bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Application of six sigma through deep learning in the production of fasteners
Authors: Altuğ Mehmet 
Published: February 2023

Purpose
The purpose of this study was conducted at an enterprise that produces fasteners and is one of the leading companies in the sector in terms of market share. Possible defects in the coating of bolts and nuts either lead to products being scrapped or all of the coating process being repeated from beginning to end. In both cases, the enterprise faces a waste of time and excessive costs. Through this project, the six sigma theory and its means were effectively used to improve the efficiency and quality management of the company. The selection of the six sigma project has also contributed to the creation of various documents to be used for project screening and evaluation of financial results.

Design/methodology/approach
Six sigma is an optimization strategy that is used to improve the profitability of businesses, avoid waste, scrap and losses, reduce costs and improve the effectiveness of all activities to meet or exceed customers’ needs and expectations. Six sigma’s process improvement model, known as Definition-Measurement-Analysis-Improvement-Control, contributes to the economic and technical achievements of businesses. The normal distribution of a process should be within ±3 sigma of the mean. This represents a scale of 99.7% certainty. However, improving the process through the utilization of the six sigma rule, which accepts normal variabilities of processes twice as strict, will result in an error rate of 3.4 per million instead of 2,700 per million for each product or service.

Findings
Using six sigma practices to reduce the costs associated with low quality and to increase economic added value became a cultural practice. With this, the continuation of six sigma practices throughout the Company was intended. The annual cost reduction achieved with the utilization of six sigma practices can be up to $21,780. When time savings are also considered, a loss reduction of about $30,000 each year can be achieved. The coating thickness efficiency increased from 85% to 95% after the improvements made through the six sigma project. There is a significant increase in the efficiency of coating thickness. In addition, the coating thickness efficiency is also close to the target value of 95%–97%.

Originality/value
The results of the study were optimized with the help of deep learning. The performance of the model created in deep learning was quite close to the actual performance. This result implicates the validity of the improvement work. The results may act as a guide for the use of deep learning in new projects.
An analysis of the broiler value chain and economics of broiler production in Senegal: status quo after two decades of import restrictions
Authors: Chibanda Craig , Wieck Christine , Sall Moussa 
Published: February 2023

PurposeThis study analyzed the state of broiler production in Senegal after nearly two decades of poultry import restrictions. It provides a synopsis of the Senegalese broiler value chain and evaluates the performance and economics of different broiler farm types.Design/methodology/approachA multi-stakeholder workshop and interviews were conducted with key informants to investigate the structure and activities of the Senegalese broiler value chain. The typical farm approach (TFA) was used to construct and analyze “typical” farms that represent the most common broiler production systems in Senegal.FindingsThe current situation in the Senegalese broiler value chain is favorable for hatcheries, feed mills, producers and poultry traders. However, the slaughterhouses are not faring well. The farm economic analysis demonstrates that typical medium-scale broiler farms are performing well, due to the use of high-quality feed, chicks and good husbandry. Additionally, the analysis revealed that feed and day-old chick (DOC) costs are the most significant in conventional broiler production in Senegal. Despite the high costs of feed and DOCs, broiler production is profitable for typical farms.Research limitations/implicationsAthough this study provides detailed insights into broiler farm economics in Senegal, it does not include typical integrated large-scale broiler farm-types. Based on our findings, we can predict that such farm types may be more efficient and have lower production costs due to the use of high-quality inputs (chicks and feed), and economies of scale. However, future studies will need to verify this prediction.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, only a few unpublished studies on broiler farm economics in Senegal exist. These studies only provide a basic analysis of the cost of production and profitability, with little consideration of various production systems. Contrastingly, this study provides a detailed economic analysis of different types of conventional broiler farms in key production regions.
Corporate governance regulation in regulatory space of a developing country: actors, strategies and outcomes
Authors: Ahmad Zubair , Mahmood Zeeshan 
Published: February 2023

PurposeThis study seeks to deepen the understanding of the political process underlying the establishment and evolution of corporate governance (CG) regulations in a developing country.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on regulatory space concept (Hancher and Moran, 1989) and Oliver's (1991) typology of strategic responses, the authors identify which actor participated in and benefitted from the establishment of a new transnational CG regulation in Pakistan. Data were collected through interviews and from the published secondary sources.FindingsThe findings highlighted regulations are being influenced and shaped up by the political process of negotiation, bargaining, manipulation and domination between powerful and resourceful actors in a given regulatory space. National regulators and regulatees can be indeed fervent opponents to the transnational regulations when it comes to protecting their well-rooted national interests.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the accounting literature by illustrating political processes through which internationally recognised CG practices are resisted, negotiated and implemented in the developing countries. The regulator must pay attention that the outcome of the regulatory change process is the result of carefully crafted and conscious strategies of actors in the regulatory space.
Evaluation of logistics centers in terms of sustainability via MCDM methods
Authors: Keleş Nuh , Pekkaya Mehmet 
Published: February 2023

