The 100 most-cited articles in Heliyon, 2021

Plastic products have played significant roles in protecting people during the COVID-19 pandemic. The widespread use of personal protective gear created a massive disruption in the supply chain and waste disposal system. Millions of discarded single-use plastics (masks, gloves, aprons, and bottles of sanitizers) have been added to the terrestrial environment and could cause a surge in plastics washing up the ocean coastlines and littering the seabed. This paper attempts to assess the environmental footprints of the global plastic wastes generated during COVID-19 and analyze the potential impacts associated with plastic pollution. The amount of plastic wastes generated worldwide since the outbreak is estimated at 1.6 million tonnes/day. We estimate that approximately 3.4 billion single-use facemasks/face shields are discarded daily as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, globally. Our comprehensive data analysis does indicate that COVID-19 will reverse the momentum of years-long global battle to reduce plastic waste pollution. As governments are looking to turbo-charge the economy by…

Recently, multifunctional drug delivery systems (DDSs) have been designed to provide a comprehensive approach with multiple functionalities, including diagnostic imaging, targeted drug delivery, and controlled drug release. Chitosan-based drug nanoparticles (CSNPs) systems are employed as diagnostic imaging and delivering the drug to particular targeted sites in a regulated manner. Drug release is an important factor in ensuring high reproducibility, stability, quality control of CSNPs, and scientific-based for developing CSNPs. Several factors influence drug release from CSNPs, including composition, composition ratio, ingredient interactions, and preparation methods. Early, CSNPs were used for improving drug solubility, stability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics properties. Chitosan has been developed toward a multifunctional drug delivery system by exploring positively charged properties and modifiable functional groups. Various modifications to the polymer backbone, charge, or functional groups will undoubtedly affect the drug release from CSNPs. The drug release from…

Throughout their lifecycle, petroleum-based plastics are associated with many environmental problems, including greenhouse gas emissions, persistence in marine and terrestrial environments, pollution, etc. On the other hand, bioplastics form a rapidly growing class of polymeric materials that are commonly presented as alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics. However, bioplastics also have been linked to important environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and unfavorable land use change, making it necessary to evaluate the true impact of bioplastic use on the environment. Still, while many reviews discuss bioplastics, few comprehensively and simultaneously address the positives and negatives of bioplastic use for the environment. The primary focus of the present review article is to address this gap in present research. To this end, this review addresses the following questions: (1) what are the different types of bioplastics that are currently in commercial use or under development in the industry; (2) are bioplastics truly good for the environment; and (3)…

A major challenge in educational technology integration is to engage students with different affective characteristics. Also, how technology shapes attitude and learning behavior is still lacking. Findings from educational psychology and learning sciences have gained less traction in research. The present study was conducted to examine the efficacy of a group format of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered writing tool for English second postgraduate students in the English academic writing context. In the present study, (N = 120) students were randomly allocated to either the equipped AI ( n = 60) or non-equipped AI (NEAI). The results of the parametric test of analyzing of covariance revealed that at post-intervention, students who participated in the AI intervention group demonstrated statistically significant improvement in the scores, of the behavioral engagement (Cohen's d = .75, 95% CI [0.38, 1.12]), of the emotional engagement Cohen's d = .82, 95% CI [0.45, 1.25], of the cognitive engagement, Cohen's d = .39,95% CI [0.04, .76], of the self-efficacy for writing, Cohen's d =…

BACKGROUND: The spread of COVID-19 creates disruption, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity in all organizations. People are the primary asset of any organization and help achieve their goals. Accordingly, to manage human resources sustainably, the organizational strategy review is an appropriate retort. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this comprehensive review study is to identify unknown challenges, strategies, and unusual decisions related to human resource management other than clinical organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The study applied a narrative review approach dissection based on organizations' human resource management strategies to combat the COVID-19 impacts. The review study conducted published literature research through the electronic databases at Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and LISTA. The study extracted 1281 articles from the mentioned databases from November 2021 to the first quarter of 2021. This study reviewed selected papers, included 15 relevant articles, and removed duplicates according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Finally,…

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are the novel fourth-generation solar cells, with impressive progress in the last few years. MAPbI 3 is a cost-effective material used as an absorber layer in PSCs. Due to the different diffusion length of carriers, the electron transporting material (ETM) plays a vital role in PSCs' performance. ZnO ETM is a promising candidate for low-cost and high-efficiency photovoltaic technology. In this work, the normal n-i-p planar heterojunction structure has been simulated using SCAPS-1D. The influence of various parameters such as the defect density, the thickness of the MAPbI 3 layer, the temperature on fill factor, the open-circuit voltage, the short circuit current density, and the power conversion efficiency are investigated and discussed in detail. We found that a 21.42% efficiency can be obtained under a thickness of around 0.5 μm, and a total defect of 10 13 cm −3 at ambient temperature. These simulation results will help fabricate low-cost, high-efficiency, and low-temperature PSCs.

Ensuring food security in developing countries is highly challenging due to low productivity of the agriculture sector, degradation of natural resources, high post farming losses, less or no value addition, and high population growth. Researchers are striving to adopt newer technologies to enhance supply to narrow the food demand gap. Nanotechnology is one of the promising technologies that could improve agricultural productivity via nano fertilizers, use of efficient herbicides and pesticides, soil feature regulation, wastewater management, and pathogen detection. It is equally beneficial for industrial food processing with enhanced food production with excellent market value, elevated nutritional and sensing property, improved safety, and better antimicrobial protection. Nanotechnology can also reduce post-farming losses by increasing the shelf life with the aid of nanoparticles. However, further investigation is required to solve the safety and health risks associated with the technology.

In the recent years, researchers have contributed substantially in the field of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensors and its applications. SPR sensors show the salient features, such as label-free detection, real-time monitoring, small sample size, furnish accurate outcomes at low cost, and smooth handling. Moreover, the SPR sensors are also well-known because of its quantitative and qualitative excellent performance in real-time applications, including drug discovery, environment monitoring, food safety, medical diagnosis, clinical diagnosis, biological studies, and biomolecule interactions. This paper exhibits a comprehensive review of SPR based sensors, such as prism-based SPR with the applications (e.g., biomolecule interaction, medical diagnostic, etc.), fiber-based SPR, and waveguide-based SPR. Furthermore, we summarized the modern designs and techniques with their limitations and challenges in detail. The erudition outlined in this paper can be given an exceptional benefit for the researchers and industry people in the field of SPR based sensors.

