bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
US sanctions, workforce dynamics, and corporate entrepreneurship: evidence from Iran
Authors: Hesarzadeh Reza
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore how political sanctions imposed by the US government have influenced workforce dynamics and corporate entrepreneurship within Iranian listed firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilizes a difference-in-differences approach to compare the workforce compositions and corporate entrepreneurship of Iranian listed firms subjected to US sanctions with those unaffected by sanctions both before and after the implementation of sanctions. The empirical analysis utilizes data from Iranian listed firms spanning from 2013 to 2023.

Findings

Our analysis reveals a significant decrease in employment rates among sanctioned firms, indicating a reduction in their workforce size. However, interestingly, we also observe a simultaneous positive effect on the educational qualifications of employees, as evidenced by increases in academic credentials and training hours, coupled with higher research and development (R&D) expenditures. These shifts in human capital investment and R&D spending contribute to a heightened level of entrepreneurship in the subsequent year. Furthermore, our findings suggest that firms enhance their entrepreneurial activities by prioritizing innovation in processes over exploring new business domains.

Originality/value

Through this investigation, our study elucidates the intricate relationship between sanctions and corporate entrepreneurship, highlighting a complex dynamic wherein sanctions, despite reducing workforce quantity, encourage investments in workforce quality and efficiency, ultimately fostering an environment conducive to enhanced entrepreneurship.
The policy protection of heritage in England & Wales – time for a rethink? Is the negative heritage test in the guise of “less than/substantial harm” the most appropriate means by which heritage significance can be examined and assessed?
Authors: Stubbs Michael , Carr Oliver
Published: December 2024

Purpose

One of the central tenets of heritage protection is preserving heritage significance. This can be traced to the “conserve as found” philosophy espoused by Ruskin and Morris in the 1840s. A consensus of values framing what is conserved and the processes facilitating conservation has evolved. This paper examines those processes in land-use planning regulation.

Design/methodology/approach

After examining several cases selected for their high profile, revisions are suggested. A methodology is developed to promote a new way of applying the legal tests of preservation.

Findings

These include the development of a new methodology to assess cumulative heritage impacts, the removal of any artificial divide between tests of heritage harm and greater harmony between heritage policy and heritage legislative duties when confronting the delivery of preservation and enhancement within conservation practice.

Originality/value

Beyond the calls for reform from such bodies as Historic England and Cadw, no real examination has been undertaken of the relationship between legal strictures and policy detail when assessing the rigours of heritage significance.
Employee voice in healthcare: a systematic review
Authors: Hague Leah , Barry Michael , Mowbray Paula K. , Wilkinson Adrian , Avgar Ariel
Published: December 2024

Purpose

We aim to advance our understanding by examining voices related to employees’ own interests and associated outcomes for employees and healthcare organizations. Patient safety reviews do not explore contextual factors such as organizational or professional cultures and regulatory environments in depth, and arguments for overcoming barriers to voice in health are underdeveloped. The research has largely developed in separate literature (various subdisciplines of management and the health field), and we outline the divergent emphases and opportunities for integration with the aim of investigating all relevant contextual factors and providing guidance on best practice informed by multiple disciplines.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic approach was taken to gathering and reviewing articles, and coding and reporting are in line with the most recent Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement (Rethlefsen et al., 2021).

Findings

We identified a range of facilitators, barriers and outcomes of employee interest voice at different levels (organizational, leadership, team or individual) in a healthcare context. We identify various theoretical, methodological and knowledge gaps, and we suggest several ways in which these can be addressed in future research efforts.

Practical implications

We make multiple contributions to both theory and practice, including highlighting the importance and implications of integrating disciplinary approaches, broadening context, improving research design and exploring under-researched samples and topics. This information is essential in providing a more comprehensive model of healthcare voice and to shifting management focus to include all forms of employee voice in healthcare for the benefit of staff and patients.

Originality/value

We make multiple contributions to both theory and practice including highlighting the importance of integrating disciplinary approaches, broadening context to include employee interest issues, improving research design and exploring under-researched samples and topics. This information is essential in providing a more comprehensive model of health care voice and to shifting management focus to take a more inclusive view of employee voice in healthcare for the benefit of staff as well as patients.
Cham Muslims’ experiences in Vietnamese education institutions: an exploratory study
Authors: Ngoc Chau Huy , Kim Khanh Mai Thi
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Cham Muslims are both an ethnic and religious minority group. Although reports indicate a bleak situation regarding school attainment and success, little research has been conducted exclusively on the experiences of Cham Muslims in Vietnam’s educational system. This study aims to investigate the challenges and supports that Cham Muslims may encounter during their years in public education. Additionally, this study explores how Islamic elements are received in various educational settings.

Design/methodology/approach

Using qualitative methods and purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Cham Muslim students enrolled in two Vietnamese universities. The data were analyzed to address the research questions and were interpreted through the lens of Bourdieu’s concepts of field and capital, as well as Appadurai's (2004) notion of “capacity to aspire.”