PurposeThe purpose of the study is the evaluation of choosing the determined logistics centers’ (LCs’) locations via Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods.Design/methodology/approachSince there is more than one criterion in the evaluation of LC location, MCDM methods are used. The Entropy and CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) methods are used to determine the main criteria and sub-criteria weights. The Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE) method is used for ranking and evaluating 12 alternatives in Turkey and sensitivity analysis according to the threshold values of criteria and preference functions.FindingsPossible LC alternatives in Turkey and 12 locations ranked. Changing the criteria weights at a significant level did not affect the ranking results much. In the sensitivity analysis of the criteria for which market data could not be obtained (scored by the experts) it is found that they either made no difference or made little difference in the ranking of the alternatives.Practical implicationsIn terms of sustainability, economic factors along with environmental and social dimensions are important criteria for logistics companies and LC. The use of these variables in the LC location selection makes a difference.Originality/valueThis study focuses on LC location selection, via PROMETHEE with evaluated preference functions for criteria, taking into account nine scenarios that use variable criteria weight calculated via different MCDM methods. The results are evaluated by using sensitivity analysis and taking into account the sustainability aspect for LC. Multiple methods have been used effectively together in a way that support each other.
GCC banks’ capital and liquidity: conventional versus Islamic banks
Authors: Alshammari Turki 
Published: February 2023

PurposeThis study strives to examine the relationship between bank capital and bank liquidity level considering the joint determination of both variables pointed out in the related literature. The evidence is from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. The theory of banking postulates that bank capital and bank liquidity are interrelated through various links. The study conjectures that large GCC banks do not have a concern with respect to liquidity due to the implicit guarantee of GCC wealthy governments to bank deposits.Design/methodology/approachThe study sample is comprised of all chartered GCC conventional and Islamic banks. The study employs several on-balance sheet ratios to proxy for bank capital and liquidity as defined in the banking literature. It also employs a related econometric model that considers the simultaneity issue pointed out in the related literature.FindingsThe results of the study reveal that GCC banks react positively when facing illiquidity by strengthening their capital ratio. Further analysis reveals that only small GCC banks (conventional and Islamic) tend to increase their capital levels when facing a liquidity shortage, which confirms the study conjecture that larger GCC banks have no credible concern about their liquidity position. Employing an alternative measure of liquidity does not change the results. This finding supports the financial fragility structure and the crowding out of deposits hypotheses.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the literature by employing a novel estimation approach to explore the difference in results as the sample banks represent two banking regimes, the conventional banks as well as the Islamic banks. Also, the study implicitly suggests that further research in this area could support the need to impose minimum and globally uninformed liquidity standards on banks.
Factors predicting pro-environmental behavior: the case of baby diapers
Authors: Amelia Novi , Saragih Harriman Samuel 
Published: February 2023

PurposeIn addition to being one of the most commonly purchased items by infant caretakers, disposable baby diapers (DBDs) are among the most detrimental products to the environment. Shifting to a diapering method that is less harmful to the environment is an example of pro-environmental conduct. Hence, this study aims to examine how motivation, subjective norms, perceived benefits and perceived threats influence pro-environmental behavior (PEB) intention.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses a two-stage disjoint approach of partial least squares structural equation modeling to examine the data. In the conceptual model, a combination of reflective-reflective second-order constructs is used in the motivation, perceived benefits and perceived threats. A total of 233 respondents from a developing economy in Southeast Asia provide the data.FindingsThis study suggests that perceived benefits (i.e. environmental, monetary and symbol) and threats (i.e. susceptibility and severity) are significant determinants of PEB. Surprisingly, motivation and subjective norms had no significant relationship with consumers' adoption of non-DBD alternatives.Research limitations/implicationsTo persuade caretakers to act in an environmentally responsible manner, the findings of this study imply that, where relevant, considerations for a wide variety of benefits and health risks should be made apparent. Environmental, financial and symbolic benefits should be shared with prospective target audiences. Caretakers should be warned of probable health effects of not being environmentally friendly. This study argues that caretakers' lack of information of non-DBD options may explain the insignificance of subjective norms and motivation.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the social marketing literature by examining the influence of motivation, subjective norms, perceived benefits and perceived threats on the intention to use more-environmentally friendly alternatives to DBDs as a manifestation of PEB.
Workplace e-learning acceptance: combining symmetrical and asymmetrical perspectives
Authors: Lantu Donald Crestofel , Labdhagati Haifa , Dewanto Irwan 
Published: February 2023

Purpose
The use of e-learning in the workplace is increasing. This increase was mainly because of technological advancement within corporations, but the COVID-19 pandemic has further reinforced this trend. User acceptance is central to e-learning’s success; hence, this study aims to investigate workplace e-learning acceptance in Indonesia.

