bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perception of sustainable construction among Nigerian university students: a case study analysis
Authors: Ayodele Timothy Oluwafemi , Ogunbayo Oyeronke Toyin
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Students’ perception of sustainable construction (SC) practices provides insights into the readiness of future professionals to adopt SC practices. This study aims to evaluate the source of students’ knowledge of SC, students’ perception of SC, the importance of SC features and the factors influencing students’ level of awareness.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a case study of one of the foremost public universities in Nigeria, a quantitative research approach was adopted. A closed-ended questionnaire was distributed to 292 final-year built environment students, and 121(41.4%) questionnaires were completed and analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis. The course modules were also analysed using content analysis.

Findings

The findings revealed that knowledge sources were primarily from academic and internet sources. Also, the results showed an averagely high level of awareness of the terms/concepts, and these have a significantly positive mean difference, at p-value < 0.05. An examination of the importance attached to SC shows that energy/water efficiency (mean = 4.14) was more highly rated, followed by economics (mean = 4.01), occupant health and safety (mean = 3.99) and waste reduction and sustainable materials (mean = 3.87). Factors influencing students’ awareness relate to a lack of clear understanding of what SC is all about, the volume of information available on social media about SC, and the level of awareness/enthusiasm about SC. While the result of agreement analysis showed a high degree of consensus across both genders with three of the four SC themes, the study showed a low level of consensus on the factors influencing students’ awareness of SC.

Research limitations/implications

Potential biases based on the case study approach should be noted. However, the findings could aid academics/educators in understanding factors that drive students’ perceptions of SC.

Practical implications

An intentional emphasis by faculties will afford students the needed footing in achieving the sustainable development agenda through cleaner construction practices and facilitate a smooth transition into environmentally responsible professionals.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is perhaps the first study examining the perception of students on SC and the influencing factors along gender lines using the “Rank Agreement Analysis”.
Effects of restricted bank activity and stringent capital regulation on bank operating efficiency in Sub-Saharan African countries
Authors: Dessalegn Kidist Jiffar , Ejara Demissew Diro , Abera Habtamu Berhanu
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of bank activity restrictions and stringent capital regulation on bank operating efficiency in commercial banks from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts the dynamic model two-step system general method of moment (GMM) estimation techniques. The purposive sampling method is used to select the sample from the SSA population. The dependent variable is bank efficiency, and the independent variables are stringent bank capital regulation and bank activity restrictions. Bank activity restrictions and capital stringency are indexed based on the bank regulation and supervision survey of 2002–2021. Secondary data are collected from the Global Financial Development Database, Bank Regulation and Supervision Database for the period 2002–2021.

Findings

The empirical findings suggest a significantly negative relationship between restricted financial regulation and bank efficiency. Strict capital regulation and activity restrictions lead banks to become inefficient.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the few study on regional level financial regulation effect on bank operating efficiency and it provides empirical evidence on the existing literature through a different estimation technique. The authors expand the existing understanding of the relationship between bank regulations and bank efficiency in the SSA region using major regulatory variables in detail in the estimation models. The rationale behind using such variables is that the region’s banking systems are heavily concentrated and typically inefficient in financial intermediation, and the diversity of financial institutions is limited.
The interplay between entrepreneurial risk-taking and intellectual capital: effects on innovation novelty in high-tech firms
Authors: Delgado-Verde Miriam , Franco-Curiel Jose Carlos
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The paper aims to analyse the effects of interplay between entrepreneurial risk-taking behaviour and each of the three components of intellectual capital (IC) on the degree of novelty of new products.

Design/methodology/approach

This article studies one of the most recognized dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) along with knowledge-based assets owned by high-tech firms. In this way, entrepreneurial risk-taking is analysed considering the companies’ intellectual capital endowment, as a contingent variable, to examine the achievement of a higher novelty in developing new products from firms’ EO. The empirical study was carried out on a sample of 155 Spanish knowledge-intensive firms and based on survey data gathered from two different respondents. Hierarchical regression analysis was used.

Findings

Findings reveal heterogeneous effects of IC components on the relationship between entrepreneurial risk-taking and innovation novelty. While innovative culture (organizational capital) has a positive interaction with risk-taking in the influence on the degree of novelty of new products, relationships with customers (social capital) have a negative one. And, however, CEO industry experience (human capital) doesn’t have any contingent effect.

Originality/value

This study contributes to shed light on the few empirical studies that analyse internal contingent elements in the relationship between entrepreneurial risk-taking behaviour and the novelty of product innovation in high-tech firms. Concretely, specific manifestations of IC components are examined jointly with entrepreneurial risk-taking.
Management struggles with flammable cladding in multi-owned properties – stakeholder stories from Melbourne, Australia
Authors: Otchere Gideon Kwame , Leshinsky Rebecca , Halvitigala Dulani , Callanan Judith , Sinclair Sarah
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Cladding has been used to improve the quality of buildings over the years. However, flammable cladding materials have presented safety risks and problems in some properties. About 800 multi-owned buildings in Victoria have been identified as having flammable cladding. The purpose of this paper is to explore managing flammable cladding risk in multi-owned residential buildings in Melbourne.