Findings

The findings of this study suggest that Cham Muslim students may encounter unique challenges compared to other ethnic groups residing in mountainous regions. Various forms of support, both from the state and individuals, have been identified as facilitators of educational engagement. However, this study also highlights the challenges associated with Islamic practices in both pre-collegiate and university environments.

Research limitations/implications

Given the exploratory nature of this study, the findings should be interpreted cautiously to avoid overgeneralization. While additional sources were consulted for substantiation, the small sample size limits the generalizability of the results. However, this study can serve as a foundation for future research investigating the experiences of Cham Muslims in Vietnamese education institutions. Larger-scale studies conducted in multiple locations would contribute to the literature on ethnic and religious minorities, which often requires in-depth analysis using various theoretical approaches.

Originality/value

This study is among the pioneering efforts to investigate Cham Muslims’ educational experiences in Vietnam, which has the potential to contribute to both the ethnic and religious minority studies.
Promoting the adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices: The role of crop insurance participation
Authors: Su Min , Feng Shuyi , Liu Ziming
Published: December 2024

This study investigates the impact of crop insurance participation on farmers' adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices using microsurvey data from the China Land Economic Survey 2020. Propensity score matching and an endogenous switching probit model are applied to address potential selection bias. We find that crop insurance participation has significant and positive effects on farmers' adoption of straw return and biological pesticides. Specifically, it increases the probability of adopting straw return and biological pesticides by 45.6% and 46.3%, respectively. These impacts are particularly large for younger, larger scale and more risk‐averse farmers. Our results highlight the necessity of supporting crop insurance participation to encourage desirable environmental outcomes. We also discuss potential policies to facilitate crop insurance uptake in rural China.
The impact of the classified voting system on corporate investment and equity value
Authors: Jin Qinglu , Wu Sirui
Published: December 2024

Granting decision rights to minority shareholders protects them from expropriation by controlling shareholders, but it simultaneously fosters a mismatch between decision rights and decision‐relevant information. Using the setting of China's classified voting system (CVS), which requires minority shareholder approval for managerial proposals, this study investigates the effect of such a regulation on investment responsiveness to profitability and equity value attributable to growth options. Following the real‐options‐based valuation model, we document that the adoption of CVS diminishes both investment responsiveness and equity value. This reduction is attributed to heightened financial constraints following the CVS implementation. Further analyses show the negative impacts are more pronounced for firms experiencing greater information asymmetry, lower mutual fund holdings, and severe agency conflicts. Our evidence indicates that the efficacy of the regulation is contingent on the alignment between decision rights of minority shareholders and decision‐relevant information available to them. Our findings thus provide insights to the regulators regarding the advantages and disadvantages of allowing minority shareholders direct influence over corporate decision‐making.
Flexible or rigid? Evidence on managerial ability and cost structure
Authors: Banker Rajiv D. , Huang Rong , Wang Yuxuan , Yan Yan
Published: December 2024

This study investigates the association between managerial ability and cost rigidity. Cost rigidity refers to the relative proportion of fixed and variable costs. We expect that high‐ability managers will assess the potential upside congestion and downside default risks and choose an appropriate level of cost rigidity accordingly. Our results show that, on average, high‐ability managers tend to adopt a more rigid cost structure because they are more likely to realize favorable demand, and therefore, they retain higher capacity with more fixed inputs to alleviate potential congestion risk. We further document that firms with high‐ability managers will exhibit a higher (lower) level of cost rigidity when facing higher congestion risk (default risk). Our results are robust to using a propensity score matching method, a CEO turnover subsample, and alternative measures of cost rigidity and managerial ability. Taken together, this study suggests that firms' capacity management choices vary with the level of managerial ability.
Telomerase reverse transcriptase gene knock‐in unleashes enhanced longevity and accelerated damage repair in mice
Authors: Zhu Tian‐Yi , Hu Po , Mi Yu‐Hui , Zhang Jun‐Li , Xu An‐Na , Gao Ming‐Tong , Zhang Ying‐Ying , Shen San‐Bing , Yang Guang‐Ming , Pan Yang
Published: December 2024

While previous research has demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) overexpression using adeno‐associated virus and cytomegalovirus vectors to combat aging, the broader implications of TERT germline gene editing on the mammalian genome, proteomic composition, phenotypes, lifespan extension, and damage repair remain largely unexplored. In this study, we elucidate the functional properties of transgenic mice carrying the Tert transgene, guided by precise gene targeting into the Rosa26 locus via embryonic stem (ES) cells under the control of the elongation factor 1α (EF1α) promoter. The Tert knock‐in (TertKI) mice harboring the EF1α‐Tert gene displayed elevated telomerase activity, elongated telomeres, and extended lifespan, with no spontaneous genotoxicity or carcinogenicity. The TertKI mice showed also enhanced wound healing, characterized by significantly increased expression of Fgf7, Vegf, and collagen. Additionally, TertKI mice exhibited robust resistance to the progression of colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS), accompanied by reduced expression of disease‐deteriorating genes. These findings foreshadow the potential of TertKI as an extraordinary rejuvenation force, promising not only longevity but also rejuvenation in skin and intestinal aging.
Effect of diode laser (980 nm) on IL‐8 expression in failed endodontic cases: Randomised control trial
Authors: Morsy Dina Ahmed , Shaker Olfat Gameel , ElKhodary Sherif Adel
Published: December 2024