Design/methodology/approach
Using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model, this study analyzed survey response data from employees in seven Indonesian industries that use e-learning for their corporate learning programs. The study combined partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis with fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to gain symmetrical and asymmetrical perspectives.

Findings
Various combinations of UTAUT model-based antecedents in pursuing workplace e-learning acceptance were supported by the PLS-SEM and fsQCA results. Both analyses point to performance expectancy as the strongest predictor of intention to use e-learning.

Research limitations/implications
The study offers insight into the causal relationship between constructs in the UTAUT model and uncovers paths and combinations of constructs that lead to e-learning intention.

Originality/value
This study highlights complex causalities between constructs.
Large carnivores avoid humans while prioritizing prey acquisition in anthropogenic areas
Authors: Barker Kristin J. , Cole Eric , Courtemanch Alyson , Dewey Sarah , Gustine David , Mills Kenneth , Stephenson John , Wise Benjamin , Middleton Arthur D. 
Published: February 2023

Abstract

Large carnivores are recovering in many landscapes where the human footprint is simultaneously growing. When carnivores encounter humans, the way they behave often changes, which may subsequently influence how they affect their prey. However, little research investigates the behavioural mechanisms underpinning carnivore response to humans. As a result, it is not clear how predator–prey interactions and their associated ecosystem processes will play out in the human‐dominated areas into which carnivore populations are increasingly expanding.

We hypothesized that humans would reduce predation risk for prey by disturbing carnivores or threatening their survival. Alternatively, or additionally, we hypothesized that humans would increase predation risk by providing forage resources that congregate herbivorous prey in predictable places and times.

Using grey wolves Canis lupus in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA as a study species, we investigated 170 kill sites across a spectrum of human influences ranging from heavily restricted human activities on protected federal lands to largely unregulated activities on private lands. Then, we used conditional logistic regression to quantify how the probability of predation changed across varied types and amounts of human influences, while controlling for environmental characteristics and prey availability.

Wolves primarily made kills in environmental terrain traps and where prey availability was high, but predation risk was significantly better explained with the inclusion of human influences than by environmental characteristics alone. Different human influences had different, and even converse, effects on the risk of wolf predation. For example, where prey were readily available, wolves preferentially killed animals far from motorized roads but close to unpaved trails. However, wolves responded less strongly to humans, if at all, where prey were scarce, suggesting they prioritized acquiring prey over avoiding human interactions.

Overall, our work reveals that the effects of large carnivores on prey populations can vary considerably among different types of human influences, yet carnivores may not appreciably alter predatory behaviour in response to humans if prey are difficult to obtain. These results shed new light on the drivers of large carnivore behaviour in anthropogenic areas while improving understanding of predator–prey dynamics in and around the wildland–urban interface.
Long amplicon HiFi sequencing for mitochondrial DNA genomes
Authors: Cai Zheng‐Fei , Hu Ji‐Yuan , Yin Ting‐Ting , Wang Da , Shen Quan‐Kuan , Ma Cheng , Ou Ding‐Qin , Xu Ming‐Min , Shi Xian , Li Qing‐Long , Wu Ru‐Nian , Ajuma Lameck , Adeola Adeniyi C. , Zhang Ya‐Ping , Peng Min‐Sheng 
Published: February 2023

AbstractLong‐read sequencing technology is a powerful approach with application in various genetic and genomic research. Herein, we developed the pipeline for long amplicon high‐fidelity (HiFi) sequencing and then applied it for sequencing mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genomes from pools of 79 Tibetan Mastiffs. We amplified the mtDNA genome with long‐range PCR using two pairs of primers. Two rounds of circular consensus sequencing (CCS) were conducted and their accuracy was evaluated. The results indicate that the second round of CCS can improve the accuracy of HiFi reads. In addition, the analysis of 79 high‐quality mtDNA genomes shows the Tibetan Mastiffs from outside of the Tibetan Plateau experienced hybridization with other dogs. The high quality reads generator (HQGR) software is provided to facilitate data analyses, which is publicly accessible on GitHub (https://github.com/Caizf‐script/HQGR). Our long amplicon HiFi sequencing pipeline can also be applied in various target enrichment strategies for small genomes and candidate genes.
Emergency department utilization and presenting chief complaints by Veterans living with dementia
Authors: Seidenfeld Justine , Dalton Aaron , Vashi Anita A. 
Published: February 2023

