bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unveiling the mediating mechanism of burnout in relationship between work–family conflict and job outcomes among millennials workers at work
Authors: Zainal Badri Siti Khadijah , Ngo Michelle She Min
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This paper investigates the linkage between work–family conflict, turnover intention (TOI) and job satisfaction (JS) in the context of millennial workers. It also examines the role of burnout as a mediator in this relationship, acknowledging the unique struggles of this generation.

Design/methodology/approach

About 352 millennials were recruited for this study. Data were collected using an online survey, and analysis was performed using path analysis and structural equation modeling.

Findings

This study found a significant association between work-to-family conflict with TOI and JS but not family-to-work conflict. Burnout is found to be a partial mediator for the relationship between work-to-family conflict and the outcomes. In comparison, it is a full mediator for family-to-work conflict.

Practical implications

Findings from this study reveal that work–family conflict influences millennials’ job satisfaction and turnover intention through their burnout experience. Hence, organizations should focus on strategies aiming to mitigate work-family conflict and burnout.

Originality/value

This study unveils the mechanism of burnout in explaining work–family conflict and the JS and TOI of millennial workers. It outlines suggestions and ways to manage millennials at work through a responsive environment toward both their work and life aspects.
Does time orientation improve Islamic cultural finance
Authors: Al-Hersh Nafith Fayez
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Time orientation as a proxy of culture can play an important role in promoting the industry and underpin the new field of “Islamic cultural finance.” This paper aims to investigate the effect of time orientation on Islamic finance.

Design/methodology/approach

The dynamic generalized method of moments was used to study the influence of time orientation in 45 countries from 2012–2020 in the main analysis. Fixed-Effect Model was applied for the regional analysis.

Findings

Results indicate the existence of a significant effect of “time orientation” on Islamic finance. In regional comparison analysis, time orientation is not significant in some regions, such as non-Asian and Arab countries. The market is very limited in non-Asian countries, while similarities in scope between Islamic and conventional finance reduce the long-term orientation in Arab countries.

Practical implications

Improving the time orientation of weak countries enhances the industry’s status in those countries and pushes it to compete with the leading countries in the industry. Culture is a comprehensive framework that includes all factors located within it. While governance is imposed through regulation and procedures and raises the cost of business, culture is integral and built-in, and thus it is less expensive, and its presence is stronger, facilitating the applications of Islamic finance.

Originality/value

This paper proposed time orientation as a proxy for culture and extended the new domain of Islamic cultural finance using quantum (econometric) methods instead of surveys and questionnaires.
Intention toward sustainable entrepreneurship in Vietnam
Authors: Bui Thi Thu Trang , Delladio Silvia , Serpico Davide , Trento Sandro
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to explore the factors influencing sustainable entrepreneurial intentions in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 330 university students in Vietnam was conducted, and the data were analyzed using multiple regressions. Applying the theory of planned behavior and the entrepreneurial event model as theoretical lens, the findings suggest that attitude toward sustainability and perceived entrepreneurial feasibility influence positively sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial intentions.

Findings

Contrary to what expected, perceived entrepreneurial desirability has no impact on sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial intentions. In addition, attitude toward sustainability is positively influenced by altruism and intrinsic rewards, whereas perceived entrepreneurial feasibility is positively related to self-efficacy and negatively related to job security. Finally, perceived entrepreneurial desirability is positively influenced by intrinsic rewards.

Originality/value

The research applies the entrepreneurial intention model to sustainable entrepreneurship in the Vietnamese context, highlighting the need to consider variations in entrepreneurial opportunities in intention models and the potential conflict between different work values.
Gender impact on business growth in Europe and the Middle East and North Africa
Authors: Gilani Sayed Abdul Majid , Mohamed Hashim Mohamed Ashmel , Tlemsani Issam , Tantry Ansarullah , Whitehead James
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyse how gender diversity within corporate boardrooms influences business growth, specifically comparing the contexts of Europe and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It aims to explore the dynamics of gender representation in leadership roles, evaluate its impact on organizational performance and assess how cultural and socio-economic factors affect gender diversity in these distinct regions. The study seeks to provide insights that can inform policies promoting gender equality in leadership, contributing to improved decision-making and potentially enhancing business outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative and comparative approach, this study includes responses from 430 business leaders, with 210 from MENA and 220 from Europe. Data were collected through structured surveys and analysed using SPSS to determine the correlation between gender diversity in boardrooms and business growth. Data were collected through structured surveys and analysed using analysis of variance in SPSS to determine the potential gender diversity in boardrooms and business growth.

Findings

The analysis reveals a strong male dominance in decision-making roles in both European and MENA businesses, with men holding most power and influence. European boardrooms show slightly more gender diversity than MENA, though this does not consistently correlate with higher business growth. Interestingly, MENA reports stronger growth despite less diversity. Women leaders in both regions are effective and dedicated but remain underrepresented.