Design/methodology/approach

This research adopts a qualitative approach through focus groups of property stakeholders. Narratives from owners’ corporations, strata property managers, building committee members and lot owners were collected to elicit first-hand experiences in managing/living in problematic residential multi-owned properties.

Findings

This study suggests stakeholders experience an asymmetry in information access and availability regarding cladding risk information. Property managers indicated that cladding risk information is available, while other stakeholders, such as committee members, reported a lack of risk information to support informed decision-making for rectification. It was also identified that a lack of a transparent data register of cladding properties is problematic.

Practical implications

A targeted housing policy that effectively monitors occupant health and safety to guarantee building safety compliance would ensure current and future residential housing is fit for purpose. Also, this study recommends that local governments work with multi-owned developments to construct a live database of flammable cladding properties, categorizing properties with a risk rating to aid emergency services.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on flammable cladding used in multi-owned properties.
Theoretical anchoring of management accounting articles: a systematic review
Authors: Beuren Ilse Maria , Souza Halison Rodrigo de
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study sheds light on a paradox in the field of management accounting, since, on the one hand, the concern with the theoretical anchoring of research in this field has been a constant and, on the other hand, there is a lack of a broad mapping of the theories adopted by these researchers. Thus, this article aims to map the theoretical anchoring of management accounting articles published in journals.

Design/methodology/approach

The analyses of the theoretical anchoring were concentrated on the 20-year time frame (2003–2022) of articles published in journals covered by the Scimago database. The text mining technique guided by quantitative synthesis and interpretation was applied in the analyses.

Findings

The parameterized searches resulted in 290 theories identified in 573 articles in the field of management accounting published in 70 journals. The theoretical anchoring of the articles, identified by the n-grams mapped in the titles, abstracts and keywords, was demonstrated by year, author and journal. Finally, the alignment between theoretical approaches and the categorization of theories adopted in the articles is highlighted.

Research limitations/implications

This research brings implications to the body of management accounting literature by adding knowledge about its theoretical foundations, to contribute to delineating the scope of this academic field.

Originality/value

Management accounting articles with systematic reviews have prioritized thematic and methodological aspects. Thus, by mapping the theoretical anchoring of articles published in journals, this study adds and extends discussions regarding the theories adopted by researchers to substantiate their research in this field.
The current research status of immobilized lipase performance and its potential for application in food are developing toward green and healthy direction: A review
Authors: Wang Ning , Wang Weizhe , Su Yufeng , Zhang Jinglin , Sun Baoguo , Ai Nasi
Published: February 2025

Immobilized lipases have received great attention in food, environment, medicine, and other fields due to their easy separation, high stability (temperature, pH), and high storage properties. After immobilization, lipase transforms from a homogeneous to a heterogeneous state, making it easier to recover from the reaction substrate and achieve recycling, which is in line with the concept of green chemistry and reduces protein contamination in the product. There are various materials for enzyme immobilization, including polysaccharides from natural sources, inorganic compounds, carbon nanotubes, metal–organic framework materials, and so forth. Magnetic immobilization carriers have been widely studied due to their ability to achieve separation by adding a magnetic field. Its immobilization method can be simply divided into two categories: physical action (adsorption, embedding) and chemical binding (covalent, cross‐linking). Some studies mainly discuss the immobilization support materials, immobilization methods, and applications of immobilized lipases in food. On this basis, our review also focuses on the changes in crosslinking agents for immobilized lipases, different methods to promote immobilization, new trends in the study of immobilized lipases, and proposes prospects for immobilized lipase research in the food industry.
Evaluation of the national alcohol control strategy (Green Paper on Alcohol Policy) of Estonia
Authors: Rehm Jürgen , Reile Rainer , Correia Daniela , Neufeld Maria , Jiang Huan
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Estonia is a Baltic country with high adult alcohol per capita (APC) consumption. Since 2013, its alcohol control policy has been guided by the Green Paper on Alcohol Policy (GP), which is the equivalent of a non‐binding national alcohol action plan. This contribution attempts to evaluate the overall impact of the GP on APC.

Methods

For the overall evaluation, APC was quantitatively compared for three periods: pre‐GP (2000–2012), the core period of the GP (2013–2019) and the COVID‐19 phase (2020–2022), using Analysis of Variance.

Results

APC decreased on average by 0.25 L of pure alcohol per year in the 7 years defined as the core period of the GP, whereas it increased in the other periods between 2001 and 2022 (period 2001–2012: +0.47 L; 2020–2022: +0.27 L). These differences were statistically significant (F [1, 18] = 5.22, p = 0.035). Moreover, there was no overall trend of decreasing APC during the core period of the GP in neighbouring countries (Latvia, Lithuania and Poland).