This clinical study assessed the effectiveness of diode laser–980 nm as adjuvant in retreatment of failed endodontic cases with chronic periapical lesions on basis of IL‐8 expression and postoperative pain when compared to placebo. For 28 patients, the pre‐instrumentation periapical samples (S1) were gathered, following retreatment. After chemo‐mechanical preparation, post‐instrumentation samples (S2) were collected. Patients were allocated to diode laser (DL) or placebo (PL) groups. After which post‐irradiation samples (S3) were gathered. Patients recorded their pain on NRS scale at 6, 12, 24 and 7 days. After 1 week, samples (S4) were collected. An ELISA kit was used to measure an amount of IL‐8. DL group showed significantly lower IL‐8 levels at S4 (p < 0.001) and postoperative pain at 6 h (p = 0.003) compared to PL. Intracanal diode laser irradiation is a beneficial adjunct to endodontics, in retreatment cases regarding reducing postoperative pain and lowering the level of IL‐8 expression.
Long‐term in vivo performance of silicone membrane lungs coated with novel methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine polymers: A pilot study
Authors: Anraku Masaki , Yokoi Ryo , Hara Shintaro , Nobori Yuya , Nakao Keita , Fukumoto Kento , Ono Toshiya , Sato Kazuaki , Watanabe Fumikazu , Isoyama Takashi , Oshiyama Hiroaki , Ono Minoru , Nakajima Jun , Takai Madoka
Published: December 2024

Background

This study was designed to evaluate the long‐term durability, oxygenation, and pressure loss of newly developed, methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)‐polymer‐coated, nonporous silicone hollow fiber‐membrane lungs in vivo using a pulmonary artery‐to‐left‐atrium paracorporeal configuration.

Methods

An extracorporeal circuit from the pulmonary artery (device inflow) to the left atrium (device outflow) was established using dedicated composite vascular grafts in three healthy female goats for the prototype lung testing.

Results

Duration of testing the prototype lungs was 52, 57, or 100 days. Averages of oxygen transfer rates (ml/min) at the beginning of the evaluation were 77.6 ± 17.5 at 1 L/min blood flow, 137.1 ± 58.0 at 2 L/min, and 188.9 ± 86.4 at 3 L/min. Consistent oxygen transfer performance was maintained throughout the experiments. Electron microscopy revealed minimal thrombus formation on the hollow fiber membranes inside the lungs. Native lungs were maintained in good condition without appreciable congestion in all three subjects.

Conclusions

The longevity of the hollow fibers documented here is a key requirement for the development of a device for long‐term respiratory support. The pulmonary artery‐to‐left‐atrial configuration established with our composite vascular grafts could maintain long‐term functionality.
Long‐Term Outcomes of an Infliximab‐First Versus Vedolizumab‐First Treatment Strategy in Biologic‐Naïve Patients With Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Haynesworth Austin , Yeh Kuan‐Hung , Lee Han Hee , Kirkpatrick Melissa , Boland Brigid S. , Syal Gaurav , Xu Ronghui , Singh Siddharth
Published: December 2024

Background

Although studies have compared on‐treatment effectiveness of infliximab and vedolizumab in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), there has been limited comparison of treatment sequencing and long‐term patient‐centred outcomes.

Aim

To compare infliximab‐first and vedolizumab‐first strategy in biologic‐naïve patients with UC.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study in biologic‐naïve patients with UC who were treated first with either infliximab or vedolizumab between 2015 and 2021 and followed over 30 months following initiation. Primary outcomes were the number of hospitalisations, corticosteroid courses and serious infections with either strategy (regardless of switch to alternative therapies) within 30 months. We matched the groups 1:1 through cardinality matching, and fit logistic and zero‐inflated negative binomial models to compare outcomes.

Results

We included 181 patients (94 vedolizumab‐first and 87 infliximab‐first treatment strategy). Of these, 144 were matched 1:1. There was no significant difference in the incidence of IBD‐related hospitalisations (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.98 [95% CI, 0.64–6.10]), corticosteroid courses (0.66 [0.38–1.15]) and serious infections (5.26 [0.62–45.45]), with comparable incidence of medication switches to alternative advanced therapies (1.08 [0.42–2.81]). At 30 months, there was no difference in proportion of patients in clinical remission (69.4% vs. 76.4%; p = 0.45) and endoscopic remission (55.6% vs. 65.3%; p = 0.36).