Research limitations/implications

The findings call for region-specific policies to enhance gender diversity in leadership, with Gender Equality Action Plans tailored to Europe and MENA. Businesses should adopt mentorship and inclusive policies to support growth through diverse leadership. Promoting diversity can drive workplace equality, supported by education. Further research on long-term impacts and stakeholder engagement is recommended to foster change.

Originality/value

This research enhances literature by examining women’s representation in gender-balanced boardrooms and addressing the East-West divide. It fills gaps with practical, policy and theoretical recommendations, offering valuable insights for businesses and policymakers promoting gender equality in leadership.
Exploring the ethical fabric: an analysis of the interaction between journalistic principles, newsroom routines and ethics in the resolutions of the Ethics Council of Chilean Media
Authors: Greene González Francisca , Hormazábal Constanza
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between journalistic principles, newsroom routines and ethics from the perspectives of complainants, media outlets and the Ethics Council in the resolutions issued by the Ethics Council of the Chilean Media Federation.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the resolutions issued by the Council over the past 10 years, a content analysis was conducted on the texts of audience complaints, media responses and Council rulings. The purpose of this content analysis is to discover whether a lack of ethics or ethics compliance is argued with the application or lack of application of principles and/or the application or lack of application of routines, or both.

Findings

The findings reveal that complainants, media outlets and the Ethics Council value different principles and routines in relation to journalistic ethics. Complainants use routines as a basis to accuse media outlets of ethical violations, whereas media outlets use them to defend themselves by arguing that their behavior was ethical. The Ethics Council, on the other hand, uses both journalistic routines and principles as reference frameworks to determine whether there has been an ethical breach by a media outlet. Generally, the Council establishes a direct connection between well-applied routines and adherence to journalistic principles, leading to ethical journalistic practices.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited because it only considers resolutions issued over the past 10 years. It may be interesting to determine whether the resolutions of the first 20 years of the Council tend to prioritize the same principles and routines or whether there is an evolution in the arguments presented by complainants, media outlets and the Council. This comparison can be made in a future study. It is also limited because the data on principles and routines are highly influenced by the type of case being addressed.

Originality/value

This study is of particular interest today. At a global level, the rise of social media and the “ethical vagueness” that they raise confuses audiences and challenges the way professional media work. At the local level, Chile is facing new definitions of freedom of the press and of expression as part of ongoing efforts to draft a new constitution. This extends to the self-regulation of media and the sphere in which journalistic ethics is deployed.
Digital enablers of entrepreneurial innovation: fsQCA and NCA analysis
Authors: Reyes-Mercado Pável , Larios Hernandez Guillermo J.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to analyze the country-level causal configurations of digital enablers that result in entrepreneurial innovation in new ventures. Entrepreneurial innovation is a complex phenomenon that draws on a combination of context-dependent causal conditions, which explain the configurations of external factors that integrate into the entrepreneurial process. In this paper, we focus on the contextual role of information and communication technologies (ICT) from an organizational center-edge approach.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs case-oriented techniques, specifically fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA), to identify the necessary and sufficient conditions that lead to entrepreneurial innovation. A dataset comprising 61 countries was merged from the World Economic Forum’s Networked Readiness Index and the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor in order to explore the causal combinations of ICT adoption, online transactions business-to-business, business model innovation and organizational innovation.

Findings

The fsQCA demonstrates that entrepreneurial innovation can be attributed to two causal configurations. The first configuration includes ICT adoption, online business-to-business transactions and the absence of organizational innovation. The second configuration is characterized by ICT adoption, online business-to-business transactions and business model innovation. The NCA reveals that the conditions in question possess varying degrees of importance, with each condition exerting a distinct degree of influence on the generation of varying levels of entrepreneurial innovation. The case-oriented techniques employed in this research paper have yielded preliminary insights into the relationship between digital enablers and entrepreneurial innovation, particularly in groups of countries with varying degrees of necessity to these enablers.

Practical implications

Our research provides a framework for the development of more effective digital strategic mixes for each identified group of countries. It also raises theoretical questions about the national conditions that encourage a particular digital enabler to stimulate a specific form of entrepreneurial innovation in new ventures.