Discussion and Conclusions

The combination of the various measures of the national alcohol policy was associated with a marked decrease in APC.
The business analytics skills employers are looking for
Authors: Levendis John , Indika Nuwan
Published: February 2025

Business analytics is a fast‐growing field that requires a combination of technical, analytical, and communication skills. This article aims to identify the most sought after skills for business analytics jobs based on a content analysis of over 2600 online job postings. The results show that the top skills include analytics, communication, visualization, data science, business requirements, and problem‐solving. The article also discusses the implications of these findings for curriculum design and career development. Aside from the standard battery of statistics classes, we argue that every analytics curriculum should contain components teaching statistical communication, visualization, databases, and programming as well as include a capstone project.
E‐Learning in Dental Medicine: A Key to More Equality?
Authors: Hartmann Amely , Steinhoff Sara , Al‐Nawas Bilal , Heimes Diana , Kämmerer Peer W.
Published: February 2025

Introduction

The COVID‐19 pandemic prompted a rapid shift towards remote learning in dental education, influencing practicing dentists' work‐life balance (WLB). This German nationwide questionnaire study, conducted in September 2022, aimed to explore the impact of transitioning to remote learning on the WLB of dentists, considering factors such as gender, parental status and professional roles.

Methods

A voluntary and anonymous online survey involving 672 dentists utilised the ‘Trier Short Scale for Measuring Work‐Life Balance’ (TKS‐WLB). Statistical analyses used R, employing descriptive statistics for metric variables and mixed models for group comparisons. Post hoc analyses utilised t‐tests.

Results

Overall, participants reported an enhanced WLB post‐transition. Gender disparities were observed, with men consistently experiencing better balance than women. The primary motivator for online training participation was the reduction of travel‐related challenges, cited by 92% of respondents. Notably, 52.8% faced no issues with the transition, and 55.5% found online training to complement in‐person events effectively. Women (71.8%) and participants with children (73.2%) expressed a preference for future asynchronous online training opportunities.

Conclusions

This study underscores the positive impact of remote learning on the WLB of dentists, extending beyond the pandemic's challenges. Innovative online training programs, particularly beneficial for women and those with family commitments, have the potential to reshape dental education.
Forest Productivity Decreases in Response to Recent Changes in Vegetation Structure and Climate in the Latitudinal Extremes of the European Continent
Authors: Tijerín‐Triviño Julián , Lines Emily R. , Zavala Miguel A. , García Mariano , Astigarraga Julen , Cruz‐Alonso Verónica , Dahlgren Jonas , Ruiz‐Benito Paloma
Published: February 2025

Aim

Climate change is driving increasingly frequent and intense extreme climatic events, pushing many forests worldwide beyond their physiological thresholds. Despite the major role played by forests in the global carbon cycle, climate change threatens the future potential for carbon sequestration in forests. Hence, studies of recent changes in stand productivity and the underlying drivers over large areas are critical to understand and assess the forest carbon sink. We aimed to describe recent changes in forest productivity in the latitudinal extremes of the European continent and the role of climate and climate change in driving these patterns.

Location

Latitudinal extremes of the European continent (Spain and Sweden).

Time Period

From 1980s to the present.

Major Taxa Studied

Trees.

Methods

We analysed data from > 13,900 plots in Mediterranean, temperate and boreal regions using three consecutive surveys from the Spanish and Swedish National Forest Inventories (NFI). Generalised linear models were parameterised to assess how forest structure, climate and climatic anomalies (mean temperature, annual precipitation, drought, heatwaves) influenced forest productivity across two time periods.

Results

Despite increases in stand basal area, forest productivity declined over time. The effects of recent climate change intensified, with temperature anomalies increasingly and negatively impacting productivity in most regions. Region‐specific effects were observed: Heatwaves and reduced precipitation in the Mediterranean, intensified droughts in temperate regions and increased precipitation in boreal areas further influenced productivity dynamics.

Main Conclusions

Our results showed a marked decrease in forest productivity due to climatic warming over time and a differential sensitivity to extreme climatic events across regions, which will affect multiple dependent ecosystem functions. Our findings provide further evidence that altered forest productivity due to climate change may hinder the carbon sink capacity of European forests.
Predictive Models of Arteriovenous Endovascular Fistula Deterioration in Maintenance Haemodialysis Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Dong Xuhui , Chen Defeng , Peng Wanlin , Li Bei
Published: February 2025

Aims

The aim of this study is to systematically evaluates of risk prediction models for loss of arteriovenous endovascular fistula function in maintenance haemodialysis patients to provide guidance for establishing and improving the model.

Design

The PRISMA guidelines guided this systematic review. The review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD:42023416964).

Methods

This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A comprehensive search was conducted on various databases, including Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China Knowledge Network, Wanfang Database, Vipshop Journal Repository and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. The objective of this extensive search was to identify studies pertaining to predictive models for the occurrence of autogenous arteriovenous fistula failure. The search period extended from the creation of the databases to 4 April 2023. Two reviewers independently reviewed the literature to ensure the reliability of the findings. Extraction of relevant data and analysis of the risk of bias and applicability of the included literature were conducted using the Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Predictive Modelling Studies. Outcome data were reported by narrative synthesis.

