bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Modeling continuous improvement evolution in the service sector
Authors: Milner Christopher D. , Savage Barbara M. 
Published: September 2016

PurposeThis paper aims to make a contribution to existing knowledge regarding how service-based organisations establish and sustain incremental performance improvement. Alongside a review of existing continuous improvement (CI) evolution theory, the longitudinal study draws a comparison between two units of analysis within a leading UK financial service provider.Design/methodology/approachAdopting an interpretive philosophy and inductive nature, the study uses a multi-qualitative methodological design. The multi-embedded case study, conducted over a three-year period, allows for an intensive review and in-depth exploration. The longitudinal time horizon makes use of a narrative enquiry, reflecting upon behaviour and allowing the researcher to gain access to deeper organisational realities. A thematic analysis of empirical data offers insight into the evolution of CI over almost a decade of activity.FindingsThe findings establish that there are numerous obstacles faced and a wide variety of methods, tools and techniques that may be blended together under the auspices of a formalised CI programme. The challenge is in sustaining, embedding and associating value from CI within the everyday life of the infinitely complex structures and prevailing cultures of organisations; ideally involving all staff, emphasising on CI in all things, at all levels, all the time, forever.Originality/valueEvidenced through a thematic narrative, the paper answers the call for existing frameworks of CI evolution to be tested within the private and service sectors. The research offers an application and reflection upon the Bessantet al.’s (2001) maturity model against the CI evolution in a real world scenario.
Organizational change as student project
Authors: Oxenswärdh Anette , Fredriksson Maria 
Published: September 2016

Purpose
This research project aims to study how some organizations choose to prioritize certain changes when offered assistance by students who are studying quality technology.

Design/methodology/approach
A literature study is pursued. In this project, textual analysis of student works, such as reports, project diaries and subtasks, is used as an empirical source.

Findings
Organizations seem to already have identified areas for changes, but they neither have the methods and proper tools nor the know-how of implementing the changes. The results show that organizations take their opportunity to learn different tools in quality technology pointed out and used by students. There seems to be a huge need of knowledge about different tools and help with implementation of organizational changes.

Research limitations/implications
The study is limited to a case study containing students’ project on a Swedish island.

Practical implications
The major implication of the study is that managers in organizations are positive in using university students in organizational change. Also, the students fill the gap for needs of knowledge about implementation. However, it is the managers together with the students who suggest change project and the students continue to perform the change.

Originality/value
The study makes a contribution to the knowledge of change management in exploring how educational course can bridge the gap between theoretical and practical aspects of organizational change by creating collaborative learning.
Publication trends in top-tier journals in higher education
Authors: Johnson Matthew R. , Wagner Nick J. , Reusch Jonathan 
Published: September 2016

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze author and methodological characteristics in top-tier publications in higher education. As the importance of research in the professoriate continues to grow and faculty face ratcheted-up expectations for prestige in their research, such data are important contextually and historically.

Design/methodology/approach
This descriptive study examines 587 articles within four top-tier higher education research journals from 2008 to 2012. Data were open coded and analyzed with a research team, resulting in an intercoder reliability of 0.96.

Findings
Results show most authors are assistant professors, overwhelmingly received PhD’s from very high research institutions (Carnegie classification), and currently work in similar institutions. Five degree-granting institutions accounted for 29.0 percent of publications in top-tier journals. Additionally, quantitative research accounted for 60.6 percent of published articles, with regression as the most commonly used analytic technique (34.7 percent).

Research limitations/implications
This study examined only higher education faculty and institutions based in the USA as well as first authors.

Practical implications
These results are meant to provide baseline data for top-tier journals within higher education and might inform conversations about methodological acceptability, respectability of qualitative research, graduate education research requirements, journal editor trainings, and tenure and promotion criteria.

Originality/value
This paper provides an update to previous studies that examined publications in higher education within the last three decades. In addition, this study examines author characteristics, which previous studies have mostly excluded. This study offers empirical data to inform conversations about the state of research in top-tier publications within higher education.
Mentoring tertiary students from a secondary school incubator programme focusing on health careers
Authors: Crawford Ruth , Monson Kathy , Searle Judy 
Published: September 2016

Purpose
Developing the health workforce is an ongoing concern, especially in New Zealand, where Māori and Pasifika populations are under-represented. Programme Incubator (PI) was developed by a health provider to raise awareness of careers in the health sector. The purpose of this paper is to report on a study undertaken in a tertiary institution which involved tracking and mentoring students who had been engaged in PI, and mentoring them through their tertiary studies.

Design/methodology/approach
In total, 40 students (n=40) were recruited into the four year study, which involved a survey and participating in focus groups.

Findings
PI was found to be an effective initiative of encouraging secondary students to enter a career in health, but more work is needed to facilitate students’ choice of tertiary provider and academic programme. Within the tertiary sector, mentoring was found to be lacking.

