among two continuous explanatory variables x1 and x2 are commonly evaluated by fitting a statistical model of the form , where x1x2 is an interaction term that measures departure from additivity of effects.

Here, we highlight three issues associated with evaluating interactions in statistical models of this form that appear underappreciated in the ecological literature, but which have important implications for how we fit models and correctly identify interactions.

First, the scale (additive or multiplicative) on which the outcome variable y is modelled matters. Transformations that change the scale of analysis alter the interpretation of interaction terms and can hide interactions of ecological importance. Second, spurious interactions can arise when explanatory variables are correlated and there are unmodeled nonlinear relationships, a situation likely to arise when fitting statistical models to non‐experimental data. Third, interactions can be nonlinear such that the interaction term x1x2 will not capture all interactions of ecological interest.

We illustrate how each of these issues can result in potentially misleading outcomes using examples linked to the impacts of multiple stressors on biodiversity. We provide recommendations aimed at correctly identifying interaction effects from statistical models.
Approach to the humerus and femur of the paca (Cuniculus paca, Linnaeus 1766)
Authors: Leal Leonardo Martins , Vasques Gabriela Maria Benedetti , Sasahara Tais Harumi de Castro , Vulcano Luiz Carlos , Machado Marcia Rita Fernandes , Minto Bruno Watanabe 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe paca (Cuniculus paca, Linnaeus 1766) is a rodent species, typical of tropical regions. It is important that in addition to its commercial value as a protein source, it can be used as a scientific scope. The objective of this study was to describe the morphology of the thigh and the arm of the paca by anatomical and imaging methodology with radiography (X‐ray), computed tomography (CAT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the surgical approach of the bones of these regions. It was concluded that the imaging study through X‐ray, CAT scan and MRI are reliable methods for anatomical description of wild animals that have little known about their morphology. Finally, similarly to dogs, it was determined that lateral access is the best approach to the femoral diaphysis and the medial access is the best approach to the humerus diaphysis of the paca.
Letter: patients who have both sarcopenia and frailty have similar prognosis to those with either condition separately
Authors: Alexopoulos Theodoros , Vasilieva Larisa , Kontogianni Meropi D. , Mani Iliana , Alexopoulou Alexandra 
Published: September 2021

LINKED CONTENTThis article is linked to Bunchorntavakul & Reddy papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15571 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16581
Editorial: only steps away from primetime? Hepatitis B virus RNA as a routine marker to guide HBV treatment decisions—authors' reply
Authors: Xia Muye , Chi Heng , Janssen Harry L. A. , Peng Jie 
Published: September 2021

LINKED CONTENTThis article is linked to Xia et al and Wehmeyer & Schulze zur Wiesch papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16538 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16560
Review article: targeting the B cell activation system in autoimmune hepatitis
Authors: Czaja Albert J. 
Published: September 2021