Conclusion

In patients with UC, long‐term effectiveness and safety outcomes are comparable with infliximab‐first and vedolizumab‐first treatment strategies at 30 months. This can help to guide selection of treatment strategies in patients with UC.
Recognizing work: Respect and professionalism among activist domestic workers following passage of the New York City Domestic Worker Bill of Rights
Authors: Glaser Alana Lee
Published: December 2024

In 2010, New York State passed the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights, the first‐ever US legislation protecting home‐based workers. Although the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights represented a significant change to US labor law and in the lives of workers and activists who made its passage possible, relatively few of New York's domestic workers were aware of the new regulations governing their work after its implementation. The domestic worker activists who fought for its passage, instead, describe the bill as recognizing the legitimacy and visibility of reproductive work, reversing what they understand as centuries of racist norms proscribing their labor. These activist nannies and caretakers of older adults draw on idioms of professionalism to validate claims for the dignity of domestic work even as they regard the protections afforded by the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights as an inadequate first step toward meaningfully improving their employment sector. In this article, I draw on Nancy Fraser's critical theory of recognition to grapple with the afterlife of the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights.
The Use of Prednisolone 2.5 mg Daily During Ramadan Fasting in Patients With Adrenal Insufficiency
Authors: Mok Meng‐Loong , Farook Nusrath Salma , Hee Nicholas Ken Yoong , Sarvanandan Tharsini , Lim Quan‐ Hziung , Lim Lee‐Ling , Vethakkan Shireene , Ratnasingam Jeyakantha
Published: December 2024

Background

A previous study had established the safety and preserved of quality of life in patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI) who received prednisolone 5 mg once daily at sahur (predawn) during Ramadan fasting. It has been postulated that a lower dose of prednisolone between 2 and 3 mg may be sufficient for glucocorticoid replacement in this group of patients. This study aimed to assess the safety and effect on quality of life in patients with AI given prednisolone 2.5 mg during Ramadan fasting.

Methods

Patients with AI on twice‐daily hydrocortisone, who had low or moderate risk of adrenal crisis and intended to fast, were recruited. Patients were given prednisolone 2.5 mg once daily taken at sahur(predawn) and Ramadan education was given. Weight, sleep duration, physical activity, biochemical parameters and quality of life measurements (SF‐36 questionnaire) were analysed at the end of Ramadan and compared against the patient's own baseline readings before the start of Ramadan.

Results

A total of 16 patients (10 men, median age 60 [50.3, 68] years) were recruited. All patients were on 15–20 mg of hydrocortisone (in divided doses) before Ramadan, and intended to fast. Five of the participants had type 2 diabetes with low IDF‐DAR risk category. 18.7% of the participants were unable to complete all 29 days of fasting. Up to 62.5% of the participants reported at least one adverse event. There was a statistically significant reduction in weight (median: −1.6 [−2.5, −0.3] kg, p < .01), systolic blood pressure (median: −17.0 (−28.8, −4.3) mmHg, p < .01) and diastolic blood pressure (median: −13.0 (−17.8, −3.8) mmHg, p < .01). Quality of life measures were preserved in all domains.

Conclusion

With prednisolone 2.5 mg daily in Ramadan fasting, more than half of the participants experienced symptoms of AI, with significant reduction in weight and blood pressure. We conclude that prednisolone 2.5 mg daily is insufficient during the somewhat stressful state of Ramadan fasting. Further studies with prednisolone 3–4 mg daily in settings with readily available prednisolone 1 mg tablets may further elucidate the safety of using lower dose prednisolone in Muslim patients who fast with AI during Ramadan.
Efficacy of Collagen Matrix for Establishing Keratinized Mucosa at Dental Implants: A 5‐Year Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Wei Diyuan , Wang Qi , Sui Huiping , Qin Yixuan , Zhang Han , Meng Huanxin , Han Jie
Published: December 2024

Objectives

To compare the 5‐year outcomes of collagen matrix (CM) and free gingival graft (FGG) used to augment the keratinized mucosa (KM) around posterior dental implants.

Materials and Methods

Thirty patients (44 implants) with inadequate KM (< 2 mm) on posterior dental implants were randomized into two groups that received KM augmentation with CM or FGG. Clinical measurements comprising the KM width (KMW), buccal mucosal thickness (MT), and clinical parameters were examined in a 5‐year follow‐up. Marginal bone loss (MBL) was evaluated with standardized radiographs using the paralleling technique. Patient‐reported outcomes (PROs) during the first week post‐surgery and at the 5‐year follow‐up were evaluated.