Originality/value
Group mentoring and peer mentoring are introduced to mitigate these concerns and provide students with the mentoring support they require.
Customer perception regarding Sharī‘ah compliance of Islamic banking sector of Pakistan
Authors: Saqib Lutfullah , Farooq Muhammad Aitisam , Zafar Aliya Mueen 
Published: September 2016

Purpose
This paper aims to analyze the impact of Sharī‘ah compliance perception on customer satisfaction in Islamic banking sector of Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach
Primary data were collected from 242 account holders of Islamic banks and Islamic banking branches of conventional commercial banks and analyzed by correlation and regression through self-administered questionnaires based on SERVQUAL model.

Findings
Significant moderating effects of Sharī‘ah compliance perception on the relation between service quality and customer satisfaction have been identified.

Research limitations/implications
As a cross-sectional study with convenience sampling restricts generalizability and because financial benefits offered by banks were not included as a variable, the scope of this study is limited to service quality only. Future research may focus on the moderating effect of Sharī‘ah compliance perception through longitudinal study with larger sample size in a multi-cultural environment.

Practical implications
Results of this paper recommend Islamic banks to focus on their core strength “Sharī‘ah compliance” while developing their product/service and building marketing strategies. Moreover, assurance of high-quality services will sustain such strategies against competition with conventional banks.

Social implications
Islamic banks must primarily develop their brand through extensive communication and public awareness programs regarding Sharī‘ah compliance standards in terms of products/services, policy/procedures, code of conduct and Sharī‘ah board.

Originality/value
This research examines moderating role of Sharī‘ah compliance perception between service quality and customer satisfaction in Islamic banking sector of an Islamic Republic with dual banking system. This interactive effect of Sharī‘ah compliance perception has not been found as an overriding theme in any of the main stream journals/articles. Therefore, this study fills this gap.
Graphomotor skills in children with prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A population‐based study in remote Australia
Authors: Doney Robyn , Lucas Barbara R. , Jirikowic Tracy , Tsang Tracey W. , Watkins Rochelle E. , Sauer Kay , Howat Peter , Latimer Jane , Fitzpatrick James P. , Oscar June , Carter Maureen , Elliott Elizabeth J. 
Published: September 2016

Background/aimFew studies have examined graphomotor skills in children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).MethodsGraphomotor skills were assessed in 108 predominantly Australian Aboriginal children aged 7.5–9.6 years in remote Western Australia using clinical observations (pencil grasp; writing pressure) and standardised assessment tools (the Evaluation Tool of Children's Handwriting; and the Miller Function and Participation Scales – The Draw‐a‐Kid Game). Skills were compared between children (i) without PAE, (ii) PAE but not FASD and (iii) FASD.ResultsMost children used a transitional pencil grasp and exerted heavy handwriting pressure (83.3% and 30.6% of the cohort). The percentage of letters (M = 62.9%) and words (M = 73.3%) written legibly was low. Children with FASD were more likely than children without PAE to use a cross‐thumb grasp (P = 0.027), apply heavy writing pressure (P = 0.036), be unable to write a sentence (P = 0.041) and show poorer word legibility (P = 0.041). There were no significant differences between groups for drawing outcomes, although some children with FASD drew pictures that appeared delayed for their age. There were no significant differences between children without PAE and those with PAE but who were not diagnosed with FASD.ConclusionsOverall, graphomotor skills were poor in this cohort, but children with FASD performed significantly worse than children without PAE. Findings suggest the need for improved occupational therapy services for children in remote regions and evaluation of graphomotor skills in children with PAE.
Temperature moderates the infectiousness of two conspecific Symbiodinium strains isolated from the same host population
Authors: Hawkins Thomas D. , Hagemeyer Julia. C. G. , Warner Mark E. 
Published: September 2016

SummarySymbioses between cnidarians and symbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium) are ecologically important and physiologically diverse. This diversity contributes to the spatial distribution of specific cnidarian‐Symbiodinium associations. Physiological variability also exists within Symbiodinium species, yet we know little regarding its relevance for the establishment of symbiosis under different environmental conditions. Two putatively conspecific Symbiodinium strains (both ITS2‐type A4) were isolated from the sea anemone Exaiptasia pallida and placed into unialgal culture. Thermal tolerance of these cultures was compared following heating from 26°C to 33.5°C over 18 days. Photosystem II function was negatively impacted by heating in one strain while PSII function in the other showed little response to elevated temperature. Additionally, infection of Symbiodinium cells into aposymbiotic anemones was assessed for both strains at 26°C and 30.5°C. The heat‐sensitive strain had greater infection success at 26°C, while there was no difference in infection between the two strains at the higher temperature. Results from this work suggest that variability in thermal optima or ‐tolerance within Symbiodinium spp. has relevance for early stages of host‐Symbiodinium interactions. Thus, varying infectiousness among differentially heat‐sensitive Symbiodinium strains could provide a mechanism for the emergence of novel and potentially resilient cnidarian‐Symbiodinium associations in a rapidly warming environment.
Influence of manufacturing conditions on thermo‐physical properties of ripened experimental Emmental‐type cheese and comparison with commercial Emmental cheese
Authors: Hartmann Katja Isabel , Reicherter Ronny , Hinrichs Jörg 
Published: September 2016