SummaryBackgroundThe B cell activation system, consisting of B cell activating factor and a proliferation‐inducing ligand, may have pathogenic effects in autoimmune hepatitis.AimsTo describe the biological actions of the B cell activation system, indicate its possible role in autoimmune diseases, and evaluate its prospects as a therapeutic target in autoimmune hepatitisMethodsEnglish abstracts were identified in PubMed by multiple search terms. Full length articles were selected for review, and secondary and tertiary bibliographies were developed.ResultsThe B cell activating factor is crucial for the maturation and survival of B cells, and it can co‐stimulate T cell activation, proliferation, and survival. It can also modulate the immune response by inducing interleukin 10 production by regulatory B cells. A proliferation‐inducing ligand modulates and diversifies the antibody response by inducing class‐switch recombination in B cells. It can also increase the proliferation, survival, and antigen activation of T cells. These immune stimulatory actions can be modulated by inducing proliferation of regulatory T cells. The B cell activation system has been implicated in diverse autoimmune diseases, and therapeutic blockade is a management strategy now being evaluated in autoimmune hepatitis.ConclusionsThe B cell activation system has profound effects on B and T cell function in autoimmune diseases. Blockade therapy is being actively evaluated in autoimmune hepatitis. Clarification of the critical pathogenic components of the B cell activation system will improve the targeting, efficacy, and safety of blockade therapy in this disease.
Sensitivity analyses informed by tests for bias in observational studies
Authors: Rosenbaum Paul R. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractIn an observational study, the treatment received and the outcome exhibited may be associated in the absence of an effect caused by the treatment, even after controlling for observed covariates. Two tactics are common: (i) a test for unmeasured bias may be obtained using a secondary outcome for which the effect is known and (ii) a sensitivity analysis may explore the magnitude of unmeasured bias that would need to be present to explain the observed association as something other than an effect caused by the treatment. Can such a test for unmeasured bias inform the sensitivity analysis? If the test for bias does not discover evidence of unmeasured bias, then ask: Are conclusions therefore insensitive to larger unmeasured biases? Conversely, if the test for bias does find evidence of bias, then ask: What does that imply about sensitivity to biases? This problem is formulated in a new way as a convex quadratically constrained quadratic program and solved on a large scale using interior point methods by a modern solver. That is, a convex quadratic function of N variables is minimized subject to constraints on linear and convex quadratic functions of these variables. The quadratic function that is minimized is a statistic for the primary outcome that is a function of the unknown treatment assignment probabilities. The quadratic function that constrains this minimization is a statistic for subsidiary outcome that is also a function of these same unknown treatment assignment probabilities. In effect, the first statistic is minimized over a confidence set for the unknown treatment assignment probabilities supplied by the unaffected outcome. This process avoids the mistake of interpreting the failure to reject a hypothesis as support for the truth of that hypothesis. The method is illustrated by a study of the effects of light daily alcohol consumption on high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. In this study, the method quickly optimizes a nonlinear function of variables subject to linear and quadratic constraints. In the example, strong evidence of unmeasured bias is found using the subsidiary outcome, but, perhaps surprisingly, this finding makes the primary comparison insensitive to larger biases.
Influence of extreme prematurity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia on cardiac function
Authors: Aldana‐Aguirre Jose Carlos , Eckersley Luke , Hyderi Abbas , Hirose Akiko , Boom Jutta van den , Kumaran Kumar , Hornberger Lisa K. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractObjective: Prematurity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are associated with poorly understood abnormalities of ventricular function. We therefore comprehensively compared biventricular function in infants with and without BPD.Methods: Prospective observational study in extremely preterm infants with (n = 20) and without (n = 38) BPD using conventional and advanced echocardiography at 28 days (T1) and near‐term (T2).Results: Infants with BPD had lower birth gestational age (26.7±1.9 vs 27.4±1.1 weeks, p = 0.047) and weight (884±207 vs 1108±190 g, p = 0.0001). BPD was associated with larger right ventricles (RV) and reduced RV systolic strain rate at T1 and pulmonary hypertensive indicators at T2 (pulmonary artery acceleration time BPD 51±17 vs no BPD 63±12 ms, p = 0.017). At T1/T2, infants with BPD had lower RV tissue Doppler velocities (e’, a’ and s) and higher E/e’ ratios (T1: BPD 10.4±2.4 vs no BPD 6.2±3.1 cm/sec, p = 0.001; T2: BPD 8.0±3.1 vs no BPD 5.6±2.6 cm/sec, p = 0.02), altered LV diastolic function (apical circumferential T1 early diastolic strain rate BPD 2.8±0.8 vs no BPD 3.6±1.0 /sec, p = 0.04; T2 late diastolic strain rate, BPD 2.29 ± 0.99 vs no BPD 1.67±0.84 /sec, p = 0.03) and LV rotational mechanics (T1: twist rate BPD 90±16 vs no BPD 130±48 deg/sec, p = 0.008; untwist rate (UTR) BPD ‐69±90 vs no BPD ‐147±68 deg/sec, p = 0.008; torsion BPD 2.78±0.56 vs no BPD 4.48±1.74 deg/cm, p = 0.009; and T2: UTR BPD ‐132±69 vs no BPD ‐179±57 deg/sec, p = 0.013).Conclusion: BPD is associated with altered RV diastolic function that persists near term, with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance, and with persistent alterations in LV apical strain rate and rotational mechanics.
Clinical impact of mitral regurgitation in aortic valve stenosis: Insight from effective regurgitant orifice area
Authors: Maffeis Caterina , Benfari Giovanni , Nistri Stefano , Ribichini Flavio L. , Rossi Andrea 
Published: September 2021