Originality/value

In lieu of pursuing definitive causal explanations, this study proposes alternative configurations. While fsQCA demonstrates that entrepreneurial innovation is contingent upon distinctive causal conditions, extending the analysis to NCA reveals the level of necessity required for a condition to yield varying degrees of entrepreneurial innovation. The integration of fsQCA and NCA offers a more nuanced understanding of context-dependent factors that define entrepreneurial innovation in new ventures than fsQCA alone.
The effect of service robots on employees’ customer service performance and service-oriented organizational citizenship behavior
Authors: Gong Taeshik
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the effect of service robots on employees’ customer service performance and service-oriented organizational citizenship behavior through psychological need satisfaction and role stress. Moreover, this paper examines the moderating role of service robots’ autonomy.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collected from managers and employees at hotels in South Korea were used to test the aforementioned association. In this paper, partial least squares structural equation modeling was performed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Service robots enhance service employee performance through employees’ psychological need satisfaction, which can decrease service employee performance through role stress. As hypothesized, service robots’ autonomy is the moderator on these associations.

Practical implications

This study shows that using service robots does not always lead to positive employee performance. Therefore, managers should find ways to mitigate the role stress and enhance perceived robot autonomy.

Originality/value

This study offers a balanced perspective of the personal benefits and costs of the use of service robots by developing a dual-path model that unpacks the energizing and draining mechanisms underlying the double-edged effects of working with service robots on employees’ psychological strain and employees’ psychological needs.
Shared leadership and employee creative deviance: psychological contract and felt obligation
Authors: Zhang Chunyu , Xu Jiayan , Liu Liping
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between shared leadership, psychological contract, felt obligation and employees’ creative deviance as well as to investigate the mediating role of psychological contract and the moderating role of felt obligation in these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used convenience sampling to obtain longitudinal data collected (interval of one week) from 348 frontline hotel employees. The SPSS Process Model 5 was used to test the moderated mediation model.

Findings

The results indicated that shared leadership has a significant positive impact on both employee creative deviance and psychological contract and psychological contract positively influences creative deviance. The results confirmed that the psychological contract mediated the relationship between shared leadership and employee creative deviance. The study also highlighted the moderating role of felt obligation on the relationship between shared leadership and employee creative deviance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on shared leadership, psychological contract, felt obligation and creative deviance by providing empirical evidence of the mediating and moderating effects of psychological contract and felt obligation on the relationship between shared leadership and employee creative deviance. The findings offer practical insights into how organizations can leverage shared leadership to enhance employee creative deviance through psychological contract and felt obligation.
Common institutional ownership and the cost of equity capital: evidence from China
Authors: Ma Huanyu , Zhang Man , Luo Zimeng
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The role of common institutional ownership is becoming increasingly significant in China’s capital market. However, it remains unclear whether common institutional ownership plays a synergistic or collusive role in China’s capital market. Therefore, the study examines the impact of common institutional ownership on the cost of equity capital within the specific context of China.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a sample of Chinese listed firms over the period 2007–2021. It mainly employs ordinary least squares regression to examine the relationship between common ownership and the cost of equity.

Findings

Common institutional ownership has a beneficial, synergistic and monitoring role in reducing a firm’s cost of equity capital in the Chinese emerging market. Lowering business risks, reducing information risk and mitigating agency conflicts play a significant role in mediating the relationship between common institutional ownership and the cost of equity capital. The inhibitory effect of common institutional ownership on the cost of equity is more pronounced for non-SOEs, firms without government support and firms with lower investor attention. The study sheds a positive insight into the ongoing debate regarding the actual effect role of common ownership.

Originality/value

This study offers valuable insights into the ongoing debate regarding the practical implications of common institutional ownership, while also enriching the research on the factors that influence the cost of equity capital for firms. The conclusions hold significant practical implications for companies, investors and regulators.
Auditing of investigation records and information (AIRI) process: components, elements and principles
Authors: Abd Kadir Widura , Mokhtar Umi Asma’ , Yusof Zawiyah M.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to focus on developing the auditing of investigation records and information (AIRI) process, using the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) as a case study.

Design/methodology/approach

A pragmatic qualitative approach was adopted, incorporating document analysis, interviews and case study observations to identify and refine the AIRI process that consists of components, phases, elements and principles.

Findings

The findings emphasise the importance of a systematic and structured audit process in enhancing the quality, transparency and accountability of the investigation records and information. Grounded in RIM and information audit (IA) theories, the AIRI process provides a practical tool for law enforcement agencies to improve their investigatory practices.

Research limitations/implications

Despite being developed with empirical data, the AIRI process does not evaluate its effectiveness across other organisations. This is a limitation of a single case study approach.

Practical implications

By aligning with recognised standards and integrating academic insights, this study illustrates the broader applicability of the AIRI process across various organisational contexts.