The scientific explorations of nanoparticles for their inherent therapeutic potencies as antimicrobial and antiviral agents due to increasing incidences of antibiotic resistance have gained more attention in recent time. This factor amongst others necessitates the search for newer and more effective antimicrobial agents. Several investigations have demonstrated the prospects of nanoparticles in the treatment of various microbial infections. The therapeutic applications of nanoparticles as either delivery agent or broad spectrum inhibition agents in viral and microbial investigations can no longer be overlooked. Their large surface area to volume ratio made them an indispensable substance as delivery agents in many respect. Various materials have been used for the synthesis of nanoparticles with unique properties channelised to meet specific therapeutic requirement. This review focuses on the antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral potential of nanoparticles with their probable mechanism of action.

The research aims to design and develop learning innovation to enhance higher order thinking skills for students in Thailand junior high schools. The design development research model of Richey and Klien (2007) is used and divided into two phases: (1) to design and develop innovative learning and validate of its quality based on the interviews and survey from 13 experts, 10 teachers and 30 students, and (2) to test the tools' validity by three experts and 153 students from five junior high schools at five provinces in Thailand. The findings indicate that analytical thinking, creative thinking, problem-solving thinking and critical thinking skill are developed by researchers, and experienced and practiced by learners in their lessons. The higher order thinking skills of learners after experiencing the learning innovation have a higher average score than the previous one. Following the students' perspectives on the learning innovation, 1) The design of content is in line with students' knowledge levels, easy to understand, and enable to connect science contents to their daily life.…

The concepts, methodologies and applications of some of the major molecular or DNA markers commonly used in plant science have been presented. The general principles of molecular marker techniques have been elucidated with detailed explanation of some notable basic concepts associated with marker applications: marker polymorphism, dominant or co-dominant mode of inheritance, agronomic trait-marker linkage, genetic mutations and variation. The molecular marker methods that have been extensively reviewed are RFLP, RAPD, SCAR, AFLP, SSR, CpSSR, ISSR, RAMP, SAMPL, SRAP, SSCP, CAPS, SNP, DArT, EST, and STS. In addition, the practicality of the retrotransposon-based marker methods, IRAP, REMAP, RBIP, and IPBS, have been discussed. Moreover, some salient characteristics of DNA markers have been compared and the various marker systems classified as PCR- or non-PCR-based, dominantly or co-dominantly inherited, locus specific or non-specific as well as at the levels of marker polymorphism and efficiency of marker reproducibility. Furthermore, the principles and methods of the following DNA…

Sugarcane bagasse is a fibrous material containing cellulose as its main component. It is produced in large quantities across the world. It is a kind of waste material that comes from the sugar industry. It is most commonly used in paper industries, but researchers have suggested that different mechanical and chemical treatments can help to extract cellulosic fibers, pure cellulose, cellulose nanofibers, and cellulose nanocrystals. These extracted materials have diverse applications in regenerated cellulosic fiber and composite material production. This paper will discuss the extraction procedures and typical applications in composite industries of these extracted materials. And an assessment will also be done on the production process and the properties of the end products to find out some common factors which can control the properties of these extracted material reinforced composites to some extent.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has now spread globally. Some patients develop severe complications including multiple organ failure. It has been suggested that excessive inflammation associated with the disease plays major role in the severity and mortality of COVID-19. To elucidate the inflammatory mechanisms involved in COVID-19, we examined the effects of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein S1 subunit (hereafter S1) on the pro-inflammatory responses in murine and human macrophages. Murine peritoneal exudate macrophages produced pro-inflammatory mediators in response to S1 exposure. Exposure to S1 also activated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways. Pro-inflammatory cytokine induction by S1 was suppressed by selective inhibitors of NF-κB and JNK pathways. Treatment of murine peritoneal exudate macrophages and human THP-1 cell-derived macrophages with a toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist attenuated pro-inflammatory cytokine induction and the…

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is a widely used growth supplement in the in vitro culturing of animal and human cells, tissues and organs, notably due to the occurrence of abundant micro- and macronutrients, along with growth factors. Over the years, increasing demand, high price, batch-to-batch variability in quality and composition, increasing ethical concerns lead to the search for an alternative to FBS. Several approaches have been suggested and employed in the past, but none is implemented as widely as FBS, and each supplement has its own disadvantages. In this review, we described the importance of FBS in cell culture, discussed the issues associated with FBS use and presented the efforts made in the recent past to reduce or replace FBS. The potential of four different alternative sources to FBS, namely, bovine ocular fluid, sericin protein, human platelet lysate and earthworm heat inactivated coelomic fluid was evaluated. In the end, we present the conceptual perspective using the Human Platelet Lysate (HPL) and earthworm Heat Inactivated Coelomic Fluid (HI-CF) combination to…

Heavy metal (HM) contamination of water bodies is a serious global environmental problem. Because they are not biodegradable, they can accumulate in food chains, causing various signs of toxicity to exposed organisms, including humans. Due to its effectiveness, low cost, and ecological aspect, phycoremediation, or the use of microalgae's ecological functions in the treatment of HMs contaminated wastewater, is one of the most recommended processes. This study aims to examine in depth the mechanisms involved in the phycoremediation of HMs by microalgae, it also provides an overview of the prospects for improving the productivity, selectivity, and cost-effectiveness of this bioprocess through physicochemical and genetic engineering applications. Firstly, this review proposes a detailed examination of the biosorption interactions between cell wall functional groups and HMs, and their complexation with extracellular polymeric substances released by microalgae in the extracellular environment under stress conditions. Subsequently, the metal transporters involved in the intracellular…

River water is very much important for domestic, agriculture and industrial use in Bangladesh which is in critical condition from long time based on research data. During last 40 years, extreme pollution events occurred in peripheral rivers surrounding Dhaka city and Karnaphuli River in Chittagong city. Present data showed that other urban rivers are also in critical condition especially Korotoa, Teesta, Rupsha, Pashur and Padma. The pollutants flowing with water made a severe pollution in downstream areas of rivers. Metals concentrations in river water was found to be higher in dry season. Dissolve oxygen (DO) was nearly zero in Buriganga River and several points in Turag, Balu, Sitalakhya and Karnaphuli River. NO 3 - , NO 2 - and PO 4 3- pollution occurred in different rivers. Zn, Cu, Fe, Pb, Cd, Ni, Mn, As and Cr concentration was above drinking water standard in most of the river and some metals was even above irrigation standard in water from several rivers. Sediment data showed very much higher metal concentrations in most of the rivers especially peripheral rivers in Dhaka…