AbstractPurposeMechanisms leading to heart failure (HF) symptoms in aortic valve stenosis (AS) are contentious. We examined the impact of secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) on the symptomatic status in patients with AS.MethodsOutpatients performing echocardiography with any degree of AS, without organic mitral valve disease, mitral valve intervention, or aortic insufficiency were enrolled. MR was quantitatively defined through mitral effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) using the proximal isovelocity surface area method. Patients were divided into two groups (New York Heart Association [NYHA] class I–II vs. NYHA class III–IV).ResultsFive hundred and eighty‐four patients were enrolled (484 NYHA I–II, 100 NYHA III–IV). More symptomatic patients had smaller aortic valve area (AVA), lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and stroke volume, higher E/E’, and LV global afterload. MR was present in 178 (30%) patients and EROA was <.20 cm2 in 158 (89%). NYHA III–IV patients showed higher prevalence of MR (78% vs 21%, P < 0.0001) and larger EROA (.13±.08 cm2 vs .09±.07 cm2, P < 0.0001). An association between EROA and symptoms was present in the total cohort and in subgroups with preserved LVEF, AVA ≥ 1 and <1 cm2, EE’ 8–14 and ≥14 (P < 0.05 for all). EROA was associated with severe symptoms after adjustment for LVEF, E/E’, and AVA in the overall population (OR 1.10 [1.06–1.15]; P < 0.0001) and in the 516 patients with preserved LVEF (OR 1.13 [1.08–1.19]; P < 0.0001).ConclusionIn patients with AS, greater EROA values are associated with HF symptoms, even though MR degree is far from the threshold of MR severity. Therefore, even a mild MR represents a supportive marker of HF symptoms presence.
Predicting premature termination of exercise during Bruce protocol stress echocardiography
Authors: Loh Julian , Amanullah Mohammed Rizwan , See Chai Keat , Tang Hak Chiaw , Gunasegaran Kurugulasigamoney , Hamid Nadira , Lau Jeffrey , Lee Chung Yin , Ewe See Hooi , Ding Zee Pin , Sahlén Anders 
Published: September 2021