Results

KMW increased significantly during the follow‐up period in both groups. The FGG group had a significantly greater KMW than the CM group at the 1, 2‐month follow‐up and after the 6‐month follow‐up. KM shrinkage was observed, and was greatest within the first 2 months post‐surgery in both groups. At the 5‐year follow‐up, the KM shrinkage was significantly different between the groups (FGG: 47%; CM: 70%) (p < 0.01). The MT increased significantly in the FGG group. The clinical parameters and MBL were similar between the groups. The bleeding score in the FGG group was higher than that in the CM group (p < 0.05) within the first 2 days post‐surgery, while other PROs scores were similar between groups in the first week post‐surgery. At 5‐year follow‐up, all patients were highly satisfied with the treatments.

Conclusions

FGG was superior to CM in terms of the KM augmentation and MT increase. Except for a slight difference in self‐reported bleeding during the first two post‐operative days, CM didn't demonstrate other significant advantages in PROMs.

Trial Registration

ChiCTR1800018285 (date of registration: 9/9/2018, retrospectively registered. URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=24156)
Body size and evolutionary rate analyses reveal complex evolutionary history of Alvarezsauria
Authors: Meso Jorge Gustavo , Pol Diego , Chiappe Luis , Qin Zichuan , Díaz‐Martínez Ignacio , Gianechini Federico , Apesteguía Sebastián , Makovicky Peter J. , Pittman Michael
Published: December 2024

Some of the smallest examples of dinosaurian body size are from alvarezsaurians, an enigmatic group of maniraptoran coelurosaurians with a peculiar combination of anatomical features unique among theropods. Despite the large number of alvarezsaurian species described worldwide and the increased understanding this has provided, the body‐size macroevolution of alvarezsaurians has received little attention. Here we reconstruct and analyse directional trends of alvarezsaurian body‐size evolution through an integrated analysis of body mass, ontogenetic age, and morphological rate data enabled by a comprehensively revised phylogeny. Our analyses identify four periods of high morphological rate evolution (Bathonian–Callovian, Hauterivian–early Berriasian, early Cenomanian, and late Cenomanian–Turonian) that we link to the key effects of animal body‐size changes for the first time, including morphological novelty, structural reduction and simplification, elevated homoplasy, and behavioral changes associated with miniaturization. In doing so, this study provides a holistic example of miniaturization in a Mesozoic vertebrate group that offers a framework for other detailed studies of animal body‐size evolution, including in more disparate groups.
Insights into Corncrake (Crex crex) movements in a fragmented agricultural landscape using bioacoustics with implications for nature conservation strategies
Authors: Parisi Andrea , Moran James , Carey John , O'Brien Joanne
Published: December 2024

Movement ecology data are often collected by catching animals and fitting GPS tags. This technique is expensive, biased and comes at an extra cost for the caught individuals. New conservation technologies allow noninvasive data collection, providing ecological knowledge to aid the conservation of endangered species. Using bioacoustics, we investigated intraseason and between‐year movements of the red‐listed corncrake (Crex crex) and their relationships with landscape structure. Our goals were to track corncrake movements with minimal disturbance to the species and determine how landscape features affect these movements. We recorded males over two consecutive breeding seasons in 2022 and 2023 in an extensively farmed agricultural landscape in the West of Ireland. Individual identity was obtained through vocal characteristics of the calling males which were grouped into clusters. The areas of seminatural grassland and margin features, presence of bird refuge strips, and habitat connectivity were extracted from buffers between locations of two matching recordings (same calling male). These landscape features were used as model predictors to determine the distance that the same male covered. We found that, in a season, males moved 415 m on average (min = 10 m; max = 1805 m) between calling locations, which was more than previously thought in the Western Europe. Males also reoccurred on average 375 m (min = 23 m; max = 1231 m) away from the previous year's location. Landscape connectivity (p = 0.01, N = 42) and seminatural grassland area (p = 0.02, N = 42) were positive predictors of intraseason movements, whereas the margin area (p = 0.01, N = 35) predicted further between‐year movements. Considering our noninvasively sampled results in the Irish context, we suggest increasing the protection area around a calling male to 500 m. In this buffer, we also suggest improving the availability of seminatural grassland to 30% and presence of margin features to 3%. Further land management recommendations are provided.
Supporting farmers dealing with climate change: The impact of Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (PICSA) on smallholder lead farmers in Malawi
Authors: Abidoye Babatunde , Aladysheva Anastasia , Haitz Natascha , Montresor Giulia , Nyekanyeka Ted , Orlic Edvard , Prowse Martin
Published: December 2024

Motivation

The climate crisis threatens the livelihoods and welfare of farmers in the global south. Increasing variability of weather makes it ever more important to get forecasts to farmers and help them make best use of this information. Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (PICSA) is an approach that gives farmers better weather forecasts and, in lockstep with agricultural extension workers, supports farmers in interpreting forecasts to make appropriate decisions for their own farms. It has been implemented across more than 20 countries of the global south, including Malawi.

Reviews and evaluations of PICSA have been positive, although it has not previously been rigorously evaluated using impact evaluation techniques.

