Construction cost index: a case study in Malaysia

PurposeThough daycare centres are built to facilitate children's social and physical growth, divergent stakeholder perceptions yield conflicts while managing risks for each space due to the minimal guidelines in the Republic of Korea. Due to the unclearly defined knowledge and experience gap between representative stakeholders, teachers have difficulties in operating it with high satisfaction. This study therefore was conducted to systematically identify which parts of performance should be increased to preferentially increase end-user satisfaction in limited resources.Design/methodology/approachThis research conducted quantitative analysis gradually. Importance–performance analysis (IPA) grasped the perceptions of construction practitioners and end-users after identifying space composition and representative risks of daycare centres. Based on the factors influencing perception differences, principal component analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) were conducted to determine which space improves the performance preferentially to increase overall end-user satisfaction.FindingsAs the utilisation of indoor spaces increases after COVID-19, improvement of indoor spaces except for indoor playroom is necessary, especially, advancement of the quality of teachers' rooms.Practical implicationsOutputs by reflecting the end-user experiences support to understand which spaces are managed from the limited resources.Originality/valueTheoretical framework for daycare centre was established in Korea where guidelines were insufficient, and differences in perception of each risk of stakeholders were identified. Moreover, gradual statistical analysis was set to construct end-user-focused centres by extracting where the performance of space should be improved in prior.

The variability of the severity and regional distribution of pathological process in basal ganglia (BG) and brainstem-cerebellar systems results in clinical heterogeneity and represents the motor subtype of multiple system atrophy (MSA). This study aimed to quantify spatial patterns of multimodal MRI abnormalities in BG and stem-CB regions and define structural MRI findings that correlate with clinical characteristics. We simultaneously measured R2*, mean diffusivity (MD), and volume in the subcortical structures (BG, thalamus, brainstem-cerebellar regions) of 39 probable MSA and 22 control subjects. Principal component analysis (PCA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were performed to show a model consisting of multiple inter-dependencies. Structural MRI alterations were found to be significantly interrelated within BG as well as brainstem-cerebellar regions in MSA patients. PCA extracted four factors: three factors reflected alterations in R2*, MD and volume of the BG region including the caudate nucleus, putamen, and pallidum, and the remaining one factor represented degenerative changes in MD and volume of stem-CB region. In SEM, a latent variable reflecting brainstem-cerebellar degeneration did not show a significant correlation with the other latent variables associated with BG degeneration. Putaminal MD values and a PCA-driven factor reflecting MD values in the BG showed a significant correlation with UPDRS and UMSARS scores. Multimodal structural MRI abnormalities in MSA appear to be segregated into BG and stem-CB-related factors that can be associated with the clinical phenotype and motor severity.

Background The eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains in Ningxia, China, are a significant viticultural area. Despite high total calcium (TCa) in soils, low bioavailability affects vine nutrition, yield, and quality. Ca dynamics in these specific ecosystems are largely underexplored. Aims We investigated Ca speciation dynamics in soils across four subregions (Yongning YN, Hongsipu HSP, Qingtongxia QTX, Xixia XX) to understand Ca allocation in Vitis vinifera L. Cabernet Sauvignon and determine soil–vine Ca flux mechanisms for precision Ca management. Methods Soil properties and Ca fractions (water‐soluble [WSCa], exchangeable [ECa], acid‐soluble [ASCa], organic‐bound [OCa], residual [RCa]) were analyzed. Grapevine parts were sampled at eight stages to determine dry matter, Ca concentration, and uptake. The analyses used principal component analysis (PCA) and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results Spatial heterogeneity in soil properties and Ca speciation was observed. YN soils showed highest bioavailable Ca (ACa = WSCa + ECa), followed by QTX, XX, and HSP, though QTX and XX had highest TCa. Dry matter followed an “S”‐shaped curve, with HSP berries showing higher accumulation at veraison (VA). Leaf Ca concentrations peaked at VA or at harvest (HV). Vine Ca uptake peaked between fruit‐set and HV, with HSP showing high uptake during VA, particularly in the roots. PCA showed that vegetative Ca was positively correlated with ACa, WSCa, and ECa. SEM revealed a strong positive association between soil calcium and plant calcium status. Furthermore, both soil WSCa and ECa fractions were closely related to the calcium nutritional status of grapevines. Vine Ca uptake displayed temporal and regional variations, emphasizing the need for site‐specific Ca management. Soil properties modulate Ca availability and plant Ca nutrition. Conclusions These findings provide a foundation for precise Ca fertilization strategies to support sustainable viticulture in this and similar regions worldwide.

