bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unraveling the awareness dynamics of smart building features and technologies in the Nigerian construction sector
Authors: Ilesanmi Oluwadamilare Olamide , Moyanga Dorcas T. , Oke Ayodeji Emmanuel , Aliu John
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Despite the global shift toward smart building features and technologies, the level of awareness among stakeholders in Nigeria’s construction sector remains unclear, limiting engagement with these innovations. This study examines the awareness of smart building features and technologies, providing insights to address knowledge gaps and improve understanding within the sector.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted the quantitative research approach, using a questionnaire survey to obtain data from construction stakeholders that were purposively selected in Lagos State and Abuja, Nigeria. The collected data were analyzed using various statistical tools such as frequencies, percentiles, mean item scores, standard deviation and the Mann–Whitney U test.

Findings

From the result of the analysis, the study concluded that the most cognizant smart building features and technology were security doors, escalators and lifts, solar panels and energy-saving equipment, fire alarms, heating, ventilation, air and conditioning.

Practical implications

This study provides insights into the awareness of smart building features and technologies among Nigerian construction stakeholders, bridging theory and practice. It informs policy development, enhances professional knowledge and promotes educational initiatives. Its findings support sustainable construction efforts, potentially improving societal attitudes and quality of life.

Originality/value

This study uniquely explores the level of awareness of smart building features and technologies among clients and professionals in Nigeria’s construction sector. Identifying existing knowledge gaps provides critical insights that can guide efforts to enhance understanding and foster deeper engagement with these innovations.
Liminality between the lines: self-defined, socially constructed and ontological constraints in the narratives of Russian-medium school teachers in Estonia
Authors: Zaichenko Liudmila
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study explores the segregated context of Estonian education systems, where Estonian and Russian medium schools coexist. Using the underrepresented theory of liminality in sociology, the author examines the vulnerable positions of teachers in Russian-medium schools.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews as the main method, the snowball sampling technique of data collection and a hybrid thematic analysis. The sample includes 27 teachers from around Estonia.

Findings

The findings reveal that these teachers experience different forms of liminality, shaped by self-defined, socially constructed and ontological constraints. These liminal moments foster teacher reflexivity, serving as a catalyst for their transformations while navigating the state of “in-betweenness.”

Practical implications

Practically, as Estonia continues to navigate its educational reforms and cultural shifts, recognizing and addressing the liminality of Russian-medium school teachers is crucial for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within the nation’s educational landscape.

Originality/value

The study brings theoretical novelty to the anthropological theory of liminality, combining it with a new empirical case of the Estonian parallel education system, which had been under-explored from the side of the Russian-speaking community (particularly the Russian-medium schools).
Succession and real earnings management in family businesses: is socioemotional wealth a predictor for Cooking the Books?
Authors: Flambures Beth A.
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Earnings management is a practice that is detrimental to future business viability. For family businesses, viability in the form of succession, continues to be difficult. The motivation to use earnings management is different in family businesses as they have unique pressures and characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to identify if the level of socioemotional wealth in a family business impacts real earnings management behavior during succession. The goal is to better understand what impacts the use of real earnings management for family businesses so that it can be curtailed, enhancing future business viability and successful generational transfer.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 200 small and medium size business owners participated in an experiment. Binary logistic regression was used to identify any relationship between SEW, succession and REM.

Findings

This study finds that socioemotional wealth and succession impact real earnings management behavior in family firms. When succession is not present, the study finds that companies with high socioemotional wealth are less likely to engage in real earnings management than low socioemotional wealth companies. However, when succession is present, the engagement in REM for companies with low socioemotional wealth drops significantly while the behavior of those with high socioemotional does not materially change.

Practical implications

Understanding how to position a family business for succession realization is important. We do not know exactly what factors impact the failure rate but identifying how facets of the businesses (SEW and succession) might impact REM and ultimately financial performance will be important to small and medium-sized family business owners in the US as they begin their succession journey.

Originality/value

The study’s experimental design using participants in a US family business, offers an opportunity to better understand this critical portion of the economy and the variables that potentially impact real earnings management decisions. It contributes to the literature by offering potential reasons behind the conflicting findings on REM in family businesses and the impact of SEW on earnings management. It offers a unique view of behavior within different family businesses as opposed to a comparison often found in the literature between family and non-family firms. It also contributes to a gap in literature for US small to medium family businesses.
Antecedents of customer retention in the green hotel context: exploring the optimum combination of cognitive and affective factors
Authors: Han Heesup , Kim Seongseop (Sam) , Baah Nancy Grace , Quan Lanji , Al-Ansi Amr , Chi Xiaoting
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The investigation on the complexity of customer retention towards green products/services requires more solid analytical approaches. This study evaluated the net effects of antecedents of customer retention and the validity of configurational causal recipes that lead to customer retention in the green hotel context.

Design/methodology/approach

This study combined structural equation modeling (SEM), a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and a necessary condition analysis (NCA). An online survey was conducted in China to evaluate the green hotel consumption.