Purpose

We estimate the impacts of PICSA training and meetings on lead farmers in Malawi, taking farmers in four districts where PICSA operated, and farmers in four other districts where the programme was not present.

Methods

We compare outcomes in farming practice, yields obtained, livelihood decisions and food security between lead farmers who participated in PICSA and those who did not. Because selection into the programme was not random, we use propensity score matching and regression adjustment to correct for potential selection bias.

Findings

PICSA lead farmers used seasonal forecasts to plan farm decisions, change crop activities, increase maize yields, and improve their food security. Differences between them and the control group were, in most cases, significant.

Our results confirm the potential of PICSA to help farmers adapt to climate change.

Policy

In similar contexts, the PICSA approach could effectively support smallholders to make informed agricultural decisions, in participatory discussions, based on climate and weather information.

For Malawi, the evidence suggests the programme or something similar should be continued.
Climate Change Education in a Secondary School, the I‐CHANGE Project Approach
Authors: Devecchi Monica , Dagnino Elisa , Milelli Massimo , Soini Katriina , Parodi Antonio
Published: December 2024

Raising the awareness and interest of young generations for climate change phenomena and its impacts is a topic of great importance from a social and cultural standpoint. Along these lines, education plays a crucial role to meet the goals of the EU's Green Deal both through direct interplay with students and information spillover towards families and in general stakeholders at large. Inspired by these ideas, the H2020 I‐CHANGE project (Individual Change of HAbits Needed for Green European transition, 2021–2025, https://ichange‐project.eu/) aims at engaging and promoting the active participation of citizens for addressing climate change, sustainable development, and environmental protection. By taking into consideration the ongoing fast socio‐cultural change, the vertical growth of digital media, and, therefore, the new ways children and young people learn, this paper presents a possible path towards the practical implementation of key EU's Green Deal concepts in a secondary school, building on top of Episode of Situated Learning (ESL) methodology.
Short‐term crop residue amendments altered the chemodiversity and thermodynamic stability of dissolvable organic matter in paddy soil
Authors: Chen Shuotong , Xia Xin , Feng Xiao , Lin Qingmei , Pan Genxing
Published: December 2024

The chemodiversity and thermodynamic stability of dissolvable organic matter (DOM) in paddy soil under different crop residue managements remain unclear. Using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT‐ICR‐MS) analysis, we explored the molecular composition of DOM in paddy soil 4 years following incorporation of maize residue in different forms (air‐dried straw, manure and biochar). Compared to the control without amendments, manure increased the pool size of DOM but reduced its chemodiversity, while the straw and biochar amendments reduced the pool size but increased the chemodiversity of DOM by 0.22 and 0.05, respectively. Though approximately 60% of the compounds were shared among the treatments, those distinct among the treatments were shaped by residue‐derived lignin‐like compounds. Moreover, the nominal oxidation state of carbon (NOSC), which corresponds to the energy content in organic carbon, decreased with the maize residue amendments, regardless of the forms. Thus, crop residue amendments could lead to higher DOM persistence in the short‐term, potentially slowing carbon turnover in paddy soil.
The role of parent's mental health in shaping perceptions of adolescent mental health experiences after COVID‐19
Authors: Morgan Derek D. , Higgins Connað D. , Rogers Christy R.
Published: December 2024

Objective

The study objective was to examine parental mental health and parenting practices during the pandemic and their association with perceptions of adolescent mental health 2 months later.

Background

Pandemic stress led to greater parental and adolescent mental health issues, including ineffective parenting practices. Parent–adolescent relationship quality may protect parental perceptions of adolescent mental health against ineffective parenting, though few have examined this link.

Method

In a sample of West Texas parents and caregivers (N = 194; 46% women) of adolescents (Mage = 14.2; 35% girls), longitudinal structural equation models were used to separately explore parental perceptions of adolescent depression and anxiety due to COVID‐19 stress on parental psychopathology and parenting practices, and the protective role of parent–adolescent relationship quality.

Results

Depression and anxiety models showed transmission from parents to parental perceptions of adolescent's mental health occurred through distinct parenting practices. Parent–adolescent relationship quality ameliorated the effect of inconsistent discipline on later parental perceptions of adolescent depression and anxiety.

Conclusions

Parental mental health and parenting practices can act as mechanisms between their chronic stress experiences and their perceptions of their adolescent child's mental health.

Implications

Promoting mental health resources and parent–adolescent relationship quality may offset the transmission of negative mental health from parents to their adolescents.
Artificial intelligence terminology, methodology, and critical appraisal: A primer for headache clinicians and researchers
Authors: Dumkrieger Gina M. , Chiang Chia‐Chun , Zhang Pengfei , Minen Mia T. , Cohen Fred , Hranilovich Jennifer A.
Published: December 2024

Objective

The goal is to provide an overview of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) methodology and appraisal tailored to clinicians and researchers in the headache field to facilitate interdisciplinary communications and research.