Experimental Emmental cheese was produced at pilot plant scale with varied process conditions, and the ripened cheeses were analysed in terms of thermo‐physical properties. The amount of propionic acid and the temperature at tan δmax ( loss factor) were significantly influenced by varied process parameters. Experimental cheeses were compared to commercial Emmental cheese by the application of principal component analysis. Commercial Emmental cheese was clearly discriminated from experimental Emmental cheese mainly due to the melting behaviour. The results allow the establishment of a small‐scale process for Emmental cheese production to promote product development on a time and cost‐saving level.
Experience of endoscopic thyroidectomy in a single‐centre institution
Authors: Tai Dora KC , Chick Wai‐Keung , Chan Peter CM , Lau Chi‐Hung , Tang Donald LC 
Published: September 2016

AimEndoscopic thyroidectomy has been applied to various thyroid diseases to improve the cosmetic outcome of patients. Our centre has adopted the bilateral axillo‐breast approach for certain thyroid diseases. The aim of the present study was to report our experience of endoscopic thyroidectomy in comparison with open thyroidectomy to compare outcomes, complications and feasibility.Patients and MethodsBetween January 2011 and December 2014, a total of 47 patients underwent endoscopic thyroidectomy for benign thyroid diseases. From January 2013 to December 2013, a total of 60 patients who underwent open thyroidectomy with the same criteria as endoscopic thyroidectomy patients were included as the control group. Age, sex, tumour size, operative time, length of hospital stay and postoperative complications were analysed.ResultsThere was no statistically‐significant difference in terms of age, sex or size of thyroid nodule between the two groups. The majority of surgeries in both groups were hemithyroidectomies (87.2 per cent in the endoscopic group and 81.7 per cent in the open thyroidectomy group). The mean operative time for the endoscopic group was significantly longer than that of the open thyroidectomy group (238.2 + 73.6mins vs 120.2 + 38.8 min, P < 0.001). The length of hospitalization was also longer in the endoscopic group (mean: 5.1 + 1.4 days vs 3.7 + 1.6 days, P < 0.001). Regarding postoperative complications, there was no statistically‐significant difference in terms of hypocalcaemia, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, skin numbness, skin burn or seroma formation.ConclusionEndoscopic thyroidectomy is a safe operative procedure, and is a feasible alternative to open thyroidectomy for benign thyroid tumours.
Improving the Sun Drying of Apricots (Prunus armeniaca) with Photo‐Selective Dryer Cabinet Materials
Authors: Milczarek Rebecca R. , Avena‐Mascareno Roberto , Alonzo Jérôme , Fichot Mélissa I. 
Published: September 2016

AbstractPhoto‐selective materials have been studied for their effects on the preharvest quality of horticultural crops, but little work has been done on potential postharvest processing effects. The aim of this work was to characterize the effects of 5 different photo‐selective acrylic materials (used as the lid to a single‐layer sun drying cabinet) on the drying rate and quality of apricots (Prunus armeniaca). Photo‐selective cabinet materials that transmit light in the visible portion of the solar spectrum accelerate the apricots’ drying rate in both the early period of drying and the course of drying as a whole. These materials do not significantly affect the measured quality metrics during the first day of sun drying. However, when drying is taken to completion, some minor but significant quality differences are observed. Infrared‐blocking material produces dried apricot with lower red color, compared to clear, opaque black, and ultraviolet‐blocking materials. Clear material produced dried apricot with significantly lower antioxidant activity, compared to black and infrared‐blocking materials. Using appropriate photo‐selective drying cabinet materials can reduce the required sun drying time for apricots by 1 to 2 d, compared with fully shaded drying. Ultraviolet‐blocking material is recommended to maximize drying rate and minimize quality degradation.
Up‐Regulation of PKR Signaling Pathway by Ethanol Displays an Age of Onset‐Dependent Relationship
Authors: Duncan Jeremy W. , Johnson Shakevia , Zhang Xiao , Zheng Baoying , Luo Jia , Ou Xiao‐Ming , Stockmeier Craig A. , Wang Jun Ming 
Published: September 2016