Findings

Research findings showed that cognitive factors (perceived health benefits, green product performance, responsible employee performance and green physical environment performance) and affective factors (emotional well-being, feeling of happiness, attractiveness of green product and feeling of pride), played a distinctive role in generating customer retention toward green hotel products. The NCA found no factor was essential in order to achieve customer retention, which indicates that green hotel performance and brand management should pay more attention to emotional factors alongside cognitive factors.

Practical implications

Research findings provide significant managerial implications for improving green hotel services and business operations and enhancing consumers’ approach intention toward green hotel products.

Originality/value

This study adopted mixed approaches to investigate both the linear and nonlinear impacts of cognitive and affective factors that potentially lead to customer retention for green hotel products.
Direct and indirect effects of authentic leadership and gender on occupational well-being: mediating role of perceived barriers to career advancement
Authors: Srivastava Atika , Dixit Shikha
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Due to dynamic work contexts, mid-level managers struggle to advance their careers in contemporary organisations. Literature has consistently showcased that leadership style and gender significantly impact subordinates’ career and work-related outcomes. This study investigates the relationship between authentic leadership, gender, perceived career barriers and occupational well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

Using self-report questionnaires, we collected data from 198 mid-level managers employed in the information technology (IT) sector in Delhi-NCR. We tested two mediation models simultaneously, investigating the mediation of perceived career barriers on occupational well-being. Authentic leadership and gender were the predictors of the first and second models, respectively.

Findings

Authentic leadership was positively associated with occupational well-being but negatively with perceived career barriers. Perceived career barriers partially mediated the link between authentic leadership and occupational well-being. Gender had a significant impact on perceived career barriers. Finally, perceived career barriers fully mediated the association between gender and occupational well-being.

Research limitations/implications

The study showed that perceived career barriers were predicted by authentic leadership perception. In the face of career-related obstacles, managers with authentic leaders tend to have better well-being at the workplace. Further, perceived career barriers are essential in the relationship between gender and occupational well-being. However, the context of India’s IT sector is unique; therefore, caution must be practised when generalising.

Practical implications

Organisations must promote authentic leadership at the upper echelons. Such a leadership style helps reduce the hurdles for managers and improves their well-being. Furthermore, addressing gender-specific career barriers, such as lack of cultural fit, is the key to enhancing female managers’ well-being.

Originality/value

We turned towards positive psychology and utilised the construct of authentic leadership to address the issues of career barriers and diversity in IT organisations.
Empirical insights into the distress risk anomaly: evidence from India
Authors: Singh Pooja , Chakraborty Anindita
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the relationship between financial distress risk and stock returns in the Indian context.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an empirical study wherein the Altman-Z score is used to identify the distressed and the non-distressed firms listed on Nifty 500. The author uses the Fama–French five-factor model to study the relationship between stock returns and distress risk. The study analyses the differences in the factor loadings among the portfolios sorted by distress. It evaluates if incorporating distress risk factors in conventional pricing models enhances the goodness of fit.

Findings

The study reported a positive relationship between the distress risk factor and stock returns in the distressed portfolios, signifying that distress risk is a systematic risk only for distressed portfolios. Furthermore, after including the financial distress risk premium, the observed fluctuations in the small-minus-big (SMB), high-minus-low (HML), RMW and CMA coefficients indicate a common association with distress risk-related information.

Originality/value

This study tests the Fama–French five factors for distress risk and examines its nature in asset pricing for emerging markets like India. The study examined the performance of the augmented Fama–French five-factor model across different sets of portfolios sorted based on distress.
‘Whitby Woman’, ‘Waitrose Woman’: Gender and Voting Behaviour at the 2024 UK General Election
Authors: Campbell Rosie , Fowler Ceri , Sanders Anna , Shorrocks Rosalind
Published: November 2024

Women were identified as key targets in the 2024 British general election. There was much speculation as to whether ‘Whitby’ or ‘Waitrose’ women would swing the result for Labour. This interest in women voters stemmed, at least partially, from the fact that the 2017 and 2019 British general elections were the first where a modern gender gap—a greater proportion of women voting Labour than men and a greater proportion of men voting Conservative than women—was evident in the UK. This article assesses whether the parties’ attempts to target women voters were successful and whether a modern gender gap was a feature of the 2024 general election. Moving beyond analysis of the traditional two largest parties and their associated gender gaps, it is discussed how the gender gap in the UK might be changing as the party system fragments, with a smaller Labour‐Conservative gap, but a large left‐right gap persisting.
Nectar‐inhabiting bacteria differently affect the longevity of co‐occurring egg parasitoid species by modifying nectar chemistry
Authors: Sarakatsani Evgenia , Ermio Jay Darryl L. , Rahman Shahinoor , Bella Patrizia , Agrò Alfonso , Pinto Mirella Lo , Peri Ezio , Colazza Stefano , Lievens Bart , Rostás Michael , Cusumano Antonino
Published: November 2024