Results

Eight studies were included in the analysis. One study incorporated both internal and external validation, two studies employed internal validation and one study utilized external validation. The multivariate models reported that age, diabetes and hypotension on dialysis were the independent predictors in common. It is noteworthy that all studies exhibited some degree of bias. However, the applicability of the findings was deemed adequate.

Conclusion

The prediction model for the occurrence of arteriovenous endovascular fistula failure in patients with maintenance haemodialysis has good applicability. However, the overall bias is high, and the model's methodology contains defects. To address these issues, further research is necessary to construct the model in accordance with the PROBAST tool. Healthcare professionals should intervene promptly in high‐risk patients with the aforementioned risk factors to minimize the incidence.
Radar revelations: insect availability influences parental provisioning in breeding tree swallows Tachycineta bicolor
Authors: Simons Victoria F. , Ann Adams Carrie , Bridge Eli , Jimenez Miguel F. , Abbott Annika L. , Drake Marissa E. , Horton Kyle G.
Published: February 2025

Airspace habitat is essential foraging space for tree swallows Tachycineta bicolor, which rely on flying insects as their main source of food. Insect availability can change quickly from hour‐to‐hour or day‐to‐day, however, it is unclear whether insectivores primarily respond to changing atmospheric dynamics, resource dynamics, or a combination. Rapidly changing conditions are common in high‐elevation areas – an understudied portion of the tree swallow's breeding range. To explore the relationship between food availability and high‐elevation weather conditions as related to female provisioning, we deployed a mobile radar unit to collect insect abundance data during the 2022 and 2023 summer breeding seasons at a high‐elevation site in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. We monitored 41 active nest boxes using radio‐frequency identification (RFID) technology to track female provisioning behavior. We deployed three models to assess 1) how strongly swallow provisioning rates correlated with insect traffic rates, 2) how well swallow provisioning rates were explained by insect traffic rates and weather conditions, and 3) how insect traffic rates were related to weather conditions. Although there remains substantial unexplained variation in tree swallow provisioning rates, we found a significant positive relationship with insect traffic rate, a negative relationship with precipitation, and curvilinear relationships with temperature and wind speed. Weather variables and time of day explained nearly 80% of the variation in insect traffic rate, and the strength of these relationships suggests weather conditions serve as a good proxy of airborne insect activity. This research presents a link between our vast airspace habitat and animal ecology, advancing our understanding of how flying organisms respond to rapidly changing conditions in aerial environments and how multiple factors contribute to variation in provisioning rates in an aerial insectivore.
Experimental Study of Dike‐Break Induced Flow Generated by Instantaneous Opening of the Side Gate
Authors: Zhang Dawei , Wang Zhongxiang , Liu Huiwen , Bi Wuxia
Published: February 2025

A large‐scale experimental model of instantaneous dike‐break induced flow was conducted in this work. Water level variations in the river channel and floodplain, breach discharge, and the surface velocity field at the breach were measured during dike failure. The results show that: (i) The water level in the river rapidly decreased to a minimum (15%–22% of the initial water depth), then began to gradually rise, and finally approached stable. The water level in the floodplain gradually increased and ultimately tended towards stability. (ii) The breach discharge initially increased to a peak, then gradually decreased with a decreasing rate. The peak discharge was not only related to the initial river water level before dike‐break, but also to the river velocity. Under the same conditions, the higher the river water level or the higher the river velocity, the greater the flood peak at the breach. And (iii) During the process of dike‐break, the surface velocity of the breach flow gradually decreased. Other things being equal, a higher river water depth or a higher river velocity led to a larger surface velocity of the breach flow. These findings help better understand the hydrodynamic process and provide data support for models.
Racialized and moral‐religious politics of migrant acompañamiento: Informal hosting as local care entrepreneurship along migration routes
Authors: Winters Nanneke
Published: February 2025

This article contributes to understanding contemporary processes of racialization in the Central American migration landscape by looking at the residential reception of increasingly diverse groups of people on the move. Based on research in southern Honduras, it argues that we need to disentangle the racialized and religious politics involved with informal spaces of assistance or acompañamiento in contexts where migrants tend to stay temporarily. Engaging with the notion of acompañamiento through the hosting practices of ordinary citizens shows how racialization gets produced and reinforced in tandem with religious teachings, entrepreneurial considerations, and local migration anxieties. The article concludes that racialization is shaped through the histories and inequalities of place and confirms the intersectional nature of racialization, which incorporates religious identities and hierarchies. Highlighting how the challenges of acompañamiento help attend to shared experiences of injustice and persistent inequalities of human mobility, the article also contributes to broadening migrant trajectory research to the communities that surround migration routes.
Preliminary Field‐Based Assessment of Disease Symptoms and Physical Wounds in Endangered Shennongjia Golden Snub‐Nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana hubeiensis) Colonies: Implications for Conservation
Authors: Zaman Muhammad , Wei Fangyi , Chen Mei , Chen Luwei , Yao Hui , Xiang Zuofu
Published: February 2025

Background

Globally, approximately 60% of primate taxa are in danger of extinction and the population of 75% of primate species are declining in their natural habitats. The Endangered R. roxellana hubeiensis monkeys in Shennongjia National Park face threats due to their limited genetic diversity and restricted habitat.