Background

The application of AI to the study of headache and other healthcare challenges is growing rapidly. It is critical that these findings be accurately interpreted by headache specialists, but this can be difficult for non‐AI specialists.

Methods

This paper is a narrative review of the fundamentals required to understand ML/AI headache research. Using guidance from key leaders in the field of headache medicine and AI, important references were reviewed and cited to provide a comprehensive overview of the terminology, methodology, applications, pitfalls, and bias of AI.

Results

We review how AI models are created, common model types, methods for evaluation, and examples of their application to headache medicine. We also highlight potential pitfalls relevant when consuming AI research, and discuss ethical issues of bias, privacy and abuse generated by AI. Additionally, we highlight recent related research from across headache‐related applications.

Conclusion

Many promising current and future applications of ML and AI exist in the field of headache medicine. Understanding the fundamentals of AI will allow readers to understand and critically appraise AI‐related research findings in their proper context. This paper will increase the reader's comfort in consuming AI/ML‐based research and will prepare them to think critically about related research developments.
Angiogenic and neurogenic potential of dental‐derived stem cells for functional pulp regeneration: A narrative review
Authors: Su Wanting , Liao Chufang , Liu Xiangning
Published: December 2024

Background

Dental pulp tissue engineering is expected to become an ideal treatment for irreversible pulpitis and apical periodontitis. However, angiogenesis and neurogenesis for functional pulp regeneration have not yet met the standard for large‐scale clinical application, and need further research.

Objective

This review focused on the potential mechanisms of angiogenesis and neurogenesis in pulp regeneration, including stem cell types, upstream and downstream regulatory molecules and cascade signalling pathways, thereby providing a theoretical basis and inspiring new ideas to improve the effectiveness of dental pulp tissue engineering.

Methods

An electronic literature search was carried out using the keywords of ‘pulp regeneration’, ‘stem cell transplantation’, ‘dental pulp stem cells’, ‘angiogenesis’ and ‘neurogenesis’. The resulting literature was screened and reviewed.

Results

Stem cells used in dental pulp tissue engineering can be classified as dental‐derived and non‐dental‐derived stem cells, amongst which dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) have achieved promising results in animal experiments and clinical trials. Multiple molecules and signalling pathways are involved in the process of DPSC‐mediated angiogenic and neurogenetic regeneration. In order to promote angiogenesis and neurogenesis in pulp regeneration, feasible measures include the addition of growth factors, the modulation of transcription factors and signalling pathways, the use of extracellular vesicles and the modification of bioscaffold materials.

Conclusion

Dental pulp tissue engineering has had breakthroughs in preclinical and clinical studies in vivo. Overcoming difficulties in pulpal angiogenesis and neurogenesis, and achieving functional pulp regeneration will lead to a significant impact in endodontics.
The impact of obstructive sleep apnoea on post‐operative outcomes
Authors: Hersch Nicole , Girgis Samira , Marks Guy Barrington , Smith Frances , Buchanan Peter R. , Williamson Jonathan P. , Garden Frances , Vedam Hima
Published: December 2024

Background

Unrecognised obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) has been associated with adverse cardiorespiratory perioperative outcomes. However, with changing anaesthetic and perioperative management, there is ongoing uncertainty about the importance of OSA as a risk factor for post‐operative complications.

Methods

A cohort study involving subjects undergoing elective surgery was conducted. OSA was diagnosed with a limited channel sleep monitor. In subjects undergoing routine perioperative care, complications were identified based on the assessment of the attending clinical team. The primary outcome was a composite end‐point of cardiorespiratory outcomes comprising myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, other arrhythmias, bradycardia, need for inotropic support, unplanned intensive care unit admission, pneumonia or respiratory failure.

Results

Four hundred seventy‐two subjects were recruited, with 356 being included in the analyses; 281 (79%) had OSA and 66 (19%) had severe OSA. Subjects with OSA did not have a significantly higher incidence of complications (5.7%) compared to those without (2.7%, adjusted relative risk 1.89 (0.23–15.67)). Additionally, complications were not increased in those with severe OSA.

Conclusions

Unrecognised OSA was not associated with an increase in clinically evident cardiorespiratory complications in this cohort. The lower complication rates compared with earlier studies suggest that increased use of less invasive surgical techniques, improved pain management and increased awareness of OSA have had an impact in reducing postoperative complications in this group. Further research is needed to clarify the impact of severe OSA on post‐operative outcomes in different surgical cohorts with varying risk profiles in order to develop optimal perioperative pathways.
Forms and Functions of Gestures in Preverbal 12‐ to 15‐Months Old Infants
Authors: Gupta Shreejata , Pequay Eulalie , François Clément , Dautriche Isabelle
Published: December 2024