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was achieved by bio-reduction of silver nitrate using Hagenia Abyssinica plant leaf extract (HAPLE). The AgNPs formation was confirmed by Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer. The synthesized AgNPs in solution have shown maximum absorption at 430 nm. The different parameters like temperature, pH, time, silver nitrate concentration and volume of leaf extract were optimized spectrophotometrically. The Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy was used to confirm the existence of various functional groups responsible for reducing and stabilizing during the biosynthesis process. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the structure, crystal size and nature of the AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs showed antimicrobial (gram-negative bacteria ( klebsiella pneumoniae and salmonella typhimurium ) and gram-positive bacteria ( Streptococcus pneumoniae )) and antioxidant (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method) activities. The developed method for the AgNPs synthesis using HAPLE is an eco-friendly and…

In the face of ongoing attempts to achieve gender equality, there is increasing focus on the need to address outdated and detrimental gendered stereotypes and norms, to support societal and cultural change through individual attitudinal and behaviour change. This article systematically reviews interventions aiming to address gendered stereotypes and norms across several outcomes of gender inequality such as violence against women and sexual and reproductive health, to draw out common theory and practice and identify success factors. Three databases were searched; ProQuest Central, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Articles were included if they used established public health interventions types (direct participation programs, community mobilisation or strengthening, organisational or workforce development, communications, social marketing and social media, advocacy, legislative or policy reform) to shift attitudes and/or behaviour in relation to rigid gender stereotypes and norms. A total of 71 studies were included addressing norms and/or stereotypes across a range of intervention types…

Parking allocation has become a major problem in modern cities for which numerous smart parking systems (SPS) have been developed. This paper aims to provide comprehensive study, comparison and extensive analysis of SPSs in terms of technological approach, sensors utilized, networking technologies, user interface, computational approaches, and service provided. Moreover, the paper fills up the research gap by providing a clear insight into the suitability of SPSs in various environmental conditions and highlights their advantages/disadvantages. The extensive comparison among multiple aspects of SPSs would enable researchers, designers, and policymakers to identify the best suited SPS and understand the current trends in this sector.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) or rapid prototyping technologies are presented as one of the best options to produce customized prostheses and implants with high-level requirements in terms of complex geometries, mechanical properties, and short production times. The AM method that has been more investigated to obtain metallic implants for medical and biomedical use is Electron Beam Melting (EBM), which is based on the powder bed fusion technique. One of the most common metals employed to manufacture medical implants is titanium. Although discovered in 1790, titanium and its alloys only started to be used as engineering materials for biomedical prostheses after the 1950s. In the biomedical field, these materials have been mainly employed to facilitate bone adhesion and fixation, as well as for joint replacement surgeries, thanks to their good chemical, mechanical, and biocompatibility properties. Therefore, this study aims to collect relevant and up-to-date information from an exhaustive literature review on EBM and its applications in the medical and biomedical fields. This AM method…

Nowadays, a large number of customers are spending their time on social and digital media for a variety of purposes ranging from information searching to the final purchase of products. Responding to this shift, marketers are spending a significant part of the advertising budget on digital marketing. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review articles on digital marketing to identify top themes, determine the current status of research in digital marketing and indicate how influential works have shaped it. This research has reviewed 925 papers published between 2000 and 2019 in Scopus by applying bibliometrics analysis. These results show that on average 2.18 authors have contributed to every single paper on digital marketing and the collaboration index is 2.71. The top contributing countries in the digital marketing field are USA, India and UK. The study also identifies three dominant clusters in digital marketing research, e.g., 1) strategic planning with digital marketing 2) mobile marketing with apps development and 3) dealing with demographic profiles of customers.

This research empirically examines the effect of entrepreneurial leadership, entrepreneurial orientation, and technological innovation capability on SMEs' performance. Interestingly, this study investigates the mediating effects of internal organizational factors such as entrepreneurial orientation, team creativity, dynamic capabilities, and competitive advantage on the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and SMEs' performance. The consistent PLS-SEM approach was applied to analyze valid data collected from 182 small and medium IT enterprises operating at Quang Trung Software City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The empirical results reveal that entrepreneurial leadership via the full mediators of team creativity, dynamic capabilities, and competitive advantages can enhance the performance of IT SMEs. While entrepreneurial orientation does not influence SMEs' business performance, technological innovation capabilities can provide some benefits. Besides, entrepreneurial orientation plays no mediation role in the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and SMEs'…

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the health professionals who are at the frontline of this crisis have been facing extreme psychological disorders. This research aims to provide an overall scenario of the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, as well as insomnia and to inspect the changes in these prevalence over time by analyzing the existing evidence during this COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: statistics, and Meta regression and to search for the publication bias, Eggers's test and funnel plot were used. The random-effect model and subgroup analysis were performed due to the significant heterogeneity. RESULTS: Among eighty-three eligible studies in the final synthesis, 69 studies (n = 144649) assessed the depression prevalence of 37.12% (95% CI: 31.80-42.43), 75 studies (n = 147435) reported the anxiety prevalence of 41.42% (95% CI: 36.17-46.54), 41 studies (n = 82783) assessed the stress prevalence of 44.86% (95% CI: 36.98-52.74), 21 studies (n = 33370) enunciated the insomnia prevalence of 43.76% (95% CI: 35.83-51.68). The severity of the mental health problems among…

This study aims to investigate the effect of good corporate governance (GCG) on corporate sustainability performance (CSP) using the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) approach in a two-tier GCG system. GCG is measured by the size and education background of board of commissioners (BoC) and top management team (TMT). CSP consists of economic, social, and environment sustainability performance. As many as 117 sample data were collected from the financial statements, annual reports and sustainability reports of non-financial companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) for the period of 2013-2017. Multiple regression analysis was employed to test the hypotheses studied with the following results. First, BoC education has a negative effect on economic and environmental sustainability performance and no effect on social sustainability performance. Second, BoC size has a positive effect on economic sustainability performance, a negative effect on social sustainability performance and no effect on environmental sustainability performance. Third, CEO's education has a negative effect on…