Flowering plants can be introduced in modern agroecosystems to support resident natural enemies in the context of Conservation Biological Control (CBC). Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) (Polygonales: Polygonaceae) has been shown to enhance the longevity of several parasitoids through the provision of high quality and easily accessible floral nectar. Yet floral nectar is ubiquitously colonized by microbes which can change nectar chemistry with consequences for parasitoids. Nonetheless, how bacteria associated with buckwheat floral nectar affect parasitoid performance is not known. In this study, adult females of Trissolcus basalis (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) and Ooencyrtus telenomicida (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), two parasitoids of Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), were provided with synthetic nectar fermented by 14 bacterial isolates originating from buckwheat nectar. We recorded the effect of bacterial fermentation on female longevity and nectar chemistry. In the case of T. basalis, females consuming nectar fermented by Bacillus sp., Brevibacillus sp., Brevibacterium frigoritolerans, Saccharibacillus endophyticus, and Terribacillus saccharophilus significantly enhanced their longevity compared with females fed with non‐fermented nectar. For O. telenomicida, enhanced longevity was recorded only in the case of B. frigoritolerans and Pantoea dispersa. For both parasitoids, no negative effects due to bacterial fermentation of nectar were recorded. Chemical investigations of bacteria‐fermented nectars revealed an increased diversity in the composition of sugars and sugar alcohols, whereas non‐fermented nectar only contained sucrose. Our findings show that nectar‐inhabiting bacteria are important “hidden players” in the interactions between flowers and parasitoids, an indication that a better understanding of plant–microbe–insect interactions could improve CBC programmes.
Slaughterhouse tours in Denmark: Affective nationalism in the making of citizen‐consumers and the industrial slaughter of happy pigs
Authors: Mc Loughlin Eimear
Published: November 2024

This article examines how tours of an industrial pig slaughterhouse reinforce the continued enfoldment of Danish pigs into the fabrication of Danish national identity, an enfoldment that underpins the formulation of subjects, human as well as more‐than‐human. A discourse analysis that weaves ethnographic moments from the tours and tour narratives along with historical and literary influences on Danish national identity and current debates on “Danishness” explores how narrativizing industrial slaughter is a means of formulating subjects that are sustained by agricultural histories, existential texts, and fairy tales. Through “humanizing” slaughterhouse conditions, tour guides are performing a kind of affective and pedagogical labor that produces modernist subjects, from the citizen‐consumer to that of the happy pig. In consuming happy Danish pigs, citizen‐consumers consolidate what it means to be Danish as they tacitly accept the industrial sacrifice of pigs, whose lives are worthy of living but crucially, also, worthy of taking. This work demonstrates how a multispecies awareness can enrich our understanding of the complex, unstable, and inseparable emergence of value production, nationhood, and capitalist subjects.
Historical concepts and contemporary perspectives of dental caries—a tribute to Henrik Dam (1895–1976)
Authors: Markvart Merete , Sørensen Christiane E. , Ekstrand Kim R. , Schlafer Sebastian , Belstrøm Daniel
Published: November 2024

Dental caries is a multifactorial disease, which is the result of a complex interplay between the diet, the host, the saliva, and dental biofilms. Although the prevalence of dental caries has decreased dramatically since 1950 in many countries, it continues to be one of the most common health conditions globally. The aim of the present review is to summarize the investigations on dental caries performed by the late Noble prize winner Henrik Dam and his colleagues in the middle of the 20th century, and to relate the knowledge and state of the art at the time to current concepts on dental caries. Henrik Dam is mostly known for his discovery of Vitamin K, but he also conducted experimental studies on dental caries that focused on the role of Vitamin K, the diet, and saliva in the development of dental caries. The discoveries of Henrik Dam contributed to our understanding of the role of saliva and different dietary components, such as fat and proteins, in caries development and prevention.
Impact of treosulfan exposure on clinical outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in children: A substudy of 2 phase 2 trials
Authors: Kalwak Krzysztof , Vora Ajay , Bader Peter , Burkhardt Birgit , Corbacioglu Selim , Drabko Katarzyna , Gozdzik Jolanta , Greil Johann , Gruhn Bernd , Patrick Katharine , Schulz Ansgar , Sedlacek Petr , Styczynski Jan , Mielcarek‐Siedziuk Monika , Locatelli Franco , Reinhardt Dirk , Schlegel Paul‐Gerhardt , Baumgart Joachim , Kehne Jochen , Li Xieran , Beier Rita
Published: November 2024

Aims

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) is a vital treatment for various paediatric malignant and nonmalignant diseases. The conditioning treatment before allo‐HSCT is crucial for successful engraftment. Treosulfan, a cytotoxic prodrug, has gained popularity due to its lower toxicity compared to traditional alkylating agents used for conditioning treatment.

Methods

We investigated the relationship between pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of treosulfan in paediatric patients, in a substudy pooling from 2 multicentre phase 2 clinical trials. A total of 83 children with malignant and nonmalignant diseases received treosulfan‐based conditioning. Treosulfan exposure and its relationship with clinical outcomes, including survival, graft failure and graft‐vs.‐host disease, were investigated.