Method

Our study aimed to assess the health of these monkeys through focal animal sampling observations of 90 individuals from June 2023 to July 2024. Additionally, we compared the prevalence of health concerns on days with and without snow. We identified health issues in 32 individuals (46%), including wounds, signs suggesting disease, and deaths.

Results

Nine lactating females one juvenile and one infant had eye injuries. We noticed three females and one male exhibiting symptoms of eye diseases. We observed that one adult male and three females showed signs of respiratory disease, while three females exhibited signs of skin disease. We found that one adult male and three females indicated signs of respiratory disease and three females showed signs of skin disease. We found that seven monkeys of different ages, including adults, juveniles and infants, died from injuries, diseases and unknown causes. Respiratory and skin disease symptoms were more common on snowy days than on non‐snowy days. Additionally, physical and eye injuries were also more prevalent on snowy days.

Conclusions

In general, our study investigated the health status of Shennongjia golden snub‐nosed monkeys and found signs of disease, wounds, and death. Our study also highlighted health issues in monkeys, which can help guide conservation efforts to ensure their survival in their natural habitats.
Occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in Three Tamarin Species (Saguinus geoffroyi, Saguinus oedipus, and Leontocebus fuscicollis) Ex Situ in Colombia
Authors: Angarita‐Corzo Karime , Henao‐Montoya Lina M. , Franco‐G Mónica , Riva Henrique G. , Correa‐Valencia Nathalia M.
Published: February 2025

Background

Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is a zoonotic disease affecting public health and wildlife conservation, including nonhuman primates. This study evaluated the presence of T. gondii in three neotropical tamarin species (Leontocebus fuscicollis, Saguinus geoffroyi and Saguinus oedipus) at Barranquilla Zoo, Colombia.

Methods

A retrospective analysis (2017–2022) was conducted on 17 tamarins. Clinical evaluations and blood samples were used to detect IgG antibodies via latex agglutination test. Necropsies and histopathological analyses were used to assess organ lesions associated with T. gondii.

Results

In 2017, 35% (6/17) of the participants tested seropositive, increasing to 100% (13/13) by 2022. Antibody titer fluctuations were noted, with significant increases in female S. oedipus. Four deaths occurred, two linked to active or chronic infections. Stray cats and rodents in the zoo were identified as possible transmission vectors.

Conclusions

This study highlights T. gondii exposure to tamarins, associated mortality, and diagnostic challenges. Recommendations include stray cat management, pest control, and the exploration of vaccines to reduce transmission risks.
The Unsung Drivers of Structural Transformation in Developing Economies
Authors: Chakrabarti Debkumar , Bhattacharjee Sankalpa , Sethi Pradeepta
Published: February 2025

This paper undertakes a comprehensive review of some of the less‐discussed factors that harbor the potential to explain the wide variations in structural transformation, especially amongst developing economies. We begin by critically reviewing the effects of income, relative price, and international trade, which are generally considered drivers of structural change, with special emphasis on developing economies. Subsequently, we bring to the forefront three comparatively less‐discussed factors—income inequality, financial market imperfections, and government policy that can explain a large part of the divergences in the transformation patterns of developing economies. Underscoring the limitation of the conventional discourse that relates cross‐country differences in structure in terms of cross‐country differences in manufacturing, we emphasize the need for the theoretical discourse to move beyond the industry‐centric approach to focus on the recent research that views the surge of services as an additional engine of growth and the possible avenues through which it can affect structural transformation.
Predicting weekday and weekend sleep: Interactions between peers and mothers
Authors: McWood Leanna M. , Erath Stephen A. , Hinnant Ben , El‐Sheikh Mona
Published: February 2025

Adolescents often experience insufficient, inconsistent and poor‐quality sleep. Deviant peer affiliation may promote insufficient or inconsistent sleep schedules, and could be an important factor in understanding adolescents' sleep. Furthermore, parenting behaviours have been shown to impact sleep in youth. We examined relations between deviant peer affiliation and sleep in adolescents, and assessed the role of maternal management of peer relationships as a moderator of these associations. A sample of 131 adolescents (Mage = 15.75 years, SD = 9.5 months; 70% white, 30% black; 54% female) reported their deviant peer affiliation, and mothers reported their directive and non‐directive management of peer relationships. Adolescents wore actigraphs for 1 week to assess sleep hours, efficiency, onset and latency, which were used to calculate weekend (Friday–Saturday) and weekday (Sunday–Thursday) sleep parameters. Using latent difference score models, results indicated that deviant peer affiliation was associated with shorter and less efficient sleep during the weekend. Moderation effects suggested that deviant peer affiliation related to fewer sleep hours, later sleep onset and longer sleep latency during the weekend for adolescents with higher levels of non‐directive maternal management. Furthermore, the greatest difference between weekend and weekday sleep onset was found for youth with both higher levels of deviant peer affiliation and higher levels of non‐directive maternal management of peer relationships. Results of this study provide evidence that deviant peer relationships may be particularly influential for weekend sleep, and that more active maternal management of peer relationships can protect against poor sleep.
Habitat Preference of Risso's Dolphins (Grampus griseus) off the South Coast of Portugal
Authors: Martins Miguel P. , Matos Fábio L. , Cid André , Estrela Guilherme , Quirin Alicia , Borges Francisco O. , Castro Joana
Published: February 2025