AIMS: SARS-CoV-2, an infectious agent behind the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, induces high levels of cytokines such as IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ etc in infected individuals that play a role in the underlying patho-physiology. Nonetheless, exact association and contribution of every cytokine towards COVID-19 pathology remains poorly understood. Delineation of the roles of cytokines during COVID-19 holds the key to efficient patient management in clinics. This study performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to establish association between induced cytokines and COVID-19 disease severity to help in prognosis and clinical care. MAIN METHODS: Scientific literature was searched to identify 13 cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-2R, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17, TNF-α and IFN-γ) from 18 clinical studies. Standardized mean difference (SMD) for selected 6 cytokines IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ between severe and non-severe COVID-19 patient groups were summarized using random effects model. A classifier was built using logistic regression model with…

Nature has always been an excellent source for many therapeutic compounds providing us with many medicinal plants and microorganisms producing beneficial chemicals. Therefore, the demand for medicinal plants, cosmetics, and health products is always on the rise. One such plant from the Leguminosae family is licorice and the scientific name is Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn. It is an herb-type plant with medicinal value. In the following article, we shall elaborately look at the plants' phytochemical constituents and the pharmacological impact of those substances. Several compounds such as glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizinic acid, isoliquiritin, and glycyrrhizic acid have been found in this plant, which can provide pharmacological benefit to us with its anti-cancer, anti-atherogenic, anti-diabetic, anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antispasmodic activity. Alongside, these products have a different role in hepatoprotective, immunologic, memory-enhancing activity. They can stimulate hair growth, control obesity, and have anti-depressants, sedatives, and anticoagulant activity.…

Rigorous efforts should be channeled to the current low adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) in sub-Saharan African countries to improve food production. What determines the adoption level and intensity of CSAPs among smallholder farmers in Kenya? While considering their joint adoption, smallholder farmers' CSAPs adoption determinants were assessed based on a sample size of 300 smallholder farmers in Western Kenya. The CSAPs considered were animal manure, soil water conservation, agroforestry, crop diversification, and crop-livestock integration. A multivariate and ordered probit models were used to assess the determinants of joint adoption of CSAPs in Western Kenya. Both complements and substitutes between CSAPs were established. The multivariate probit analysis revealed that household head's gender, education, age, family size, contact with extension agents, access to weather information, arable land, livestock owned, perceived climate change, infertile soil, and persistent soil erosion influenced CSAPs adoption. The ordered probit model revealed that gender,…

In traditional medicine, Ocimum gratissimum (clove basil) is used in the treatment of various diseases such as diabetes, cancer, inflammation, anaemia, diarrhoea, pains, and fungal and bacterial infections. The present study reviewed the phytochemicals, essential oils, and pharmacological activities of O. gratissimum . The bioactive compounds extracted from O. gratissimum include phytochemicals (oleanolic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, epicatechin, sinapic acid, rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, apigenin, nepetoidin, xanthomicrol, nevadensin, salvigenin, gallic acid, catechin, quercetin, rutin, and kaempfero) and essential oils (camphene, β-caryophyllene, α- and β-pinene, α-humulene, sabinene, β-myrcene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, trans-β-ocimene, linalool, α- and δ-terpineol, eugenol, α-copaene, β-elemene, p-cymene, thymol, and carvacrol). Various in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that O. gratissimum and its bioactive constituents possess pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antihypertensive,…

Salicylic acid (SA) is a promising compound to increase plant tolerance to drought stress, and it can affect many aspects of physiological and biochemical processes. This study was focused on the changes in proteins, photosynthesis, and antioxidant system of Sardari wheat ecotypes leave in response to the application of SA under drought stress conditions. Treatments included Sardari wheat ecotypes (Baharband, Kalati, Fetrezamin, Gavdareh, Telvar, and Tazehabad), salicylic acid at 0.5 mM (controls were untreated), and drought stress (30% of the field capacity). The results showed that membrane electrolyte leakage, and lipid peroxidation of all six ecotypes, were obviously increased under drought stress conditions. On the other hand, drought stress decreased leaf chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, carboxylation efficiency, and transpiration rate. The results of SDS-PAGE indicated that the abundance of some protein spots was downregulated when the plants were exposed to drought stress, while other protein spots' abundance was upregulated in such a…

AIMS: plant extract as well as to study the effects of the preparation conditions on the size of synthesized nanoparticles and its antibacterial activity. METHODOLOGY: using micro-dilution method and determination the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). RESULTS: isolates. CONCLUSION: extract is considered effective as a reducing agent for the preparation of stable silver nanoparticles in certain conditions and this silver nanoparticle has a high antibacterial activity.

Due to globalization expansion, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is no longer an unfamiliar concept in emerging markets. In the case of Vietnam, its implementation will be influenced by several factors, including ethical leadership. Drawing upon the stakeholder theory, this study develops and tests a serial mediation model to explain how CSR and firm reputation can connect ethical leadership to enhanced firm performance. The PLS-SEM results from survey data collected from 653 mid- and top-level managers from large companies in Vietnam indicate that ethical leadership positively influences CSR, which, in turn, results in enhanced firm reputation and firm performance. This study contributes to research on the intersection between CSR and leadership in the context of emerging markets. This study also provides some managerial implications for Vietnamese firms striving to promote ethical leadership to achieve CSR outcomes.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a fascinating class of crystalline porous materials composed of metal ions and organic ligands. Due to their attractive properties, MOFs can potentially offer biomedical field applications, such as drug delivery and imaging. This study aimed to systematically identify the affecting factors on the MOF characteristics and their effects on structural and biological characteristics. An electronic search was performed in four databases containing PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase, using the relevant keywords. After analyzing the studies, 20 eligible studies were included in this review. As a result, various factors such as additives and organic ligand can influence the size and structure of MOFs. Additives are materials that can compete with ligand and may affect the nucleation and growth processes and, consequently, particle size. The nature and structure of ligand are influential in determining the size and structure of MOF. Moreover, synthesis parameters like the reaction time and initial reagents ratio are critical factors that should be…