Originality/value

The research offers a comprehensive approach to auditing the investigation records and information, ensuring that law enforcement agencies can maintain high standards of accountability and operational effectiveness.
Fabrication of FGP beams under impact loading to provide innovative equations: additive manufacturing, FE simulation and inverse-tangent shear–strain theory
Authors: Ebrahimi Shapour , Feli Saeed , Ranjbar-Roeintan Mehdi
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use three-dimensional printers to fabricate functionally graded porous (FGP) beams, carry out impact loading and provide innovative equations.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, using the three-dimensional printer, polylactic acid beams containing internal holes with distribution two-dimensional FGP beams of type X are fabricated. A simple tensile test and also a drop-weight impact test are performed to determine the mechanical and low-velocity impact properties of the beams. Inverse-tangent shear–strain function theory, together with the energy method, is used to derive the motion equations of low-velocity impact on the beam. A range of impact energies from 1.5 to 12 J and holes with diameters of 2 and 3 mm are used in the drop-weight impact testing machine.

Findings

As the hole diameter enlarges, there is a decrease in contact force and energy absorption levels. The larger hole diameter results in an extended contact duration, increased maximum impactor displacement, and a higher remaining impactor velocity. The innovative linear equations with a maximum error of 5.18% and nonlinear equations with a maximum error of 0.01% provide an acceptable result for the maximum contact force. For predicting the absorbed energy, the linear equation with a maximum error of 90.69% does provide an unacceptable result, and the nonlinear equation with a maximum error of 4.51% provides a reasonable result.

Originality/value

The originality of this research is in fabricating FGP beams with a three-dimensional printer to conduct impact tests and generate creative equations.
The scarring of the Great Recession on construction labor and housing supply
Authors: Le Thao
Published: February 2025

This study examines the long‐term impact of the Great Recession on employment in residential construction, and consequently housing supply. Using regional variation in house price declines during 2006–2009, I find that more severely impacted areas experienced a persistent reduction in construction employment but higher wage growth postrecession, consistent with a downward shift in construction labor supply. This contraction has a causal negative effect on housing production output. A 10% decrease in house prices during the crisis induced a 17%–20% reduction in 2019 construction employment, which in turn led to a 3.0%–5.7% decline in housing construction.
Using Propensity Score Subclassification to Estimate the Population‐Average Causal Effect of Temporomandibular Dysfunction Experience on Oral Health‐Related Quality of Life Among Australian Adults
Authors: Hanna Kamal , Hariyani Ninuk , Mejia Gloria , Jamieson Lisa , Brennan David S.
Published: February 2025

Background

Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) experience might impair oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL). Causal inference using population‐based cross‐sectional data is challenging given the potential for bias. Propensity Score Subclassification (PS‐Subclassification) provides a tool to mitigate confounding bias. The aim of this study was to estimate the Population‐Average Treatment Effect (PATE) of having TMD experience among Australian adults on OHRQoL using PS‐Subclassification and statistically estimated Minimally Important Differences (MID‐S).

Method

Australia's National Survey of Adult Oral Health (NSAOH) 2004–06 data were used which included a Computer Assisted Telephone Interview, mailed questionnaire and oral epidemiological examination. Data included demographics, socioeconomics, caries experience (DMFT index), periodontitis, TMD experience using the TMD Diagnostic Criteria Question, the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP‐14) and perceived stress. Analysis steps included: (1) generating propensity scores (PS) for TMD experience probability using causal model‐derived confounders while incorporating survey design elements; (2) PS‐Subclassification and weighting; (3) assessing common support and group balance and (4) estimating the PATE for TMD experience on OHIP‐14 overall and domains scores using complex samples GLM.

Results

Of the 4063 NSAOH participants, 397 with TMD and 3656 without TMD were included in PS‐Subclassification (all data were used) and shared common support for their PS and established adequate covariate balance (SMD < 0.2). Experiencing TMD had higher OHIP‐14 total scores (B = 3.498, 95% CI: 2.218–4.778) with a small MID‐S (Cohen's F2 = 0.03). TMD experience impaired all OHIP‐14 domains (p < 0.05) with physical pain and psychological domains among the highest impaired OHIP‐14 domains with a small MID‐S.

Conclusion

TMD experience impaired the overall OHRQoL measured by the OHIP‐14 among Australian adults with a small MID‐S. Physical pain and psychological domains were among the highest impaired OHRQoL domains with a small MID‐S. Clinicians and policymakers might consider these findings to support TMD screening and patient‐centred management.
Genomic Assessment of Australian White Sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) Challenges Previous Evidence of Population Subdivision
Authors: Clark Zach S. R. , Butcher Paul A. , Weeks Andrew R. , Huveneers Charlie , Toomey Madeline , Holland Owen J. , Fish Jessica J. , Sherman Craig D. H. , Blower Dean C. , Miller Adam D.
Published: February 2025

Aim

The white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is one of the world's largest and most recognisable marine predators but has suffered significant declines since the mid‐twentieth century. Conservation efforts remain complicated by persistent knowledge gaps associated with white shark biology and ecology, including the biological connectedness of white shark populations. We re‐assess patterns of population genetic structure in Australian white sharks, where two subpopulations—eastern and southern‐western—are currently recognised based on previous animal tracking and genetic assessments.