Information on the occurrence and ecology of Risso's dolphins off the southern coast of Portugal is limited and poorly understood. This study investigated the occurrence of this species in the Algarve via presence‐absence models. In total 63 Risso's dolphin sightings were recorded with an average group size of 10 animals and a presence of immature animals in most groups (73.02%). Generalized Additive Models were fitted to test how static and dynamic oceanographic variables affected Risso's dolphin occurrence between 2010 and 2020, from a presence‐absence dataset. The optimal model showed that Risso's dolphins' probability of occurrence was higher close to the coast, and positively related to sea surface temperature, reaching a maximum presence probability between 22°C and 24°C. A positive but nonsignificant relationship between chlorophyll‐a concentration with 1 month time lag and Risso's dolphin presence was also detected. This study provides a first step to understanding habitat preference of Risso's dolphins in the south of Portugal and identifies this area's importance for the species.
A Modified Intrabony Defect Model of Periodontitis in Rat
Authors: Cao Pei , Yu Chen‐hao , Liu Yuan‐qing , Chen Liang , Luan Qing‐xian , Liu Jia
Published: February 2025

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare the radiographic depth of the periodontal bone defect, as well as clinical and histological outcomes, between the proposed ligated defect model and the current non‐ligated defect model, which often heals spontaneously and fails to replicate the complexities of periodontitis.

Methods

The proposed model combined osteotomy to create controlled periodontal bone defects (depth of 1.5 mm) and ligature placement around the cervical region of the maxillary first molar to induce inflammation. Micro‐CT analysis, clinical examinations, histological evaluations, and quantitative PCR were conducted to assess defect morphology, healing, and inflammatory marker expression over 6 weeks, compared with the non‐ligated defect group, sham surgery group, and control.

Results

Bone defect in the ligated defect group remained unhealed after surgery (1.525 ± 0.068 mm in depth at 2 weeks and 1.543 ± 0.082 mm at 6 weeks), with inflammatory cell infiltration and elevated expression of IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α, contrasting with observed healing from 1.328 ± 0.075 mm (2 weeks) to 0.593 ± 0.118 mm (6 weeks) in the non‐ligated defect group.

Conclusions

This model not only simulates the pathological features of periodontitis but also provides a reliable platform for testing innovative regenerative strategies and could lead to the development of specialized models for other periodontal conditions.
Compound microbial agents improve the soil properties, fertilizer utilization and bacterial community structure in a continuous cropping soil
Authors: Liu Tingna , An Fangjiao , Su Yongzhong
Published: February 2025

To determine the effects of compound microbial agents on soil nutrient and fertilizer utilization, the diversity and metabolic pathways of continuous cropping soil bacterial communities, and the key driving factors, a pot experiment was established with six treatments: no fertilizer application (T1), conventional fertilizer application (T2), T2 + microbial agents (T3), T2 + biochar + microbial agents (T4), T2 + attapulgite clay + microbial agents (T5), and T2 + organic fertilizer + microbial agents (T6). We used high‐throughput sequencing technology to determine changes in wheat growth, soil nutrients, and bacterial community structure composition and diversity in different treatments. The results showed that (1) microbial agents alone and combination treatments significantly increased spikelet number, grain number per spikelet, and seed weight of wheat as compared with T2 and T1 (p < .05). (2) The application of microbial agents significantly improved soil nutrient content and fertilizer utilization, in that T4 significantly improved soil organic matter and total nutrients, T6 significantly improved soil effective nutrient content, T3, T4, T5, and T6 significantly increased agronomic efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers (AEN) by 22.6%, 41.5%, 24.7%, and 30.8% compared with T2, T4, and T5 significantly improved nitrogen fertilizer utilization (REN) by 33.0% and 24.0%, 49.6% and 39.5% compared with T3 and T2 (p < .05). (3) The compound microbial agents significantly affected the composition of soil bacterial communities, for example, it significantly decreased the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota and Proteobacteria, and significantly increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes. (4) The diversity and richness of soil bacterial communities were mainly influenced by TP, TN, AN, TC, and OM content in the soil. The combined application of microbial agents with organic fertilizers, biochar, and attapulgite changed the balance of the original soil microbial system, provided more nutrients to the soil environment, and supplemented the microbial species required by the crop, thus increasing the soil nutrient content. In addition, PICRUSt analysis showed that the metabolic pathways were generally similar across different treatments. These results improve the understanding of soil microecological environment in arid areas and support sustainable agriculture by establishing soil improvement strategies with a single and combined application of microbial agents to improve soil fertility.
Characterisation of the Novel HLA‐A*68:325 Allele by Sequencing‐Based Typing
Authors: Pajot Thibault , Elsermans Vincent , Top Isabelle , Labalette Myriam
Published: February 2025