Principal Component Analysis, Factor Analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling

Impacts of nitrogen-to-phosphorus imbalance from hybrid ocean thermal energy conversion operations on benthic communities and coastal ecosystem management.

A measure assessing an individual's ability to assert the use of condoms was developed using, N= 248, heterosexually active college men and women. Both principal component analysis (PCA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) procedures were performed. External validity for the assertion for condom use measure was established by integrating the measure with the stages of change dimension from the transtheoretical model of behavior change. The transtheoretical model posits that both the cessation of high‐risk behaviors and the acquisition of health behaviors involve the progression through five stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. The results indicated that individuals were further along in the stages of change for using condoms with a casual partner, as compared to a steady partner. The degree to which assertive condom use behavior was engaged in was related to an individual's stage of readiness for using condoms with the two types of partners. The utility of stage‐matched intervention strategies, as opposed to the action‐oriented approaches to modify high‐risk sexual behavior, is discussed.

This study investigates the sets of brain areas that are functionally connected during an auditory goal-directed task. We used a paradigm including a resting state condition and an active condition, which consisted in active listening to the footsteps of walking humans. The regional brain activity was measured using fMRI and the adjusted values of activity in brain regions involved in the task were analysed using both principal component analysis and structural equation modelling. A first set of connected areas includes regions located in Heschl's gyrus, planum temporale, posterior superior temporal sulcus (in the so-called 'social cognition' area), and parietal lobe. This network could be responsible for the perceptual integration of the auditory signal. A second set encompassing frontal regions is related to attentional control. Dorsolateral- and medial-prefrontal cortex have mutual negative influences which are similar to those described during a visual goal-directed task [T. Chaminade & P. Fonlupt (2003) Eur. J. Neurosci., 18, 675-679.]. Moreover, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) exerts a positive influence on the auditory areas during the task, as well as a strong negative influence on the visual areas. These results show that: (i) the negative influence between the medial and lateral parts of the frontal cortex during a goal-directed task is not dependent on the input modality (visual or auditory), and (ii) the DLPFC activates the pathway of the relevant sensory modality and inhibits the nonrelevant sensory modality pathway.

River barriers constitute a key factor that is degrading river connectivity and represent a critical research focus in riverine ecosystem conservation. Management authorities and river restoration agencies globally have increasingly employed barrier removal or modification for connectivity restoration projects in recent years, practices that are widely discussed and empirically supported in academia. However, existing research predominantly focuses on large dams in primary rivers, overlooking the more severe fragmentation caused by low-head barriers within low-order streams. This study targets the Yanjing River (total length: 70 km), a third-order tributary of the Yangtze River basin, implementing culvert modification and complete removal measures, respectively, for two river barriers distributed within its terminal 9 km reach. Using differential analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis, Mantel tests, and structural equation modeling (SEM), we systematically examined the mechanisms by which connectivity restoration projects influences aquatic habitat and fish diversity, the evolution of reach heterogeneity, and intrinsic relationships between aquatic environmental factors and diversity metrics. Results indicate that (1) the post-restoration aquatic habitat significantly improved with marked increases in fish diversity metrics, where hydrochemical factors and species diversity exhibited the highest sensitivity to connectivity changes; (2) following restoration, the initially barrier-fragmented river segments (upstream, middle, downstream) exhibited significantly decreased differences in aquatic habitat and fish diversity, demonstrating progressive homogenization across reaches; (3) hydrological factors exerted stronger positive effects on fish diversity than hydrochemical factors did, particularly enhancing species diversity, with a significant positive synergistic effect observed between species diversity and functional diversity. These studies demonstrate that “culvert modification and barrier removal” represent effective project measures for promoting connectivity restoration in low-order streams and eliciting positive ecological effects, though they may reduce the spatial heterogeneity of short-reach rivers in the short term. It is noteworthy that connectivity restoration projects should prioritize the appropriate improvement of hydrological factors such as flow velocity, water depth, and water surface width.