Methods

Population genomic analyses are performed using tissues from ~650 individual white sharks and ~7000 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci generated through reduced genome representation sequencing. We test for evidence of genetic structure and relatedness among sharks from eastern and southern Australia and use population genetic simulations to assess the likely strength of inter‐generational migration between regions.

Results

This study challenges the current paradigm of population structure in Australian white sharks, showing a lack of genetic structure between white sharks from eastern and southern Australia. These findings are further supported by population genetic simulations and kinship analyses indicating high levels of intergenerational migration and relatedness between regions. Consistent with recent reports from eastern Australia, we also detected high levels of relatedness among juvenile and subadult white sharks and estimated the overall effective population size (Ne) of Australian white sharks to be less than 500 individuals. Furthermore, we provide evidence of a potential reduction in Ne over the last two generations.

Main Conclusions

Overall, these findings highlight the need to consider this revised estimate of genetic structure when discussing the management and conservation of the species. Our results also raise concerns for the conservation of Australian white sharks highlighting risks of potential inbreeding, and reductions in population fitness and resilience. We discuss the need for further research and the importance of ongoing population monitoring.
Profiling the Research Landscape of Student Leadership From 1930 to 2023: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Zhang Miaoling , Thien Lei Mee , Ahmi Aidi
Published: February 2025

This study employs a bibliometric analysis to comprehensively explore 278 publications in student leadership from 1930 to 2023, mapping the literature in the field and revealing research trends, themes and potential areas of research. This study applied the biblioMagika tool and OpenRefine to clean and harmonise the messy data. The biblioMagika tool, VOSviewer and Biblioshiny software were used for data analysis. The United States is the most significant contributor to the literature in this field. Kristin Janke stands out as the most influential author in the field. Through co‐occurrence and thematic analyses, the study revealed changes in keywords such as ‘leadership’, ‘student leadership’ and ‘leadership development’. The results provide insights into the current landscape of student leadership research, guide future research directions, foster international collaboration and encourage further exploration in this field.
Completion of Distress Screening and Correlates of Distress Score in Patients With Multiple Myeloma at Initial Evaluation at a Transplant Center
Authors: Estrada‐Merly Noel , Wu James F. , Pezzin Liliana E. , Nataliansyah Mochamad M. , D'Souza Anita
Published: February 2025

Objectives

We describe the completion of the National Comprehensive Care Network's distress thermometer (DT) survey for multiple myeloma (MM), quantify, and identify factors influencing distress score.

Methods

We assessed DT completion for MM patients' first consultation at an academic center between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2022. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with survey completion and distress.

Results

Of 1011 new patients, 683 (68%) completed the DT survey. Noncompletion at initial consultation was associated with non‐Hispanic Black patients [AOR 0.50 (95% CI 0.32–0.79), p = 0.003], socially vulnerable neighborhood residence [AOR 0.54 (95% CI 0.39–0.76), p = 0.0004], Karnofsky Performance Status < 90 [AOR 0.60 (95% CI 0.43–0.86), p = 0.005], and recent years of consult [AOR 0.38, (95% CI 0.28–0.52), p < 0.0001]. Nonrespondents were less likely to receive a subsequent autologous stem cell transplantation (71% vs. 79%, p < 0.01). The median distress score among respondents was 3% with 22% reporting 0 distress. Distress was associated with female sex [AOR 1.48, (95% CI 1.07–2.04), p = 0.017] and stage [stage 2 vs. stage 1, AOR 1.76 (95% CI 1.20–2.57), p = 0.004].

Conclusions

Disparities in nonrespondents of the DT survey at initial consultation suggest the limitations of relying on the screening tool to assess unmet needs among high‐risk patients.
Linking Subclinical Autistic Traits and Perceptual Category Learning
Authors: Warren Claire V. , Baumert Rebekka , Diermann Kira , Schöttle Daniel , Bayer Janine
Published: February 2025