HLA‐A*68:325 differs from HLA‐A*68:01:01:01 by one nucleotide substitution in codon −20 in exon 1.
Efficacy and Safety of Letermovir for Cytomegalovirus Prophylaxis in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Recipients: A Systematic Review, Meta‐Analysis, and Meta‐Regression
Authors: Aldalati Abdullah Yousef , Hussein Ayham Mohammad , Balbaa Elsayed , Hammadeh Bara M. , idrees Muhammad , Aloudat Osama , Albliwi Moath , Abuassi Mohammad , Sultan Iyad
Published: February 2025

Objective

Letermovir (LTV) is a novel antiviral agent approved by the FDA in 2017 for CMV prophylaxis in adult CMV‐seropositive allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) recipients and approved for pediatric use in 2024. This study systematically evaluates the efficacy and safety of LTV prophylaxis for CMV infection in pediatric allo‐HSCT recipients.

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to December 2024 for studies that evaluated the use of LTV prophylaxis in pediatric allo‐HSCT recipients. We conducted single‐arm meta‐analysis using Open Meta Analyst software and double‐arm meta‐analysis using R Studio. We pooled the dichotomous outcomes as event and total using the fixed‐effects model.

Results

Twelve articles were included in the analysis. The single‐arm meta‐analysis indicated that the prophylactic use of LTV against CMV among pediatrics was associated with a 10.9% (95% CI: 0.065, 0.153) infection rate without any disease occurrence. The percentage of patients who discontinued the drug due to adverse reactions was only 2.4% (95% CI: 0.003, 0.045), and all‐cause mortality was 7.9% (95% CI: 0.032, 0.126). The double‐arm meta‐analysis results indicated that the incidence of CMV infection was significantly lower in the LTV group in comparison to the control group (RR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.56; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

LTV has demonstrated safety and efficacy in preventing CMV infection and disease among high‐risk pediatric patients. Future large scale randomized trials are necessary to validate the findings.
Attainability of the best constant of Hardy–Sobolev inequality with full boundary singularities
Authors: Sun Liming , Wang Lei
Published: February 2025

We consider a type of Hardy–Sobolev inequality, whose weight function is singular on the whole domain boundary. We are concerned with the attainability of the best constant of such inequality. In dimension two, we link the inequality to a conformally invariant one using the conformal radius of the domain. The best constant of such inequality on a smooth bounded domain is achieved if and only if the domain is non‐convex. In higher dimensions, the best constant is achieved if the domain has negative mean curvature somewhere. If the mean curvature vanishes but is non‐umbilic somewhere, we also establish the attainability for some special cases. In the other direction, we also show that the best constant is not achieved if the domain is sufficiently close to a ball in  sense.
An Integrated Closed Loop Flowsheet for Production of Highly Enriched 63Ni and Deposition of 63Ni Coatings
Authors: Mazgunova V. A. , Kostylev A. I. , Babain V. A. , Alyapyshev M. Yu.
Published: February 2025

The existing technologies for the production, separation, and purification of 63Ni, as well as methods for the deposition of nickel coatings to fabricate a betavoltaic nuclear battery have been reviewed. A new integrated closed loop flowsheet for the production of highly enriched 63Ni and deposition of 63Ni coatings using a single reagent, phosphorus trifluoride (PF3), in all stages of the process is proposed. The use of tetrakis(trifluorophosphine)nickel [Ni(PF3)4] allows isotopic enrichment of 62Ni and 63Ni, purification of irradiated Ni from radioactive impurities, and deposition of highly enriched 63Ni onto a semiconductor substrate. The proposed flowsheet allows the amount of the liquid radioactive waste generated during isotope purification and coating deposition to be reduced as compared to traditional “wet” chemistry methods.
Preparation of a Nanodiamond Suspension with Immobilized Scandium Isotopes for in vivo Studies
Authors: Kazakov A. G. , Pavlova D. V. , Ushakov I. A. , Nesterov E. A. , Skuridin V. S. , Odintsova E. A. , Vinokurov S. E. , Myasoedov B. F.
Published: February 2025