Results

Our findings reveal no significant association between treosulfan exposure and the key clinical outcomes or toxicity (P‐values between .22 and .99), if the dosing is based on the approved product information.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that treosulfan exposure after standardized body surface area‐based dosing is appropriate in paediatric allo‐HSCT.
New insights into one of the oldest glacial deposits in the northern Alpine foreland (Höchsten, SW Germany)
Authors: Bamford Clare A. , Pomper Johannes E. , Hergarten Stefan , Preusser Frank , Sprafke Tobias , Gegg Lukas
Published: November 2024

The present‐day landscape of the northern Alpine foreland is marked by the cumulated impact of weathering during interglacial, and of erosion and deposition during glacial periods of the Quaternary. Direct traces of the earliest phases of ice advance, as well as thorough studies thereof, exist only sporadically. Here, a succession of diamictic deposits, which has been interpreted as the infill of an Early Pleistocene overdeepened basin, is investigated with a combined sedimentological‐geotechnical approach including analysis via μCT scans, and standard tests of the water uptake, consistency, and compaction properties. The diamicts are exposed along a 4.5‐m‐deep profile, and are subdivided into a yellowish‐brown lower unit with a variable, carbonaceous, silty to sandy matrix, and a reddish‐brown upper unit that is free from carbonate and appears largely homogeneous. Although the lower unit is rather loose and surficially bioturbated, it contains microstructures indicative of subglacial deformation, which are lacking in the compact and clay‐rich upper unit. The lower part is interpreted as a secondary glacial deposit (i.e. it has been affected by limited sorting in water) that was overridden and sheared by a glacier briefly after deposition, and recently bioturbated. The upper part is less sorted, more massive and compact, and thus likely of a primary glacial nature. It is further characterized by a strong pedogenetic overprint typical of prolonged warm periods. This suggests that it is separated from the overlying glacifluvial gravel, which has an equivalent petrographic composition, by a full interglacial at least. Thus, the combination of geotechnical testing and CT‐based micromorphology offers a new, practical and cost‐effective approach to the characterization of glacially derived sediments.
Children's evaluations of interracial peer inclusion and exclusion: The role of intimacy
Authors: Luken Raz Kate , Kaufman Elise M. , Killen Melanie
Published: November 2024

The present study investigated how Black and White American children, ages 6 to 9.5 years and 9.5 to 12 years (N = 219, MAge = 9.18 years, SDAge = 1.90; 51% female) evaluated vignettes in which peers included a same‐ or cross‐race peer in a high‐intimacy or low‐intimacy context. These data were collected from 2021 to 2022. Children expected characters to be less likely to include cross‐race peers in high‐ than low‐intimacy contexts. They also evaluated cross‐race exclusion more negatively in high‐ and low‐intimacy contexts. Black participants evaluated cross‐race exclusion more negatively than did White participants. Older participants were more likely to personally include a cross‐race peer. This study is a first step toward understanding the role of intimacy in cross‐race peer relationships.
The Voices of Minor Children of Parents With a Mental Illness or Addiction: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis
Authors: Van Bergen Lena , Vandenbroeck Michel , Vandevelde Stijn , Roose Rudi
Published: November 2024

This qualitative evidence synthesis aims to show how the agency and voices of minor children of parents with a mental illness (COPMI) or with an addiction (COPA) are represented in existing qualitative research. A thematic analysis was conducted to analyse the parts of the articles reporting on the voices of COPMI/COPA themselves (e.g., through interviews with them). Special attention was given to how the authors of the different articles represented children's agency and amplified their voices. The four themes found were secrecy and privacy, lack of information, fear and worry and informal care. Thus, these are the topics most commonly discussed by COPMI and COPA themselves. They both spoke of themselves as victims and as agents, and these two were strongly intertwined in their descriptions of their experiences and situations. The most important recommendation for policy, practice and research based on these results is that it is important to listen to what minor COPMI/COPA have to say about their own situation and see them not only as a victim of this situation but also as an agent.
An Example of Gender Construction of Children From Different Socio‐Economic Levels Through the Phenomenon of Parenting
Authors: Kurt Şerife Hülya
Published: November 2024