Autism spectrum condition is a neurodevelopmental condition with difficulties in social interaction, communication and repetitive behaviours. Autistic individuals often exhibit difficulties in non‐social cognitive processing, such as grouping items into meaningful categories based on their holistic visual appearance. Underlying mechanisms might be a deficit in abstracting a category's central tendency (i.e., the prototype) or more general atypicalities in visual category learning processes. Milder autistic traits often also extend to a broader autism phenotype in neurotypical individuals. Our study compared adult neurotypical individuals with high or low autistic traits on behavioural performances and neural correlates measured by event‐related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a single‐category perceptual categorization task, based on the well‐known dot‐pattern paradigm. Bayesian computational modelling was used to investigate links between autistic traits and representing category knowledge by the prototype or memorizing single exemplars. We found that a high degree of autistic traits was linked to worse accuracy for endorsing category members. Autistic trait groups also differed in neural correlates during the training phase related to visual processing in occipital regions, decision‐making in midfrontal regions and the posterior cingulate, and feedback processing in the posterior cingulate and the ventral striatum. Model‐based analyses did not support deficits in prototype abstraction but yielded a link between autistic traits and stricter decision policies. In sum, we found no relationship between high autistic traits and difficulties with the prototype strategy but more general atypicalities in visual category learning processes, namely, visual processing, decision‐making and feedback processing.
Rapid Uptake of Nest Boxes by the Endangered Greater Glider (Petauroides volans)
Authors: Gracanin Ana , Hofman Maaike , Willson Stephen , Clough Jordyn B. , Brown Tyler , Mikac Katarina M.
Published: February 2025

The loss of hollow‐bearing trees poses a critical threat to hollow‐dependent species. Nest boxes as supplementary habitat have emerged as a conservation tool for certain species, but their use in providing habitat for Southern Greater Gliders (Petauroides volans), a heat‐sensitive and hollow‐dependent species, remains limited. This study investigates the uptake and use of nest boxes designed specifically for Greater Gliders in a postfire environment. Thirty nest boxes were installed at a site that experienced moderate to severe fire during the 2019/2020 bushfires. Four different nest box designs were investigated for their thermal properties, colonisation rates and usage patterns. The time for a nest box to be used by a Greater Glider was rapid, at an average of 34 days after time of installation. Continuous camera monitoring over the course of a year revealed 100% colonisation, with gliders consistently using nest boxes across seasons regardless of nest box design. We found that nest box design influenced internal temperatures, and the best performing nest box design (constructed of wood and without foil insulation) was on average 1.99°C cooler inside than ambient temperatures (on warm days equal to or above 20°C). In comparison, natural tree hollows in use by Greater Gliders at the study site, had a much greater thermal buffer (on average 7.32°C cooler than ambient temperatures on warm days). Observations of Greater Gliders sitting outside at the entrance hole of nest boxes during the day was linked to warmer temperatures, indicating Greater Gliders likely exited nest boxes to thermoregulate. This study identified a rapid acceptance of nest boxes by the Greater Glider and offered insights into the role of nest boxes as supplementary habitat to assist population recovery following the loss of hollow‐bearing trees.
Supervised machine learning compared to large language models for identifying functional seizures from medical records
Authors: Kerr Wesley T. , McFarlane Katherine N. , Pucci Gabriela Figueiredo , Carns Danielle R. , Israel Alex , Vighetti Lianne , Pennell Page B. , Stern John M. , Xia Zongqi , Wang Yanshan
Published: February 2025

Objective

The Functional Seizures Likelihood Score (FSLS) is a supervised machine learning–based diagnostic score that was developed to differentiate functional seizures (FS) from epileptic seizures (ES). In contrast to this targeted approach, large language models (LLMs) can identify patterns in data for which they were not specifically trained. To evaluate the relative benefits of each approach, we compared the diagnostic performance of the FSLS to two LLMs: ChatGPT and GPT‐4.

Methods

In total, 114 anonymized cases were constructed based on patients with documented FS, ES, mixed ES and FS, or physiologic seizure‐like events (PSLEs). Text‐based data were presented in three sequential prompts to the LLMs, showing the history of present illness (HPI), electroencephalography (EEG) results, and neuroimaging results. We compared the accuracy (number of correct predictions/number of cases) and area under the receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUCs) of the LLMs to the FSLS using mixed‐effects logistic regression.

Results

The accuracy of FSLS was 74% (95% confidence interval [CI] 65%–82%) and the AUC was 85% (95% CI 77%–92%). GPT‐4 was superior to both the FSLS and ChatGPT (p <.001), with an accuracy of 85% (95% CI 77%–91%) and AUC of 87% (95% CI 79%–95%). Cohen's kappa between the FSLS and GPT‐4 was 40% (fair). The LLMs provided different predictions on different days when the same note was provided for 33% of patients, and the LLM's self‐rated certainty was moderately correlated with this observed variability (Spearman's rho2: 30% [fair, ChatGPT] and 63% [substantial, GPT‐4]).