Conditions were determined for preparing a suspension of detonation synthesis nanodiamonds (NDs) with immobilized scandium in solutions, meeting the requirements to solutions for intravenous administration of radiopharmaceuticals based on the medicinal isotopes 44Sc and 47Sc. The possibility of the quantitative binding of scandium with ND samples in isotonic solutions having the required pH and containing the minimal ND amount was demonstrated. The Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherm parameters and ΔG of adsorption were determined for the most promising ND sample under the optimum conditions. The conditions found for preparing NDs with immobilized scandium isotopes will allow in vivo studies in the future.
Heavy neutral lepton searches at an ICARUS-like detector using NuMI beam
Authors: Chatterjee Animesh , Hernandez-Garcia Josu , De Roeck Albert
Published: February 2025

The discovery of non-zero neutrino masses and mixings that the Standard Model (SM) cannot accommodate opens up the possibility of the existence of Heavy Neutral Leptons (HNLs). In minimal models, the HNL production and decay are controlled by SM interactions and the mixing between HNLs and the active neutrino and typically result in relatively long lifetimes if the masses are in the MeV–GeV range. We have studied the physics case and technical feasibility for a dedicated HNL search using the NuMI beam at an ICARUS-like detector. Our analysis demonstrates that the constraints on the mixing of the HNL as a function of its mass for an ICARUS-like detector with NuMI beam are highly competitive with the limits obtained from present experiments.
A New Transformer-Less Inverter for a Photovoltaic System Using Dual Memorizing Optimization
Authors: Bhise Saurabh Krushnatrao , Khot Suhas S.
Published: February 2025

Generally among the inverter and the alternating current (AC) grid, a low-frequency transformer is used when converting solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity to the grid. However, the transformer adds weight, increases cost, and decreases the efficiency of the system. To solve the aforementioned shortcomings of transformer-based inverters, researchers have created transformer-less inverters (TLIs). However, because there is no galvanic separation between the inverter and the grid, TLIs also suffer from high-frequency leakage current, safety, and direct current (DC) injection. To reduce the value of leakage current in TLI, the dual memorizing optimization (DMO) approach is proposed in this research. The optimal parameters required for regulating the TLI’s current, voltage, and power are attained by the utilized DMO optimization strategies. The DMO is formulated by hybridizing the crow search and teacher learning optimization where the memorizing capability of crow is merged with the knowledge-sharing characteristics of the teacher-learner algorithm for maximizing the processing speed and reducing the computation complexity. Modifying the efficient parameters such as current gain and voltage gain using the DMO algorithm improves the overall performance of the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller. At [Formula: see text]C temperature, the proposed DMO method attains the values such as grid current, voltage, and power as 13.67[Formula: see text]A, 337.44[Formula: see text]V, and 3440.45[Formula: see text]W, PV current and voltage as 2.0147[Formula: see text]A, 425.12[Formula: see text]V, diode current is 0.1059[Formula: see text]pu, Iq current is 0.0277[Formula: see text]pu, inverter voltage is [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]V, the modulation index is 0.7863, Uref is [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]pu, which is more efficient.
Palmar Z-Osteotomy for Distal Radius Fractures
Authors: LIM Hui Neng , SATKU Mala , XU Jieying , TEOH Lam-Chuan
Published: February 2025

Background: Distal radius fractures (DRFs) are a common injury with fracture parameters guiding surgical treatment. Palmar plating is the most common method of fixation in patients needing surgical fixation. However, in fractures with a complete or nearly intact volar cortex, reduction of the fracture fragments may be challenging with the palmar approach. We use a novel Z-osteotomy technique to address this issue and report on our outcomes.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of all patients where a volar Z-osteotomy technique was used. We assessed pre-, intra- and postoperative radiographic parameters, fracture union and final wrist range of motion of all patients.

Results: Twelve DRFs in 11 patients were analysed. All fractures were successfully plated palmarly with volar tilt 9–14 (average: 11.3) and all achieved fracture union. This was maintained in the final radiographs with good clinical wrist range of motion.

Conclusions: The volar Z-osteotomy technique described allows surgeons to achieve anatomical reduction of volar tilt in DRFs where the volar cortex is intact with good clinical and radiological outcomes.

Level of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic)
Pinning the Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint in Abduction Can Reduce Skin Irritation from Suzuki Frame Treatment for Metacarpophalangeal Joint Fractures
Authors: SAEKI Yuji , SAKAMOTO Sotetsu , HATTORI Yasunori , DOI Kazuteru
Published: February 2025

Comminuted intra-articular fractures of the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) of the thumb are difficult to treat because of challenges with anatomical fixation. The pins and rubbers traction system (PRTS), described by Suzuki et al., is a minimally invasive technique that enables early range-of-motion training while maintaining joint congruency. PRTS exhibits advantages relative to other dynamic external fixation techniques due to its simplicity, low cost and compact design. It has been used mainly in treating primarily proximal interphalangeal joint (IPJ) fractures. We present two patients where we used a PRTS for comminuted intra-articular fractures of the thumb MCPJ with good outcomes. We temporarily pinned the carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) in maximum abduction to avoid skin irritation from the ulnar aspect of the axial traction wire in thumb adduction.

Level of Evidence: Level V (Therapeutic)