The adoption of physical distancing and quarantine amid the COVID-19 pandemic to contain virus spread has left the world with schools' closure. In response, schools have shifted into online learning in developed societies while the developing world struggles to opt for online learning due to limited infrastructure and capacity and religious beliefs, in some communities, that discourage online learning. However, there has been a significant increase in the use of Social Media (SM) observed across developing and developed societies and religious communities amid physical distancing. This study was conducted to explore the possibility of SM use in online learning by exploring teachers' attitudes in relation to the effects of physical distancing and increased SM use, SM knowledge and religious leaders' SM use. In a quantitative investigation method, the researchers used a questionnaire as a primary tool to collect the data from 252 teachers of both public and private schools. Partial Least Square Structural Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used as an analysis method to assess and measure the…

Thymus vulgaris Linn. is a medicinal and culinary herb from the Southern European region known for its anti-infective, cardioprotective, gastroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities since the Egyptian era. The reported pharmacological activities of T. vulgaris L. include antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-cancerous activities. In this review, a comprehensive approach is put forth to scrutinize and report the available data on phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, pharmacology, and toxicology of the plant. The different extracts and essential oil obtained from the plant have been assessed and reported to treat ailments like microbial infections, inflammation, non-communicable diseases like cancer, and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV-1 and Herpes. The literature review has also indicated the use of volatile oils, phenolic acids, terpenoids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins, alkaloids, and polysaccharides in pharmacotherapy. Applications of these compounds including antidiabetic, anti-Alzheimer's, cardio, neuro and…

Given the work and life conditions imposed by the 'new normal' Covid-19 era, a massive shift towards telework is expected and will likely continue long after the pandemic. Despite the resurgent interest in telework as an important aspect of ensuring business continuity, the literature base remains fragmented and variable. This study presents a taxonomical classification of literature on teleworking along with a comprehensive bibliography and future research agenda. To this aim, a systematic literature review methodology was adopted drawing on an evidence base of 40 articles published in high-ranking journals during the years 2000-2020. Findings capture key developments and synthesize existing areas of research focus. Important insights and gaps in the existing research are also pinpointed. The study may stimulate future research, represent a reference point for scholars interested in telework and at the same time provide an added advantage to managers for understanding crucial dimensions thereof.

Aquaculture has been celebrated globally and believed to usher in a viable alternative to capture fisheries. It is most welcomed especially now that the world population explosion has pushed the demand on fisheries products to worrisome limits. Shrimp farming is an area of aquaculture that has witnessed significant growth in recent years, contributing substantially to the global aquaculture production. However, intensification of shrimp aquaculture has come with unintended consequences such as wastewater management and other problems emanating from environmental impact of the wastewater. This study identified excess feed and fertilizer application, metabolite wastes, shrimp mortalities, oil spillage from farm machines, drug and chemical abuse as some of the activities contributing to wastewater generation in shrimp aquaculture farming. The impact of shrimp effluent water discharged has been observed to be socio-economic with both positive and negative dimensions. In attempt to overcome the overwhelming problems associated with shrimp effluent water and bring reassurances to its…

Many countries experience the negative impacts of climate change especially in the decline of agricultural productivity leading to decreased national and household food security. This study assessed smallholder farmers' perception of climate variability and change and their adaptation strategies in Masaba South Sub-County, Kisii County, Kenya. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to collect data from 196 smallholder farmers. Additionally, focused group discussions and key informant interviews were used. The study revealed that most farmers perceived climate changes. 88.3% of the respondents noted a decrease in rainfall, 79.1% reported poor rainfall distribution, 88.3% perceived a late onset of rainfall while 76.6% perceived an increase in temperature. The farmers' perception mirrored the actual climatic data trends for the area obtained from the meteorological department. The major climate-smart agriculture practices adopted by farmers in the area included; diversification of crops, change of planting time and crop rotation/mixed cropping. The adoption of climate-smart…

Augmented Reality (AR) systems have been shown to positively affect mental workload and task performance across a broad range of application contexts. Despite the interest in mental workload and the increasing number of studies evaluating AR use, an attempt has yet to be made to identify the relationship between the effects of AR on mental workload and task performance. This paper seeks to address this gap in AR technology literature. With a better understanding how AR affects mental workload and task performance, researchers and developers can design more effective AR systems. 34 articles investigating the effects of the use of AR systems were selected for the review. A positive correlation was found between effects on mental workload and effects on task performance: if the effect on mental workload is positive, then the effects on task performance are more likely to be positive as well, and vice versa. Effectiveness of AR systems were shown to be influenced by the type of AR display device used, relevance and timeliness of content, information presentation, user characteristics…

The advances in mobile technologies and applications are driving the transformation in health services delivery globally. Mobile phone penetration is increasing exponentially in low-and middle-income countries, hence using mobile phones for healthcare services could reach more people in resource-limited settings than the traditional forms of healthcare provision. The review presents recent literature on facilitators and barriers of implementing mHealth for disease screening and treatment support in low-and middle-income countries. We searched for relevant literature from the following electronic databases: MEDLINE; CINAHL with full text via EBSCOhost; Science Direct; PubMed; Google Scholar and Web of Science using the keywords for relevant studies. We searched for published studies from 2015 to August 2020 with no language limitations. A total of 721 articles identified, 125 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis. The review demonstrates relevant facilitators for the implementation of mHealth, which includes knowledge, attitudes, and…

BACKGROUND: Increased exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) potentially affects infant and childhood health through immunosuppression. Given rapidly evolving research on PFAS, it is important to comprehensively examine the impact of PFAS exposure among the pediatric population as new research becomes available due to potential fragility of the developing immune system. OBJECTIVES: This review assessed the effects of PFAS fetal, infant and childhood exposures upon the development of immune function during early life stages. METHODS: Researchers completed a literature review, searching PubMed for human studies published since 2010 for PFAS and health outcomes among infants and children. Included articles incorporated key search terms in the title or abstract; non-research reports and non-English papers were excluded. The search identified 518 studies for possible inclusion. Following hands-on review, 34 were determined relevant. Subsequent analyses found 8 additional relevant articles, totaling 42 studies. RESULTS: Major immune-related sequelae from PFAS exposures on infant and…