AbstractAimsClinical guidelines recommend that the exercise protocol of a stress echocardiogram is selected to induce volitional exhaustion after a target duration of at least 8 minutes. While the Bruce protocol is very commonly used for clinical stress tests, it is known to be “steep”, and many patients therefore fail to reach 8 minutes. We studied predictors of failure and developed a method for identifying patients not suitable for Bruce protocol which was accurate and yet simple enough to be used as a point‐of‐care decision support tool.Methods and resultsWe studied data out‐patients undergoing Bruce protocol stress echocardiograms (n = 11 086) and analyzed predictors of inappropriate early termination (defined as test duration < 8 min as per current practice guidelines) using logistic regression. A prediction model was constructed as follows: .5 points were given for each of hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and E/e’ > 7.9 in the resting echocardiogram; .1 point was added for each 1‐unit increment in body mass index; 1 point was added for patient age by decade; 2.0 points were subtracted for male sex (p for all < 0.001). In tests on held‐out validation data, the model was well calibrated (in plots of predicted vs actual risk) and discriminated failure versus non‐failure well (C‐statistic .86 for a score of 6.0 points; p < 0.001).ConclusionThese data may help to standardize protocol selection in stress echocardiography, by identifying patients pre‐hoc where Bruce protocol will be inappropriately steep.
Larval ecology, dispersal, and the evolution of sociality in the sea
Authors: Mazzei Renata , Rubenstein Dustin R. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractIndividual decisions about whether or not to disperse shape the kin structure of social groups, promoting or disrupting the evolution of sociality via kin selection. It is often assumed that the great dispersal potential of marine larvae driven by ocean currents disrupts kin association and, as a consequence, reduces the chances that social groups in the sea form via kin selection. Yet, accumulating evidence indicates that the larval dispersal process is not as random as previously assumed and that different mechanisms can promote kin associations in marine species. Here, we review recent findings in the marine larval ecology literature, emphasizing key aspects of larval development that may limit or promote dispersal and the evolution of sociality in the sea. We find ample evidence that marine larvae settle closer to home than has been previously assumed. A variety of different mechanisms, including lack of planktonic dispersal, limited larval duration, larvae traveling together, variability in reproductive success, and behavioral and physical processes, can generate kin association in marine species and potentially lead to the formation of social groups via kin selection. Uncovering post‐settlement dispersal patterns is also important for understanding how groups of unrelated individuals are formed. By integrating different larval dispersal strategies into the dual benefit framework for the evolution of sociality, we provide examples of alternative pathways for the evolution of sociality in marine species. Finally, we discuss how the increased use of parentage analysis in marine species will provide an opportunity for investigating whether kin selection is indeed much rarer in marine than terrestrial species. Ultimately, determining the role that dispersal and kin selection play in the evolution of sociality in marine species will require an increased effort to gather both behavioral and genetic data for the same species.
Domestication‐induced reduction in eye size revealed in multiple common garden experiments: The case of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)
Authors: Perry William Bernard , Kaufmann Joshka , Solberg Monica Favnebøe , Brodie Christopher , Coral Medina Angela Maria , Pillay Kirthana , Egerton Anna , Harvey Alison , Phillips Karl P. , Coughlan Jamie , Egan Fintan , Grealis Ronan , Hutton Steve , Leseur Floriane , Ryan Sarah , Poole Russell , Rogan Ger , Ryder Elizabeth , Schaal Patrick , Waters Catherine , Wynne Robert , Taylor Martin , Prodöhl Paulo , Creer Simon , Llewellyn Martin , McGinnity Philip , Carvalho Gary , Glover Kevin Alan 
Published: September 2021

AbstractDomestication leads to changes in traits that are under directional selection in breeding programmes, though unintentional changes in nonproduction traits can also arise. In offspring of escaping fish and any hybrid progeny, such unintentionally altered traits may reduce fitness in the wild. Atlantic salmon breeding programmes were established in the early 1970s, resulting in genetic changes in multiple traits. However, the impact of domestication on eye size has not been studied. We measured body size corrected eye size in 4000 salmon from six common garden experiments conducted under artificial and natural conditions, in freshwater and saltwater environments, in two countries. Within these common gardens, offspring of domesticated and wild parents were crossed to produce 11 strains, with varying genetic backgrounds (wild, domesticated, F1 hybrids, F2 hybrids and backcrosses). Size‐adjusted eye size was influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Domesticated fish reared under artificial conditions had smaller adjusted eye size when compared to wild fish reared under identical conditions, in both the freshwater and marine environments, and in both Irish and Norwegian experiments. However, in parr that had been introduced into a river environment shortly after hatching and sampled at the end of their first summer, differences in adjusted eye size observed among genetic groups were of a reduced magnitude and were nonsignificant in 2‐year‐old sea migrating smolts sampled in the river immediately prior to sea entry. Collectively, our findings could suggest that where natural selection is present, individuals with reduced eye size are maladapted and consequently have reduced fitness, building on our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie a well‐documented reduction in the fitness of the progeny of domesticated salmon, including hybrid progeny, in the wild.