Speech and co‐speech gestures always go hand in hand. Whether we find the precursors of these co‐speech gestures in infants before they master their native language still remains an open question. Except for deictic gestures, there is little agreement on the existence of iconic, non‐referential and conventional gestures before children start producing their first words. Here, we bridge this knowledge gap by leveraging an ethological method already established for describing speech independent gestures in nonhuman primates, to analyze the spontaneous gestures produced by infants when interacting with their caregivers. We manually annotated video recordings of infant‐caregiver interactions (26 h) from the CHILDES platform, to describe the gesture forms, types and functions in six infants from 12 to 15 months of age. We describe 62 gesture forms in the preverbal repertoire. These were categorized into deictic, iconic, non‐referential and conventional gesture types, similar to co‐speech gesture types. We also find that the type‐function relation of preverbal gestures map similarly to type‐meaning relation of co‐speech gestures. Taken together, our results illustrate linguistic properties of infant gestures in the absence of speech, suggesting them to be precursors of co‐speech gestures.
Novel two‐step method for joining alumina ceramic by using Al2O3 powder followed by glass infiltration
Authors: Tang Mu , Zhu Weiwei , Zou Haohao , Zu Guoqing , Han Ying , Ran Xu
Published: December 2024

In this work, a novel two‐step joining method was developed to join alumina ceramics for high‐temperature applications. First, alumina ceramics were bonded using Al2O3 powder at 1550°C. Subsequently, the Dy2O3–Al2O3–SiO2 glass was infiltrated into the interlayer at 1450°C to obtain the alumina/alumina joints with dense composite interlayer composed by Al2O3, Dy2Si2O7, and few glass phase. The content of Al2O3 in the composite interlayer reached 52.7%. As a result, the coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between the interlayer and the alumina ceramic was reduced to only 2%. The flexural strength of the joints at room temperature was equivalent to that of the alumina ceramic. Furthermore, the flexural strength of the joints at 1000°C reached about 90% of that of alumina ceramics under the same conditions. After the thermal cycles from room temperature to 1000°C for 50 times, there was no significant change in the flexural strength of the joints.
Laser‐induced self‐propagating synthesis of Al3BC3 powder for high‐temperature electromagnetic wave absorption
Authors: Lv Junyi , Li Tao , Li Yage , Li Hang , Xia Zhiwen , Zhang Shaowei , Zhang Haijun
Published: December 2024

Electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing materials play an increasingly crucial role in mitigating electromagnetic pollution. In this study, the laser‐induced self‐propagating synthesis (LSS) method was employed to successfully produce Al3BC3 powders with a purity of up to 98.8 wt.% using aluminum powder, boron carbide powder, and carbon powder as raw materials. The preparation efficiency was increased by approximately 20–360 times compared to conventional heating methods. Additionally, the as‐synthesized Al3BC3 powder exhibited remarkable oxidation resistance, with an apparent oxidation activation energy (E) of 213.04 kJ/mol and a preexponential factor of 5.38. Moreover, the powder demonstrated superior EMW absorption performance at 973 K, with a reflection loss below –10 dB within the frequency range of 6.74–7.97 GHz and a minimum reflection loss reaching –45.86 dB at a thickness of 2.9 mm. These results suggest that the as‐synthesized Al3BC3 powder is a promising candidates for high‐temperature EMW absorption applications.
Factors influencing nest site selection in a rapidly declining shorebird, the Eurasian curlew
Authors: Rivers Eleanor Marie , Short Mike J. , Page Andy , Potts Peter M. , Hodder Kathy , Hoodless Andrew , Robinson Rob , Stillman Richard
Published: December 2024

In this period of rapid human‐induced environmental change, it is vital that influences of habitat on the distribution and productivity of threatened species are understood. Ground‐nesting birds are declining more rapidly across Europe than any other group, with large‐bodied birds at the greatest risk of extinction. Productivity and adult survival cannot both be maximised concurrently, and individuals will make decisions during the nest‐placement phase which will favour one outcome or the other; however, under conditions of accelerating change, these decision processes may become decoupled from positive fitness outcomes. The Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata is Europe's largest wader and is showing steep declines in breeding productivity. Curlews are known to use a diverse range of habitats for nesting, where anthropogenic or natural features may influence distribution. There is an urgent need to understand the spatial scales of these impacts, and whether habitat characteristics have a positive or negative impact on nest survival. In our study site in southern England, curlew showed a marked preference for nesting in wetter habitats, primarily mire, and a weaker selection of dry heathland. Nest survival improved in wetter habitats, and the area of mire round a nest site was positively associated with increased levels of nesting success, whilst area of scrub had a negative association. Woodland significantly excluded curlew from potentially suitable breeding habitat, with an impact observed up to 2 km from the nest site, but nest survival did not improve with distance from woodland. Curlews strongly avoided nesting near a major road passing through the study site, despite seemingly suitable habitat nearby. Understanding landscape effects will assist in planning future habitat management for curlew, impacts of forestry and avoidance of additional pressures on a species of high conservation concern.