This study examined the transmission of gender within the family through perceptions of parenting in low‐ and middle‐income families. Phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. Participants were determined by criterion sampling method. Data were collected from 60 participants, including 20 families (mother–father–child) representing low (10 families) and middle (10 families) socio‐economic levels. The study reveals that there is a need for social intervention in both socio‐economic contexts. The findings of the study showed that the gendered interactions of parents living in both socio‐economic contexts within the family had effects on children's perceptions and experiences. In the study, parents in both socio‐economic contexts characterized motherhood as sacrifice, caregiving, and fertility and fatherhood as authority, power, income, and security provider. Children, on the other hand, defined motherhood as providing care, fertility, and being responsible for household chores and fatherhood as providing income, meeting needs, and having a profession. A striking result of the study is that although both parents were employed, children preferred to use expressions related to the fathers' professional life while defining parenthood.
Effects of deforestation on multitaxa community similarity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Authors: Maurenza Daniel , Crouzeilles Renato , Prevedello Jayme Augusto , Almeida‐Gomes Mauricio , Schmoeler Marina , Pardini Renata , Banks‐Leite Cristina , Vieira Marcus Vinicius , Metzger Jean Paul , Fonseca Carlos Roberto , Zanin Marina , Mendes Alex Fernando , Boesing Andrea Larissa , Rezende Andréia Alves , Filgueiras Bruno Karol Cordeiro , Barros Camila dos Santos de , Estavillo Candelaria , Peres Carlos A. , Esteves Carolina Franco , Rigueira Dary , Faria Deborah , Mariano‐Neto Eduardo , Cazetta Eliana , Capellesso Elivane Salete , Vieira Emerson Monteiro , Hasui Erica , Júnior Euvaldo Marciano Santos Silva , Ramos Flavio Nunes , Gomes Francisco Sanches , Paise Gabriela , Leal Inara Roberta , Morante‐Filho José Carlos , Bogoni Juliano André , Ferraz Katia Maria Paschoaletto Micchi de Barros , Rocha‐Santos Larissa , Reis Luciana Carvalho dos , Querido Luciano Carramaschi de Alagão , Magnago Luiz Fernando Silva , Santos Luiz Gustavo Rodrigues Oliveira , Passamani Marcelo , Tabarelli Marcelo , Marques Marcia Cristina Mendes , Lima Marilia Mascarenhas , Matos Marlla Alves , Graipel Maurício Eduardo , Silveira Maxwell Souza , Pessoa Michaele de Souza , Safar Nathália Vieira Hissa , Brancalion Pedro Henrique Santin , Porto Tiago Jordão , Püttker Thomas
Published: November 2024

Habitat loss can lead to biotic homogenization (decrease in β diversity) or differentiation (increase in β diversity) of biological communities. However, it is unclear which of these ecological processes predominates in human‐modified landscapes. We used data on vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants to quantify β diversity based on species occurrence and abundance among communities in 1367 landscapes with varying amounts of habitat (<30%, 30−60%, or >60% of forest cover) throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Decreases in habitat amount below 30% led to increased compositional similarity of vertebrate and invertebrate communities, which may indicate a process of biotic homogenization throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. No pattern was detected in plant communities. We found that habitat loss was associated with a deterministic increase in faunal community similarity, which is consistent with a selected subset of species being capable of thriving in human‐modified landscapes. The lack of pattern found in plants was consistent with known variation between taxa in community responses to habitat amount. Brazilian legislation requiring the preservation of 20% of Atlantic Forest native vegetation may be insufficient to prevent the biotic homogenization of faunal communities. Our results highlight the importance of preserving large amounts of habitat, providing source areas for the recolonization of deforested landscapes, and avoiding large‐scale impacts of homogenization of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
Parenting Styles and Adolescent Misbehavior
Authors: Wu Guansheng , Su Yaqin
Published: November 2024

Adolescence is a crucial period for character development and is particularly susceptible to parental influence due to the brain's malleability. This paper examines whether parenting styles can have a significant impact on adolescent misbehaviors such as disobedience and aggression. The results show that, in comparison with neglectful parenting – characterized by low levels of demandingness and responsiveness – authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting styles were associated with a significant reduction in behavioral issues among adolescents. The beneficial impact of authoritative parenting, marked by high demandingness and responsiveness, was particularly strong. In contrast, authoritarian parenting (high demandingness but low responsiveness) and permissive parenting (high responsiveness but low demandingness) were less effective in reducing behavioral issues. Our results remained robust after addressing potential issues of reverse causality, omitted variable bias, and selective sorting between teachers and students. The results also show that teachers and their interactions with parents played an important role in mitigating the adverse effects of neglectful parenting. Overall, our findings suggest that adopting parenting styles that strike a balance between discipline and care can strongly foster positive behaviors in adolescents.
Experiences of caregivers of children with severe self‐injurious behavior: An interpretive, descriptive study
Authors: Breitbart Sara , Yan Han , Mithani Karim , Gorodetsky Carolina , Ibrahim George M.
Published: November 2024

Aim

To describe the experiences of children with self‐injurious behavior (SIB) through the lens of family caregivers to inform the development of relevant interventions.

Method

SIB in children with autism spectrum disorder is challenging to understand and manage. Furthermore, our understanding of the impact of SIB on families is limited. We performed an exploratory qualitative study using interpretive description methodology. Semi‐structured one‐on‐one interviews were conducted as the primary data collection technique. A purposive convenience sampling technique was used for the recruitment of participants through several clinics at one institution. Enrollment continued until 12 participants were recruited, at which time consensus was reached by the study team that sufficient data had been obtained to develop a depth of understanding of key elements of the caregiver perspective. Data were then analysed using a thematic analysis approach to develop overarching themes.

Results

Three main themes were developed from the analysis of the data: the pervasive impact of SIB; lack of resources to turn toward; and the presence of silver linings. Participants described in some detail the many elements of their children's condition that led to a pervasive impact far beyond the child themselves. This experience was augmented by stigma and the lack of available resources. Despite these challenges, there was a strong sense of resilience and hope.