Significance

Both GPT‐4 and the FSLS identified a substantial subset of patients with FS based on clinical history. The fair agreement in predictions highlights that the LLMs identified patients differently from the structured score. The inconsistency of the LLMs' predictions across days and incomplete insight into their own consistency was concerning. This comparison highlights both benefits and cautions about how machine learning and artificial intelligence could identify patients with FS in clinical practice.
Predictive Model for Hypoglycaemia Risk in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients During the Peri‐Colonoscopy Period: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Yang Haiyan , Zhang Linlin , Liu Huiling , Hu Shuqiao , Yang Qiuping , Wu Jianan , Xu Mingming , Chu Shufang
Published: February 2025

Aims

To identify factors influencing hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) undergoing colonoscopy and to construct a predictive model for assessing hypoglycaemia risk.

Design

A retrospective cohort study.

Methods

We retrospectively collected data on 598 T2DM patients who underwent colonoscopy and randomised them into a developmental cohort and a validation cohort in a 7:3 ratio. We used multivariate logistic regression to develop a predictive model for hypoglycaemia during colonoscopy and identify independent predictors in pre‐ and post‐colonoscopy hypoglycaemia groups.

Results

We identified 112 of 598 (18.7%) T2DM patients who experienced hypoglycaemia during the peri‐colonoscopy period: 43 pre‐colonoscopy, 61 post‐colonoscopy and 8 at both junctures. Ultimately, five predictors—insulin, SGLT2 inhibitors, fasting after colonoscopy, fasting C‐peptide and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)—were integrated into the predictive model. The AUC for predicting hypoglycaemia was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.71–0.84) and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.74–0.90) in the development and validation cohort, respectively. Variables associated with pre‐colonoscopy hypoglycaemia included SGLT2 inhibitors, fasting C‐peptide and eGFR, whereas the post‐colonoscopy hypoglycaemia group was associated with metformin, duration of diabetes, fasting C‐peptide and fasting after the examination.

Conclusion

This study successfully developed and validated a predictive model for assessing hypoglycaemia risk in T2DM patients during peri‐colonoscopy.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Early identification of patients at high risk for peri‐colonoscopy hypoglycaemia allows nurses to implement personalised preventive strategies. The predictive model enables clinical nurses to deliver tailored interventions based on individual risk factors, potentially reducing hypoglycaemia‐related complications and improving patient safety outcomes.

Impact

This study provides nurses with a validated risk prediction tool for identifying high‐risk type 2 diabetes patients during colonoscopy, enabling targeted blood glucose monitoring protocols and preventive interventions in clinical practice.

Reporting Method

This study follows the STROBE guidelines for reporting cohort studies.

Patient or Public Contribution

Diabetes patients contributed electronic health record datasets.
Harshing the Vibes: Behavioural Responses to Predation and Deterrent Vibrational Playback in Scolypopa Australis (Hemiptera: Ricaniidae)
Authors: MacDougall Mark S. , Nelson Ximena J. , Stringer Lloyd D.
Published: February 2025

The use of substrate borne vibrational playback to control insect pests is a rapidly growing line of research targeting many problematic species. Among the control approaches currently being tested, vibrational deterrent playbacks that aim to prevent feeding and to drive pests away from the target area are comparatively under‐explored. In experiments involving an introduced pest of New Zealand orchards, the passion vine hopper (PVH, Scolypopa australis), we investigated PVH anti‐predator behaviour and alarm call responses and the potential use of alarm calls as vibration‐based deterrent stimuli. We used laser‐Doppler vibrometry and video recordings to assess the vibrational and behavioural responses of PVH to the presence of a predator (Maratus griseus jumping spider), serendipitously discovering a new female call possibly involved in mate rejection. In our tests, we did not find evidence of any vibrational alarm calls in PVH, which showed a significantly reduced rate of general vibration‐based signalling and reduced propensity to call overall compared to control recordings. Instead, PVH responded to a predator threat with a rapid jumping escape response in 87.5% of attacks. We also tested the efficacy of three deterrent vibrational playbacks on driving PVH movement away from a source point, finding that a broad‐band white noise playback spanning 301–688 Hz induced significant movement away from the playback source compared with silent controls. As preliminary proof of concept, we hope these results will assist in developing successful vibrational deterrence for PVH.
Palaeobiology and osteohistology of South African sauropodomorph dinosaurs
Authors: Toefy Fay‐yaad , Krupandan Emil , Chinsamy Anusuya
Published: February 2025