Plastic microfibre pollution produced by domestic and commercial laundering of synthetic textiles has recently been incriminated in the press and the scientific literature as the main source (up to 90%) of primary microplastics in the oceans. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most common microfibre encountered. This review aims to provide updated information on worldwide plastic microfibre pollution caused by textile laundering and some possibilities for its control. Release of microfibres during domestic washing and tumble drying, their fate in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and the oceans, and their environmental effects on the aquatic biota are discussed, as well as potential control methods at the levels of textile modification and laundry procedures. Environmental effects on aquatic biota are important; as a result of their small size and length-to-diameter ratio, microfibers are more effectively incorporated by organisms than other plastic particle groups. Simulation laundering studies may be useful in the development of a Standard Test Method and modification of…

Silver nanoparticles have high potential for application in food industry, as they have the ability to inhibit a wide range of bacteria of pathogenic and spoilage origin. They can be obtained from different methods classified in physical and chemical and which are aggressive with the environment since they produce toxic waste. Nowadays, environmentally friendly methods such as green synthesis can be used, through the use of agri-food waste. The use of these wastes is a more sustainable method, because it reduces the environmental pollution, at the same time that silver nanoparticles are obtained. The aim of the present study is the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using safflower ( Carthamus tinctorius L.) aqueous extract from waste and its antibacterial activity on Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (Gram negative). The analyses by TEM showed that the as-synthesized silver nanoparticles were uniform and spherical particles with an average diameter of 8.67 ± 4.7 nm and confirmed by SEM. The electron diffraction and TEM analyses showed the…

L. commonly known as purslane is distributed all over the world and easily grows in diverse soil and climatic conditions. It has been traditionally used as a nutritious and ethnomedicinal food across the globe. Various studies have shown that the plant is a rich source of various important phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins such as A, C, E, and B, carotenoids and minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and zinc. It is particularly very important because of the presence of a very high concentration of omega-3- fatty acids especially α-linolenic acid, gamma-linolenic acid and linoleic acid, which are not generally synthesized in terrestrial plants. Various parts of purslane are known for ethnomedicinal and pharmacological uses because of its anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, skeletal muscle relaxant, antitumor, hepatoprotective, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-insomnia, analgesic, gastroprotective, neuroprotective, wound healing and antiseptic activities. Due to multiple benefits of purslane, it has become an important…

Mobile devices are not only a tool for communication, but also a powerful instrument for the economy, mass communication, and learning. Because the use of mobile devices and the Internet is growing rapidly, these tools are increasingly being utilized in learning and instruction. It is therefore important to investigate how mobile devices can be applied in learning. This article focuses on analyzing the features of mobile learning as well as the barriers and influencing factors of using mobile devices in learning. It pays particular attention to clarifying the factors, techniques, and strategies that enhance learners' experiences in using mobile devices. It reports a systematic review that examined studies published in 2006-2018 containing the keywords "mobile learning" "m-learning", "undergraduate students" and/or "higher education." The results of the review indicated mobile devices can be used as learning tools for tasks such as submitting homework, reflecting on immediate learning experiences, and sharing ideas. Instructors should consider three main components in mobile…

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), a devastating respiratory illness caused by SARS-associated coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has already affected over 64 million people and caused 1.48 million deaths, just 12 months from the first diagnosis. COVID-19 patients develop serious complications, including severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and or multiorgan failure due to exaggerated host immune response following infection. Currently, drugs that were effective against SARS-CoV are being repurposed for SARS-CoV-2. During this public health emergency, food nutraceuticals could be promising prophylactic therapeutics for COVID-19. Curcumin, a bioactive compound in turmeric, exerts diverse pharmacological activities and is widely used in foods and traditional medicines. This review presents several lines of evidence, which suggest curcumin as a promising prophylactic, therapeutic candidate for COVID-19. First, curcumin exerts antiviral activity against many types of enveloped viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, by multiple mechanisms: direct interaction with viral membrane…

The adoption of online-based learning and the internet has had both a positive impact on students. This study aims to understand how digital literacy, parental mediation, and self-control affects online risk during the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia. This paper elaborated a quantitative method with SEM-PLS to raise the comprehension of the phenomenon studied. A questionnaire was voluntarily responded to approximately 300 elementary school students who engaged in online-based learning. The structural equation modeling estimation indicates that digital literacy, parental mediation, and self-control influences online risk. However, parental mediation failed in promoting students' self-control. These findings suggest that both digital literacy and parental mediation needs to be penetrated to reduce the impact of online risk in the teaching and learning process. This is the first step for schools and parents' alertness in assisting and considering the appropriate and safe media using technology.

Financial technology (fintech) is a growing industry in Indonesia, supported by advances in the technological infrastructure. At the end of 2019, the Financial Services Authority (OJK), the financial authority in Indonesia, recorded 164 registered and licensed fintech (P2P lending) companies. However, since early 2018, the Investment Alert Task Force (SWI) and the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology have blocked 1,350 illegal fintech platforms. Illegal fintech lending practices have mechanisms beyond the responsibility and authority of the OJK, including the risk of collection and distribution of personal data. The essence of this study is to discuss the landscape of fintech P2P lending in Indonesia from Indonesian Online News data, explore cases of fintech p2p lending in Indonesia, and understand the rules and policies. Qualitative research with a case study approach and Focus Group Discussion techniques were used to obtain data from 4 stakeholders in the Fintech P2P Lending Industry in Indonesia. VOS Viewer software is used to build keywords from Indonesian Online…

Biochar is a carbonized biomass that can be used as a soil amendment. However, the exclusive use of biochar may present some limitations, such as the lack of nutrients. Thus, biochar enrichment techniques have made it possible to obtain biochar-based fertilizers (BCFs), with great potential to improve soil fertility. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of information about the description, advantages, and limitations of the methods used for biochar enrichment. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the production methods of enriched biochar and its performance in agriculture as a soil amendment. Studies demonstrate that the application of BCF is more effective in improving soil properties and crop yields than the exclusive application of pure biochar or other fertilizers. The post-pyrolysis method is the most used technique for enriching biochar. Future studies should focus on understanding the mechanisms of the long-term application of BCFs.