As per the census of India, the Indian population has nearly tripled in last 50 years and the number of older persons has increased more than fourfold. A significant population of the older persons is experiencing cognitive changes which lead to several cognitive health issues and affect their quality of life. Thus, the elderly population in India creates a holistic research base by looking at the dynamics of cognitive impairment and quality of life. This paper aims to examine level of cognitive impairment among the elderly in India and its effect on quality of life. The present paper examines change in the cognitive functioning of the elderly on the basis of score obtained for four cognitive variables (verbal fluency, verbal recall, and digit span (backward & forward). Better score signifies better cognitive health. Data from Study of Global Aging and Adult Health (SAGE) WAVE-I, 2007–10 has been utilised in this study. A sample of 7150 aged 50 and above has been analysed by using principal component analysis (PCA) and structural equation modeling (SEM). The result reveals that cognitive scores for all four variables are very low. Hence with presences of low cognitive scores, the quality of life will reduce by 7% among elderly. Cognitive impairment significantly and directly affected the quality of life of Indian elderly.

Extreme low-temperature exacerbates polystyrene microplastic-induced neuroendocrine and behavioral dysfunctions in female mice.

In the ecologically fragile western Shanxi Loess region, stand density regulation of artificial Robinia pseudoacacia L. forests plays a crucial role in sustaining the water regulation functions of the litter-soil system, yet multi-scale mechanistic analyses remain scarce. To address this gap, we established six stand density classes (ranging from 1200 to 3200 stems/ha) and quantified litter water-holding traits and soil physicochemical properties. We then applied principal component analysis (PCA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine density-litter-soil relationships. Low-density stands (≤2000 stems/ha) exhibited significantly higher litter accumulation (6.08–6.37 t/ha) and greater litter water-holding capacity (maximum 20.58 t/ha) than the high-density stands (p < 0.05). Soil capillary water-holding capacity decreased with increasing density (4702.63–4863.28 t/ha overall), while non-capillary porosity (5.26–6.21%) and soil organic carbon (~12.5 g/kg) were higher in high-density stands (≥2800 stems/ha), reflecting a structural-carbon optimization trade-off. PCA revealed a primary hydrological function axis with low-density stands clustering in the positive quadrant, while high-density stands shifted toward nutrient-conservation traits. SEM confirmed that stand density affected soil capillary water-holding capacity indirectly through litter accumulation (significant indirect path; non-significant direct path), highlighting the central role of litter quantity. When density exceeded ~2400 stems/ha, litter decomposition rate decreased by ~56%, coinciding with capillary porosity falling below ~47%, a threshold linked to impaired balance between water storage and infiltration. These findings identify 1200–1600 stems/ha as the optimal density range; in this range, soil capillary water-holding capacity reached 4788–4863 t/ha, and available phosphorus remained ≥2.1 mg/kg, providing a density-centered, near-natural management paradigm for constructing “water-conservation vegetation” on the Loess Plateau.

In this paper an approach to design controllers based on principal components analysis (PCA) models is presented. Closed-loop control can be formulated and implemented within the reduced space defined by a PCA model. This PCA controller, results in an integral controller, which can be used as an inferential controller when a measurement of a primary variable is not available. The main contributions of the paper are: a) the incorporation of an adjustable gain on the classical PCA controller; b) the proposal of a set of tuning rules; c) the performance evaluation of this new controller, in nominal operation conditions and in faulty situations. Some experimental results, obtained with the three tank benchmark (European COSY project), are presented.

This paper studied the effect of postdoctoral system in China on the construction of university faculty in order to promote the construction of university faculty. Based on content analysis, principal component analysis and structural equation model, three influence factors of Chinese postdoctoral system on the university faculty were determined as postdoctoral researchers, university and other factors. Comparison results of case study showed that there is no significant difference in output between the postdoctoral faculty and doctoral faculty in short-term. However, in the long-term, postdoctoral faculty have better output on scientific research papers, scientific fund and supervising postgraduates.

Evaluating effects of prenatal exposure to phthalate mixtures on birth weight: A comparison of three statistical approaches

Construct a composite indicator based on integrating Common Weight Data Envelopment Analysis and principal component analysis models: An application for finding development degree of provinces in Iran