Interpretation

Our study provides insights into the patterns of experiences of family caregivers of children with SIB. These results have far‐reaching implications ranging from the clinical need for enhanced care and collaboration with affected families, the call for researchers to further develop effective treatments, and lastly highlighting the need to work with policymakers to advocate for resources to support children with SIB and their families.
Technology affordances, actualisation and adaptation for heritage preservation: A case study of Beijing's Palace Museum
Authors: Zhang Dan , Pan Shan L. , Guo Zixiu
Published: November 2024

Museums are vital cultural and educational institutions that play a key role in heritage preservation. Despite the importance of museums, the interaction between these conventional institutions and advanced technologies remains relatively underexplored in information systems (IS) research. Adopting affordance‐actualisation (A–A) theory as the theoretical lens, we conducted an in‐depth case study of the Palace Museum in Beijing, China, to investigate its implementation of evolving IS for heritage preservation. We identify three key affordances of these systems and develop a conceptual model illustrating the process of actualising these affordances. Our model extends A–A theory by adding an adaptation phase, wherein the museum responds to the outcomes of the actualisation process by amplifying the achieved outcomes and altering the unintended ones. Additionally, we uncover a hierarchical structure among these affordances, revealing a progressive pattern of actualisation specific to heritage preservation in museums. This research contributes to the literature on A–A theory, heritage preservation in museums, and IS implementation. Furthermore, it provides guidance for practitioners, particularly those in museum contexts, in effectively implementing IS for heritage preservation.
Districting in last‐mile delivery with stochastic customers
Authors: Bruni Maria Elena , Fadda Edoardo , Fedorov Stanislav , Perboli Guido
Published: November 2024

Due to the peculiarities of city streets, last‐mile logistics is typically organized using territory‐based routing approaches, which divide the city into a set of districts and assign drivers to deliver in one or more of them. This allows drivers to develop a deep understanding of the characteristics of each district, and clients benefit from consistent service. However, these advantages must be carefully weighed against the flexibility of daily customer assignments, which enable planners to maximize driver utilization and minimize routing costs. In this paper, we propose a new holistic framework for defining districts, considering the impact on the quality of logistics decisions and fleet capacity usage. Specifically, we address how districting decisions affect the demand distribution within each district. Computational experiments on both simulated and realistic instances demonstrated a significant reduction in costs compared to benchmark techniques.
Field Testing of 2‐Pentylfuran as a Behavioural Control Tool for Spotted‐Wing Drosophila in Raspberries
Authors: Shrestha Binita , Hesler Stephen P. , Meier Linnea , Cha Dong H. , Loeb Gregory M.
Published: November 2024

Spotted‐wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is a major pest of various soft‐skinned fruit crops worldwide. We investigated an alternative approach to traditional insecticides to manage SWD. Previously, we have shown that 2‐pentylfuran (2pf) reduced oviposition in raspberries in laboratory and small‐scale field studies. Here, we further investigated the potential of 2pf as a management tool for SWD under more realistic field conditions. We tested the efficacy of 2pf under open field conditions in 2019 and 2020 using isolated plots of raspberries. For the two 2019 field trials, we used single raspberry fruiting inflorescences and deployed 2pf using a sachet for 48 h and 6 days, respectively, and assessed SWD infestation. We did not find any significant differences in SWD infestation in the 48 h trial but found noticeable reductions when 2pf was deployed for 6 days. In 2020, we randomly assigned treatments to an entire small, research planting of raspberries with different doses of 2pf (low, medium, and high) for both the summer and fall crops and recorded infestations. The low and medium doses of 2pf resulted in significant reductions in SWD infestation in field plantings when SWD densities were low (summer crop), but only the high dose reduced infestations when SWD pressure was high in the fall crop. Our study shows that 2pf has potential as a management tool for SWD under field conditions using a highly susceptible crop, but its effectiveness may vary depending on 2pf release rates and SWD abundance. Future studies are needed to test 2pf in combination with other repellents or with targeted insecticides.
B‐Guide System: Improving the Predictability of Complete‐Arch Implant and Prosthetic Placement Using Fixed Prosthesis Guides
Authors: Bessa Luís , Fonseca João , Cardoso Jorge André , Salama Maurice , Sailer Irena , Azevedo Luís
Published: November 2024

Objective

Computer‐aided implant placement (CAIP) offers improved accuracy and reduced invasiveness. However, traditional static CAIP (sCAIP) protocols for complete‐arch restorations often involve multiple guides and clinical steps, increasing the risk of soft tissue trauma and procedural complexity. This article introduces the B‐guide technique, which integrates implant placement and interim prosthesis delivery into a single device to simplify the procedure and minimize tissue damage.

Clinical Considerations

The B‐guide combines the implant osteotomy and placement guide with an abutment placement and prosthesis pick‐up mechanism. The guide remains in place post‐implantation, allowing immediate prosthesis conversion. A 55‐year‐old female patient underwent complete‐arch rehabilitation using the B‐guide, enabling immediate implant placement and loading. The B‐guide minimized soft tissue trauma and eliminated the need for multiple guides, significantly reducing treatment complexity and time.