BackgroundEthanol (EtOH) neurotoxicity can result in devastating effects on brain and behavior by disrupting homeostatic signaling cascades and inducing cell death. One such mechanism involves double‐stranded RNA activated protein kinase (PKR), a primary regulator of protein translation and cell viability in the presence of a virus or other external stimuli. EtOH‐mediated up‐regulation of interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ; the oxidative stress‐inducible regulator of PKR), PKR, and its target, p53, are still being fully elucidated.MethodsUsing Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence, and linear regression analyses, changes in the IFN‐γ‐PKR‐p53 pathway following chronic EtOH treatment in the frontal cortex of rodents were examined. The role of PKR on cell viability was also assessed in EtOH‐treated cells using PKR overexpression vector and PKR inhibitor (PKRI).ResultsIn rats chronically fed EtOH, PKR, phosphorylated PKR (p‐PKR), IFN‐γ, and p53 were significantly increased following chronic EtOH exposure. Linear regression revealed a significant correlation between IFN‐γ and p‐PKR protein levels, as well as p‐PKR expression and age of EtOH exposure. Overexpression of PKR resulted in greater cell death, while use of PKRI enhanced cell viability in EtOH‐treated cells.ConclusionsChronic EtOH exposure activates the IFN‐γ‐PKR‐p53 pathway in the frontal cortex of rodents. p‐PKR expression is greater in brains of rodents exposed to EtOH at earlier ages compared to later life, suggesting a mechanism by which young brains could be more susceptible to EtOH‐related brain injury. PKR and p‐PKR were also colocalized in neurons and astrocytes of rats. This study provides additional insight into biochemical mechanisms underlying alcohol use disorder related neuropathology and warrants further investigation of PKR as a potential pharmacotherapeutic target to combat EtOH‐related neurotoxicity, loss of protein translation and brain injury.
Predictors of the discrepancy between objective and subjective cognition in bipolar disorder: a novel methodology
Authors: Miskowiak K. W. , Petersen J. Z. , Ott C. V. , Knorr U. , Kessing L. V. , Gallagher P. , Robinson L. 
Published: September 2016

ObjectiveThe poor relationship between subjective and objective cognitive impairment in bipolar disorder (BD) is well‐established. However, beyond simple correlation, this has not been explored further using a methodology that quantifies the degree and direction of the discrepancy. This study aimed to develop such a methodology to explore clinical characteristics predictive of subjective‐objective discrepancy in a large BD patient cohort.MethodsData from 109 remitted BD patients and 110 healthy controls were pooled from previous studies, including neuropsychological test scores, self‐reported cognitive difficulties, and ratings of mood, stress, socio‐occupational capacity, and quality of life. Cognitive symptom ‘sensitivity’ scores were calculated using a novel methodology, with positive scores reflecting disproportionately more subjective complaints than objective impairment and negative values reflecting disproportionately more objective than subjective impairment (‘stoicism’).ResultsMore subsyndromal depressive and manic symptoms, hospitalizations, BD type II, and being male positively predicted ‘sensitivity’, while higher verbal IQ predicted more ‘stoicism’. ‘Sensitive’ patients were characterized by greater socio‐occupational difficulties, more perceived stress, and lower quality of life.ConclusionObjective neuropsychological assessment seems especially warranted in patients with (residual) mood symptoms, BD type II, chronic illness, and/or high IQ for correct identification of cognitive deficits before commencement of treatments targeting cognition.
Diagnostic role of staging laparoscopy in a subset of biliary cancers: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Tian Yunhong , Liu Lei , Yeolkar Ninad V. , Shen Feng , Li Jun , He Zhenxing 
Published: September 2016

BackgroundAccurate preoperative radiological staging of biliary cancers remains difficult. Despite the improvement in imaging techniques, a number of patients with biliary cancers who undergo laparotomy are ultimately found to have unresectable diseases. The goals of staging laparoscopy (SL) are to rule out metastatic and locally advanced unresectable diseases and better define locally advanced unresectable diseases. This study evaluates the efficiency of SL in ruling out unresectable disease in a subset of biliary cancers.MethodsLiterature published between January 2000 and December 2015 on the use of SL for patients with biliary cancers was retrieved from five electronic databases. Summary estimates of sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio were calculated.ResultsEight studies were included in the meta‐analysis. During the laparoscopy, unresectable disease was found in 316 of 1062 patients (29.8%), of whom 32.4% were patients with suspected hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC) and 27.6% were patients with suspected gallbladder cancer (GBC). The sensitivities were 0.556 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.495–0.616) for patients with HC and 0.642 (95% CI: 0.579–0.701) for patients with GBC. The pooled specificity for the SL was 100% (95% CI: 0.993–1.000) for all studies.ConclusionsThis meta‐analysis revealed that 32.4% of patients with HC and 27.6% of patients with GBC may avoid unnecessary laparotomy with the use of SL. It is worthwhile to perform SL combined with an intraoperative ultrasound in patients with suspected GBC or HC.