Previous studies reveal a gap in the literature regarding the role of knowledge-sharing behavior and person-organization fit as mediating variables in assessing the impact of transformational leadership on innovative work behavior. Additionally, some studies show that transformational leadership and person-organization fit influence innovative work behavior, while other studies have found that they do not. This study investigates the effects of transformational leadership, person-organization fit, and knowledge-sharing behavior on teachers' innovative work behavior and explores the role of knowledge-sharing behavior and person-organization fit as mediator variables. The study utilizes the partial least squares (PLS)-structural equation modeling (SEM) method to analyze data from 260 private elementary school teachers in South Jakarta, Indonesia. The result showed that transformational leadership does not positively affect innovative work behavior directly; however, the effect of transformational leadership on innovative work behavior becomes positive through knowledge-sharing…

This study demonstrates the level of heavy metal pollution in the Halda River, the only natural breeding source of carps in Bangladesh. Water was collected from 12 different sampling points along the Halda River. Water at various locations was found satisfactory in terms of the assessed physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids). The presence of various cations and anions was also studied using ion chromatography. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to identify and quantify various heavy metals in the collected water samples. Among the heavy metals, Cd, Cr, Fe, Pb, Cu, and As concentration exceeded the safe limit suggested by WHO. The calculated heavy metal pollution index and metal index were found higher than the critical index value. The single-factor assessment (P i ) and Nemerow's multi-factor index (P N ) of heavy metals was calculated to find out the degree of pollution in the Halda River. The maximum values of P i (Cd), P i (Pb), P i (As), P i (Cu), and P i (Cr) were determined to be 26.67, 260.00, 17.00, 208.76 and 2.80…

BACKGROUND: The current level of industrialization has generated many challenges worldwide, including ecological hazards, climate change, and the overuse of non-renewable natural resources, thereby creating an increasing demand for achieving the goal of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL). In this regard, Industry 4.0 can be used as a crunch point to contribute to the production process that can help achieve sustainable development. PURPOSE: While the Malaysian government proposed the "Industry4ward" approach to enhance technological adoption, there is scarce empirical evidence in the literature that validates SMEs for Industry 4.0. Using Dynamic Capability View (DCV), this study proposes a framework that includes core determinants like top management commitment, supply chain integration, and IT infrastructure, that can significantly influence Industry 4.0 implementation toward achieving TBL sustainability. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Employing simple random sampling, the study adopted a quantitative approach based on 199 useable respondent's feedback collected through a survey…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the leadership practices of Indonesian Islamic boarding school ( pesantren ) leaders, school principals, and teachers in responding to the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure the continuation of boarding school education in the "new normal" period. Generated using a moderated focus group discussion with principals and teachers, the findings suggest that principals' and teachers' leadership practices are acceptable in the policy, social support, and financial dimensions but still lack structural and teaching aspects about conducting blended learning. Based on this study's findings, pesantren leaders ( kyai ) and school principals should pay attention to training programs for implementing blended learning for teachers. The government is encouraged to assist in providing technical facilities pesantren can implement blended learning more effectively.

emissions. Despite the harmful consequences of transport activity on the environmental quality, there is less scientific attention accorded to this major issue. In this regard, we explore the possibility of reducing environmental damages through the association of new technologies with freight transport activities (i.e. inland, rail, and air). The empirical technique based on 43 countries between 2002 and 2014 employs the 2-step system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). Overall, the results are very ambitious confirming the ability of ICT in dampening pollution once it's well adapted in the transportation sector. First, the telephone and mobile phones are the most efficient technologies in terms of environmental sustainability when used in the rail and the inland transport sector, while the internet is best utilized in the air transport sector. Second, the telephone plays the role of an accelerator when interacting with intermodality to better improve the environment. Public policies and their implications are considered in the study.

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles (NPs) were produced by simple sol-gel technique and annealed for 2 h in air. The impact of annealing temperature on the physical, morphological, photocatalytic, and optical properties was studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements proved that a gradual phase change from anatase to rutile occurred with increased annealing temperature. The crystal structures of the NPs were found to change at different temperatures; anatase phase at 450 °C, mixed-phase (anatase/Rutile) at 550–650 °C, and rutile phase at 750 °C. The rise in the annealing temperature improved the crystallinity of the NPs. The crystal and grain size of the NPs increased with the annealing temperature hence reducing the specific surface area due to the condensed boundaries between subunits of the NPs. As per the Kubelka-Munk equation, the bandgap reduced as the temperature elevated. The photocatalytic activity of the NPs was higher in the anatase/rutile mixed-phase than in the single anatase and rutile phase. Experimental results indicated that annealing temperature could…

We synthesize and optically characterize pure PMMA and PMMA incorporated with metal oxides nanoparticles (MO NPs) such as ZnO, CuO, TiO 2 and SiO 2 NPs nanocomposite thin films with weight concentration of 10% using dip-coating technique. SEM images of MO NPs show that all NPs have nearly an average size of around 50 nm. The optical parameters such as, optical parameters ( n and k ), optoelectronics properties, dispersion, band-gap energy and band structure of as-prepared nanocomposite thin films were determined by analyzing the transmittance and reflectance spectra. Mainly, optical band-gap energy ( E g ) and the thickness of thin films are evaluated to a high degree of accuracy by utilizing Q-functional derived using a mathematical model recently published. The Q( E ) is a functional containing experimental transmission and reflection data and the incident photon energy. The E g value of un-doped PMMA thin films is found to be 4.273 eV. This value decreases as pre-selected MO NPs are introduced into thin films. These values are in excellent agreement with those determined using…

The aim of the current work is the introduction of a quick and simple literature survey about the bio-fabrication of the Alpha Hematite nanoparticles ( α -Fe 2 O 3 ) using the plant extracts green method. The survey manifested the utilities of the environmentally friendly biosynthesis methods via extracting different plant species, some of its important physicochemical properties, various instrumental analysis characterization tools, and potential applications.