Several sauropodomorph dinosaurs have been excavated from the Elliot Formation (EF) of Southern Africa which include important taxa such as Massospondylus, Melanorosaurus and Antetonitrus. The study of the bone microstructure of smaller, bipedal Sauropodomorpha and larger, quadrupedal Sauropoda allow us to infer how the growth dynamics changed during the evolution of gigantism. Historically, osteohistological studies of Sauropodomorpha tended to have focused on either early diverging taxa (e.g. Plateosaurus & Massospondylus) or on derived taxa (diplodocids & titanosaurs), whereas studies on the growth dynamics of the transitionary groups (i.e. Sauropodiformes & early Sauropoda) are poorly known. Here, we assess the palaeobiology of two sauropodiformes and an early sauropod by analysing their bone histology. Thin sections of the long bones of two indeterminate sauropodiformes NMQR 3314 and NMQR 1551, and an indeterminate sauropod SAM–PK–K382 were prepared. The general histology of the long bones of all three dinosaurs were similar. Rapid growth through the deposition of fibrolamellar bone tissue characterised their respective ontogenies. Lines of arrested growth (LAGs) were commonly located in the mid and outer cortex signalling the onset of uninterrupted growth. Differences in the histology of these dinosaurs were principally related to the pathological bone tissue evident in the femur of the sauropodiform NMQR 1551 and to the formation of annuli around LAGs in Sauropoda indet., as well as in the location of LAGs in the compacta. The number of LAGs in the cortex varied among the taxa but generally the outer regions of the cortex showed an accumulation of LAGs. The growth dynamics of our three sauropodomorph dinosaurs are similar to early sauropods such as Antetonitrus. It appears that the abundance of fibrolamellar bone tissue and uninterrupted growth at later ontogenetic stages are likely key traits in the early evolution of gigantism in Sauropoda, which supports the occurrence of a mosaic of growth dynamic patterns among transitionary Sauropodomorpha.
The Efficacy of Thermal Mechanical Fractional Injury System for Facial Rejuvenation: Subjective, Objective and Image Analysis Study
Authors: Erlich Guy , Skorochod Ron , Sabo Edmond , Saigal Rishi , Dahan Eliran , Wolf Yoram
Published: February 2025

Background

Facial aging is the result of a number of factors, including the resorption of skeletal tissue, the atrophy of fat pads, and the laxity of connective tissue. These factors contribute to a reduction in facial volume and the development of skin changes. Thermal mechanical fractional injury (TMFI) represents a minimally invasive solution, stimulating collagen production and enhancing the delivery of topical formulations via epidermal microcraters.

Aim

This study seeks to evaluate the effects of TMFI on skin quality and introduce quantifiable methods to assess improvements.

Patients and Methods

Adult patients seeking facial rejuvenation underwent three TMFI sessions, with a one‐month interval between each session. The assessment of skin quality was conducted using the Scientific Assessment Scale of Skin Quality (SASSQ), which was completed by blinded experts. Patient satisfaction was evaluated using the FACEQ scale. Additionally, objective texture analysis was performed using the MAZDA program, which quantified surface irregularities.

Results

The objective assessments demonstrated statistically significant improvements in the following parameters: roughness, wrinkles, pore size, elasticity, pigmentation, and erythema (p < 0.001). The FACE‐Q results demonstrated high patient satisfaction, with a response rate of 68.4%. The MAZDA analysis confirmed significant texture improvements across most facial zones, with the exception of the medial forehead.

Conclusions

The findings of this study indicate that TMFI is an effective intervention for improving skin quality in a diverse range of patients. This study contributes to the existing literature on TMFI, which supports its use as a valuable tool in the field of skin rejuvenation.
The effects of a personalized sleep improvement app in subclinical poor sleepers: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Munt Oliver , Schredl Michael , Gottlieb Elie , Fischer Susanne , Gautschi Daniela , Gahan Luke , Schoebel Christoph
Published: February 2025

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a personalized smartphone application on subjective sleep quality, wellbeing and stress in participants with subclinical sleep problems. Healthy participants with subclinical threshold sleep issues that did not meet diagnostic criteria for insomnia were randomly assigned to use the app or be on a waiting list for app usage (control group). Subjective data on sleep quality (sleep quality component of Sleep Questionnaire B [primary endpoint] and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), feeling refreshed after the sleep component of Sleep Questionnaire B, Short Form‐12 physical and mental components, and stress (Perceived Stress Scale) were compared between the app and control groups at baseline and after 6 and 12 weeks. Depending on their usage, app users were defined as “frequent”, “occasional” or “rare/never” users. Two‐hundred and six and 205 app users and 286 and 285 control participants completed the 6‐ and 12‐week assessments, respectively. Sleep Questionnaire B scores improved in frequent (effect size 0.595; F = 13.7) and occasional users (0.653; F = 9.4) after 6 weeks; effects persisted at 12 weeks, and were similar for the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Feeling refreshed after the sleep component of Sleep Questionnaire B improved over time in all groups, with no significant difference between app users and controls. There were no changes in Short Form‐12 physical component, Short Form‐12 mental component, and Perceived Stress Scale scores. A personalized app positively affected subjective sleep quality in a population of users with subclinical threshold sleep issues, and could serve as a low‐burden digital intervention to potentially prevent the exacerbation of sleep pathologies.