Synthesis, physicochemical, biopharmaceutical and antimicrobial characterisation of novel gatifloxacin ester pro-antibiotics for improved formulation and advanced drug delivery

The full text will be available at the end of the embargo: 2nd Oct 202

Bakhtin at the Boundaries: exploring self-positionality in relation to socio-cultural ideologies.

Historically, social theorists, such as Marx, have applied ‘ideology’ as a framework to describe the dominant ideas and values within a given socio-cultural context. More specifically, this framework explores how such ideas and values not only produce hegemonic discourses of knowledge across domains like philosophy, science, politics, aesthetics, and religion, but also perpetuate asymmetrical power relations between the self and socio-cultural ideologies. Simultaneously, certain scholarship argues that relations between the Self and socio-cultural ideologies are embedded within power structures, while others advocate for the Self’s autonomous capacities for critical reflection and self-transformation. These two perspectives on the self’s relation to socio-cultural ideologies are often considered incompatible. While the finality of socio-cultural ideologies has its appeal, the aims of this chapter are two-fold. Firstly, by outlining Bakhtin’s notion of ‘culture,’ which he understands as the ‘objective domains’ of ‘sense or meaning,’ we argue that it challenges us to embrace the contradictions, disagreements, alterity and revised understandings that accompany any ideology through the use of parody. Secondly, to contextualise this point, we consider the dialogical relationship between religious ideologies (the text) and their audience.The full text will be available at the end of the publisher's embargo 12 months after publication

Decarbonisation in Supply Chain Management with Blockchain Technology: Using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making in Industry 4.0

YesThis study explores the role of blockchain technology (BT) in enabling decarbonisation within healthcare supply chain management (SCM) in the context of Industry 4.0. A novel hybrid methodological framework combining the fuzzy spherical analytical hierarchy process (FS-AHP) and the Z-number logarithm methodology of additive weights (ZLMAW) is developed to address the complexities and uncertainties inherent in this domain. The research identifies critical factors influencing the adoption of BT in decarbonised SCM and ranks healthcare companies based on their suitability for implementation. The results highlight the lack of a robust scope framework as a priority concern and demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed model in advancing sustainable practices. This work contributes to theoretical advancements, by integrating multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques with blockchain in SCM, and practical insights, by offering a scalable approach to supply chain decarbonisation. The findings bridge gaps in the literature by addressing the intersection of blockchain, Industry 4.0, and sustainability in healthcare, presenting actionable strategies for supply chain optimisation.The full text will be available at the end of the publisher's embargo 12 months after publication

Drivers and economic consequences of quality of disclosure of non-GAAP measures

The full text will be available at the end of the embargo period: 31st December 2026

Enhancing supply chain resilience and economic performance through Industry 4.0 and ESG integration: the mediating role of sustainable practices

YesPurpose – The study aims to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of firms’ supply chain resilience, focusing on technology and sustainability capabilities. The study examines Industry 4.0 and the firms’ commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) as key resources for reshaping supply chains. Sustainability capabilities such as circular economy and sustainable supply chain design are also investigated to analyse their impact on supply chain resilience. The study measures the effect of supply chain resilience on a firm’s economic performance as its competitive advantage outcome. Design/methodology/approach – The dynamic capabilities view and the information processing view are utilised as theoretical backgrounds. A partial least squares structural equation model is implemented to test the model using data gathered from 261 enterprises. Findings – The results indicate that sustainable supply chain design and circular economy contribute to supply chain resilience, which in turn enhances a firm’s economic performance. Our results also demonstrate that Industry 4.0 and firms’ ESG commitment affect both sustainable supply chain design and the circular economy. Still, the contribution of ESG commitment to circular economy practices only exists through full mediation of sustainable supply chain design. Originality/value – The study contributes to the operations and sustainable supply chain management literature by enhancing our understanding of the impact of Industry 4.0 and ESG commitment on sustainable supply chain practices, as well as the influence of these capabilities on enhancing supply chain resilience and environmental performance. In particular, the study reinforces the power of supply chain resilience as a dynamic capability that can help supply chains respond effectively to disruptions, thereby significantly improving economic performance by reducing overall operational and material costs, as well as energy consumption, while enhancing profitability and revenue

Introduction

YesThis book is very timely and aligns well with the agenda of the upcoming Fourth International Conference on the financing for development in 2025 of closing the gap between ‘aspiration and financing’. The book appears at a time when global turmoil and conflicts, recent pandemic and food, cost of living crisis and energy crisis have substantially reduced resources available especially for developing countries, to finance SDGs. This book contains perspectives both from academic and industry practitioners and blends the theoretical and empirical research with the contributors’ insights. The chapters herein cover a range of issues relating to the financing of SDGs from China’s Belt and Road initiative, and green financing to a call for the reform of the global financial architecture.The full-text of this chapter will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 14 Feb 2026

Keratoconus Severity Staging Using Random Forest and Gradient Boosting Ensemble Techniques

YesAccurate keratoconus (KC) staging is vital for improving patient care and guiding clinical decision making. Choosing the right Machine Learning (ML) algorithm is key to effectively tackling this challenge and ensuring optimal performance. This paper presents a detailed comparison of eight ML algorithms commonly used in KC detection, based on a clinical dataset collected by the authors over the past decade. The study investigates each algorithm's effectiveness in distinguishing KC severity stages. Results showed that ensemble learning algorithms outperformed others, with Random Forest (RF) achieving the highest accuracy at 98.82%, followed closely by Gradient Boosting (GB) at 98.24%. These models also had the highest classification quality scores, with RF at 0.985 and GB at 0.978. These findings underscore the strength and effectiveness of ensemble classifiers for KC severity staging. Furthermore, the top-performing model (RF) exceeded results from recent studies on KC severity, highlighting its potential for clinical application.The full text will be available at the end of the publisher's embargo: 20th May 202

Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Chemical Probes Incorporating Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDH) Recognition Motifs and Fluorescent Properties. An Investigation Towards the Development of ALDH-Affinic Fluorophores for Hypoxia Cell Tracking

The full text will be available at the end of the extended embargo: 21st Feb 202

Explorative studies to understand if aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) expression in colon cancer can be exploited as a target for therapeutic intervention. Expression profiling of ALDH7A1 in colorectal cancer

Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) NigeriaThe full text will be available at the end of the embargo period: 21st March 202

Investigation of cytochrome p450 isoforms 1A1, 1B1 and 2W1 as targets for therapeutic intervention in head and neck cancer. Probing CYP1A1, 1B1 and 2W1 activity with duocarmycin bioprecursors

The full text will be available at the end of the embargo: 30th July 202