Conclusions

The B‐guide simplifies procedures and improves predictability compared with traditional systems by integrating prosthetic adaptation and implant placement, reducing cumulative errors. However, its success is heavily reliant on the operator's expertise, especially in preoperative planning and design.

Clinical Significance

By integrating implant and prosthesis placement into a single guide, the B‐guide reduces surgical complexity, minimizes trauma, and enhances prosthetic outcomes, improving clinical efficiency.
Immunogenicity of a Birth Dose of Hepatitis B Vaccine in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: A Randomised, Controlled Trial
Authors: Tulenko Samantha E. , Ngimbi Patrick , Mwandagalirwa Kashamuka , Tabala Martine , Matondo Jolie , Ntambua Sarah , Mbonze Nana , Mbendi Charles , Luhata Christophe , Jhaveri Ravi , Edwards Jessie K. , Becker‐Dreps Sylvia , Moormann Ann M. , Kaba Didine , Yotebieng Marcel , Parr Jonathan B. , Gower Emily W. , Thompson Peyton
Published: November 2024

The WHO recommends hepatitis B birth‐dose vaccination (HepB‐BD), but it is not routinely given in most sub‐Saharan African countries. We aimed to assess the immunogenicity of HepB‐BD in addition to the existing hepatitis B vaccine (HepB3) schedule in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo among HBV‐unexposed and HBV‐exposed infants. Using an open‐label, randomised, controlled design, HBV‐unexposed infants were randomised (1:1) to receive the standard HepB3 vaccine series (group U3), or to receive HepB‐BD in addition to HepB3 (group U4). A supplemental cohort of HBV‐exposed infants (group E4) received HepB‐BD and HepB3. We compared the proportion of infants with protective antibodies against HBV (HBV surface antibody ≥ 10 mIU/mL) between groups U3 and U4 and groups U4 and E4 at 12 months of age. Between August 20 and October 9, 2019, we enrolled 281 mother/infant dyads; 88 (31.3%) returned at 12 months. Most infants had protective antibodies against HBV at 12 months: 92.9% (75.7%–98.2%) in group U3, 85.7% (67.5%–94.5%) in group U4 and 96.9% (95% CI: 81.2%–99.6%) in group E4. Trends held in estimates adjusted for loss‐to‐follow‐up (LTFU) and baseline imbalance across groups. In this first randomised trial assessing the addition of HepB‐BD to the hepatitis B vaccine schedule in SSA, we found that HBV‐unexposed infants who received the 3‐dose and 4‐dose vaccine series had similar immunogenicity against HBV at 12 months. A high proportion of infants, and notably HBV‐exposed infants, had protective antibodies. Though extrapolation of findings may be limited by LTFU, this study adds real‐world evidence regarding HepB‐BD implementation in sub‐Saharan Africa.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03897946
Abscisic acid enhances SmAPK1‐mediated phosphorylation of SmbZIP4 to positively regulate tanshinone biosynthesis in Salvia miltiorrhiza
Authors: Zhu Ruiyan , Peng Lulu , Xu Ying , Liu Changle , Shao Lili , Liu Tingyao , Shou Minyu , Lin Qinzhe , Wang Biao , Shi Min , Kai Guoyin
Published: November 2024

Tanshinones, isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza, is efficient to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Abscisic acid (ABA) treatment is found to promote tanshinone biosynthesis; however, the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated.

A protein kinase namely SmAPK1 was identified as an important positive regulator of ABA‐induced tanshinone accumulation in S. miltiorrhiza. Using SmAPK1 as bait, a basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) family transcription factor SmbZIP4 was screened from the cDNA library. Functional identification reveals that SmbZIP4 negatively regulates tanshinone biosynthesis in hairy roots and transgenic plants through directly targeting SmGGPPS and SmCYP76AK1.

SmAPK1 phosphorylates the Ser97 and Thr99 site of SmbZIP4, leading to its degradation via the 26S proteasome pathway, which is promoted by ABA‐induced enhancement of SmAPK1 kinase activity. Degradation of SmbZIP4 upregulates the expression levels of SmGGPPS and SmCYP76AK1, resulting in increased tanshinone content.