AbstractObjectivesVeteran persons living with dementia (PLWDs) have high acute care utilization. We aim to understand why PLWDs seek care in the emergency department (ED) and how their utilization differs from older Veterans with no dementia diagnosis. We demonstrate the use of a novel national chief complaint data set in the Veteran Affairs Health Care System.MethodsThis was a retrospective observational study of ED users 65 years or older as of FY2017. The primary outcome is presence of one or more ED visits in FYs 2017–2018 using a logistic regression model controlling for dementia and other variables. Secondary outcomes include counts of ED visits by disposition, Emergency Severity Index, chief complaints defined by a natural language processing program, and ED encounter diagnoses defined by primary International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD‐10‐CM) code.ResultsOur cohort of Veterans comprised 3,115,263 patients. Of those, 255,372 (8.2%) had a diagnosis of dementia. Logistic regression modeling demonstrated that dementia is a significant predictor of ED use (p < 0.0001), with PLWDs more likely to have an ED visit (odds ratio 1.96, 95% confidence interval 1.94–1.98). PLWDs were admitted at higher rates when accounting for age and acuity. Chief complaints that were more common among PLWDs included falls (6.7% dementia vs. 3.3% without dementia), weakness (3.6% vs. 2.2%), and abnormal mental state (2.2% vs. 0.4%). ICD‐10‐CM codes were largely similar between the two groups.ConclusionsOur results reinforce that the ED is a common access point for Veterans with dementia. These patients require special consideration as they are more likely to visit the ED and be admitted. Our use of a novel national chief complaint data set suggests that they more commonly present with certain geriatric syndromes and nonspecific complaints. Further work is needed to determine whether these would warrant targeted interventions to improve quality of acute care.
Preliminary evidence of upland plant encroachment in high‐elevation wetlands of Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Authors: Tuyizere Diogene , Tuyishimire Joseph , Tuyisenge Marie Fidèle , van der Hoek Yntze 
Published: February 2023

AbstractWetland ecosystems are increasingly altered by anthropogenic activities, with upland plant encroachment as one possible outcome. Here, we present preliminary evidence that encroachment by herbaceous and woody upland species is ongoing in five small Afromontane wetlands straddling high elevations (~2600–3400 m a.s.l.) in Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda). Although encroachment seems to commence at wetland edges it reaches waterlogged soils at wetland centres. This evidence of the spread of upland plants in these wetlands should be followed by additional research efforts focused on possible causes and consequences of this encroachment as well as the exploration of potential management and mitigation efforts.
Clinical phenotype, treatment strategy and pregnancy outcome of non‐criteria obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Li Jiapo , Hou Yue , Zhang Liyang , Li Fan , Liu Qian , Li Yuanyuan , Shen Hongfei , Xiong Ziyue , Huang Ling , Qiao Chong 
Published: February 2023

AbstractProblemTo illustrate the clinical features, treatment strategy, and pregnancy outcome of patients with obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (OAPS), non‐criteria obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (NC‐OAPS)Method of studyA single‐center nested case‐control study was designed. Patients with a diagnosis of OAPS and NC‐OAPS were enrolled. The medical history, coagulation status, and antibody profile data were collected. Patients were given standard anticoagulation therapy with or without glucocorticoids (GC) and/or hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) during pregnancy and were observed for their pregnancy outcome.ResultsA total of 47 patients with OAPS and 120 patients with NC‐OAPS were finally included, of whom 55 patients met the clinical criteria (subgroup C) and 65 met the laboratory criteria (subgroup L). Pregnancy morbidity showed significant differences: gravida, pregnancy loss in OAPS versus NC‐OAPS. The coagulation function was not significantly different between OAPS and NC‐OAPS groups, while TT and FIB were significantly higher in the subgroup C. Thromboelastography (TEG) results showed a significantly lower ANGEL in the NC‐OAPS group, a higher ANGEL and lower EPL, LY30 in the subgroup L. No differences between groups were observed in treatment strategy. The pregnancy outcomes were not significantly different between NC‐OAPS and OAPS groups.ConclusionsClinical and laboratory differences were found between OAPS and NC‐OAPS groups in this study. Patients in different subgroups of NC‐OAPS could be identified with different clinical phenotypes. A relatively hypercoagulable status existed in the OAPS group compared to NC‐OAPS, and also in the subgroup L.