Taken together, our results reveal new molecular mechanism by which SmAPK1‐SmbZIP4 module plays a crucial role in ABA‐induced tanshinone accumulation. This study sheds new insights in the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds in medicinal plants.
Testing the effects of seed pellet composition to aid in semiarid restoration seeding
Authors: Teichroew Erin B. , Rew Lisa J.
Published: November 2024

Restoring and revegetating semiarid regions with native perennial grasses is an extremely difficult task, often unsuccessful due to harsh abiotic conditions. We conducted studies evaluating the use of seed pellets to improve restoration seeding success in controlled and field environments. In a controlled setting, we evaluated the impacts of clay volume, pellet size, and watering rate on seedling establishment and pellet disintegration. The amount of clay, size of pellets, and watering rate were varied in a full factorial design. Seedlings emerged from 40% of the pellets. Clay content did not impact seedling emergence, but larger pellets (2.5 cm) were more likely to produce seedlings. However, when smaller pellets (1.5 cm) produced seedlings, a higher proportion emerged (15 vs. 9%). In the field, we compared seedling establishment monthly, overall summer recruitment, and disintegration of seed pellets made with 10% and 55% clay to broadcast seed and a non‐seeded control using a randomized design. Seedling emergence was higher for both the 10% (1.4 seedlings) and 55% clay pellets (1.0 seedling) than the control treatments (0.5 seedlings), and also higher for the 10% clay pellets than broadcast treatments (0.8 seedlings). Additionally, we found that seedling establishment and recruitment were unaffected by pellet disintegration. End‐of‐season recruitment was higher in 10% clay pellets (2.6 seedlings) than in 55% clay pellets (1.2 seedlings) and control treatments (1.0 seedling). We also found that 2.5 cm pellets had slightly higher recruitment, indicating that larger pellets may be more suited to seedling survival in semiarid environments.
Catalytic deoxygenation of Reutealis trisperma oil over Al-MCM-41 derived from red mud
Authors: Nugraha Reva Edra , Zendasary Afna Agata , Suprapto Suprapto , Aziz Abdul , Holilah Holilah , Prasetyoko Didik
Published: November 2024

The Al-MCM-41 was successfully synthesized from red mud as silica and alumina source. The synthesis process involved a two-step hydrothermal method using CTABr as the mesopore template. The XRD analysis shows an amorphous structure characteristic of Al-MCM-41 with uniform hexagonal pore structure. The resulting Al-MCM-41 had a high surface area of 461.37 m2/g with the high pore volume of 0.41 cc/g. Morphologically, the Al-MCM-41 catalyst displayed agglomerated small crystallites with particle sizes ranging from 0.6 to 1.4 μm. Elemental analysis showed the catalyst comprised Al, Si, Fe, and O elements, with percentages of 5.45%, 39.61%, 2.72%, and 49.09%, respectively. The catalyst was used in the catalytic deoxygenation of Reutealis trisperma oil to produce diesel-range hydrocarbon. Furthermore, GC-MS analysis of the liquid product demonstrated a selectivity of 48.5% for hydrocarbons and 28.14% of aromatic.
Effect of Tea Waste Extract Volume on Synthesis of TiO2 for Photodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol
Authors: Adnan Nadiatul Asma , Jaafar Nur Farhana , Tri Wahyuni Endang , Abdul Mutalib Auni Afifah , Mahmuelee Torlaema Tasnim Aisya
Published: November 2024

The volume effect of tea waste extract was studied in synthesis of titanium dioxide (TiO2) namely TiO2-1 (1 mL), TiO2-3 (3 mL) and TiO2-5 (5 mL). The catalysts were characterized by XRD, FTIR, BET, UV-Vis DRS and FESEM. The role of tea waste extract in formation of TiO2 was tested to degrade 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) under visible light irradiation.  The best photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-DCP was achieved using TiO2-1 (85%) compared with TiO2-3 (80%), TiO2-5 (77%) and P25 (71%). Furthermore, the optimum volume of tea waste extract was 1 mL and the results show that increasing volume of tea extract increased the band gap and crystallite size, while the surface area was decreased. The role of tea waste extract as capping agent in synthesis of TiO2 contributed significantly to the good photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-DCP.
Biocomposite Material Using Sugarcane Bagasse and Modified Starch for Potential Packaging in Agroindustry
Authors: Visharavidev Palanisamy  , Md Ali Abd Halim , Pramila Tamunaidu  , Muhammad Bukhari Rosly  , Nurhamieza Md Huzir  , Azlan Nur Rasyid Amin
Published: November 2024

The widespread use of petroleum-based plastics in packaging has raised significant environmental concerns due to their non-biodegradability and detrimental ecological impacts. This study explores the development of an eco-friendly biocomposite material using sugarcane bagasse and cassava starch as potential alternatives for agro-industry packaging. The research objectives include characterizing the morphological properties of modified and unmodified sugarcane bagasse, analysing the thermal and physical properties of the resultant biocomposite, and evaluating its potential as a sustainable packaging material. A set of samples experiment were investigated using a constant ratio of distilled water to cassava starch which is 3:1 and 5 different ratios of acetic acid to bagasse. The morphological properties of biocomposite material which are sugarcane bagasse and cassava starch were examined using a Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscope and Fourier Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Tensile strength were used to analyse thermal and physical property. Subsequently, the assessment of environmental friendliness was conducted by biodegradability testing. The results indicate that the most optimal biofilm, in terms of flexibility, thermal stability, and decomposition speed, was achieved with a ratio of (2:1) and (3:1) of acetic acid to bagasse. The results obtained suggest that sugarcane bagasse, when combined with cassava starch, can serve as an effective, biodegradable packaging material, potentially mitigating the environmental impact of conventional plastics in the agro-industry.