BACKGROUND: Due to its climate-sensitive agricultural system and low adaptive capacity of the subsistence farmers, Ethiopia is cited among the countries experiencing frequent drought and highly vulnerable to climate change associated impacts. Micro level vulnerability assessment, in the context of a changing climate, has a paramount significance in designing policies addressing climate change induced effects. Assessing vulnerability to climate change is important for defining the risks posed by the change and it provides a starting point for the determination of effective means of promoting remedial actions to minimize impacts by supporting coping strategies and facilitating adaptation options targeted at specific context. METHODS: We employed cross-sectional survey research design has to examine the extent of livelihood vulnerability of 384 randomly selected smallholder farmers from three agroecologies which was supplemented by interviews. Livelihood vulnerability index, using integrated indicator approaches and principal component analysis, has been used. Chi-square test, F-test…

Nowadays, biodegradable antimicrobial packaging materials draw substantial attention and are considered one of the preferred emerging technologies to be used in the food industry. In this study, we have reported developing a two-component, chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) based films loaded with natural extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum via solvent casting technique. Experimental results showed that all the components were well dispersed, resulting in complete homogenous films. FTIR-ATR spectral analysis indicated strong interaction between the film matrix components, which also gets reflected by the films' physical properties. Transparent biodegradable films have resulted from the mixture and incorporation of the natural agent/extracts influenced light barrier, water resistance, moisture content (9.89–9.01%), and DPPH radical scavenging properties (antioxidant value ~41.1%) of the CS/PVA films. Therefore, this natural extract containing transparent CS/PVA-based films promises to be used in the food industry as packaging material to enhance food safety.

Computational calculations of 5-bromo-3-nitropyridine-2-carbonitrile (5B3N2C) on molecular structure and on energy are implemented using the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set by DFT/B3LYP method. The UV-Vis spectrum of 5B3N2C was obtained by TD-DFT with chloroform as a solvent. The analysis of molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) and frontier molecular orbital (FMO) were used to evaluate, the entire electron density and organic reactive sites of 5B3N2C. The electron-hole conversions were conjointly deliberated. Donor-acceptor interactions (NBO) analysis examines the intra-and intermolecular charge transfer, hyper conjugate interaction of the compound. The orbital molecular contributions are evaluated by density of states (DOS and PDOS). To discern the reactivity of the molecule, topology analyses were done. The biological prominence of the 5B3N2C molecule was investigated in a pertinent study of molecular docking with target protein 3CEJ exhibiting the centromere associated protein inhibitor property. Molecular Dynamics simulations were done to assess the stability of the complex. 5B3N2C…

Climate is one of the most important factors in agricultural productivity, which could directly or indirectly influence productivity since the climate is linked to physiological processes. It is, therefore, essential to understanding the various strategies used by farmers to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change and the factors that influence maize farmers' adoption and intensity of climate change adaptation strategies among smallholder maize farmers in South-west Nigeria. In all, a sample of three hundred and thirty (311) smallholder maize farmers were interviewed. A double-hurdle count data model was employed to estimate the factors influencing farmers' adoption of adaptation strategies while accounting for selection bias with the plugging of inverse mill ratio (IMR) as a regressor. Significant variables such as household size, depreciation ratio, frequency of extension visits, access to extension, and non-farm income were factors influencing the adoption of climate change adaptation strategies among maize farmers. Age of the respondent, age square, household size,…

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of microplastics on Spirulina sp., the pigment phycocyanin in Spirulina sp., and the effect of Spirulina sp. on the degradation of PE and PP plastic. The interaction of Spirulina sp. with microplstic (PE and PP) was conducted by adding the microplastic (500 mg/500 mL, with a size of 0.5–1 mm 2 ) to microalgae culture. The optical density was measured for 30 days to determine the growth of Spirulina sp. Harvesting was performed to obtain dry Spirulina sp biomass. Phycocyanin was obtained through extraction by mixing 0.1 g dry Spirulina sp. biomass with 25 ml of 1% CaCl 2 in an ultrasonic water bath at 50 kHz, 300 W at 30 °C for 15 min. The results showed that the growth rate of Spirulina sp significantly decreased (p < 0.05) with treatment of PE (SP + PE) (0.0228/day) and PP (Sp + PP) (0.0221/day), compared to the control (Sp-Control) (0.0312/day). Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses of Spirulina sp. biomass with the addition of PE and PP revealed surface damage of Spirulina sp. cells and…

Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy is one of the most widely used renewable energy options around the world. However, its electrical efficiency drops with increasing PV module temperature, it is therefore necessary to find appropriate ways to improve the performance of the module under high temperature conditions. In this study we evaluated the impact of simultaneous dual surface cooling on the PV module's output performance experimentally. The PV module's rear surface was cooled using cotton wick mesh which absorbs water from a perforated pipe and use capillary action to transfer the water down the surface of the rear side of the module. The perforated pipe is strategically positioned at the upper part of the panel and as a result, water from the tank through the holes in the pipe also spread on the front surface of the panel. The experiment recorded a temperature drop of 23.55 °C. This resulted in about 30.3% improvement in the output power of the panel. The cooled PV module also recorded an average efficiency of 14.36% against 12.83% for the uncooled panel. This represent a…

The practice of phubbing has become an emerging phenomenon of worldwide interest to researchers. The cause is due to the fact that smartphones are ubiquitous and are often used in co-present interactions. This behavior is generally considered inappropriate and is called "phubbing". Phubbing, as described by Chotpitayasunondh and Douglas (2018), is the act of snubbing someone in a social setting by looking at one's phone instead of paying attention to the other person. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of research studies on phubbing through a review of the current literature. To do this, a search was carried out in an international database, finding 84 relevant articles in English that appeared in peer-reviewed journals published between 2012, the year in which the term 'phubbing' appears, and January 2020. The review covers the main fields of research studies on phubbing behaviors. Likewise, the results of the study show the distribution of published articles on phubbing by year that detail the type of study and the methodological approach and, finally, the research…

In the development of an accurate modeling technique for the design of an efficient machining process, manufacturers must be able to identify the most suitable technique capable of producing a fast and accurate performance. This study evaluates the performance of the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) models in predicting the machining responses (metal removal rate and tool wear) in an AIS steel turning operation. With data generated from carefully designed machining experimentation, the adequacies of the ANN and ANFIS techniques in modeling and predicting the responses were carefully analyzed and compared. Both techniques displayed excellent abilities in predicting the responses of the machining process. However, a comparison of both techniques indicates that ANN is relatively superior to the ANFIS techniques, considering the accuracy of its results in terms of the prediction errors obtained for the ANN and ANFIS of 6.1% and 11.5% for the MRR and 4.1% and 7.2% for the Tool wear respectively. The coefficient of correlation (R 2 )…

In the era of technology, every time the world confronts any kind of crisis or challenge, we use technology as a weapon. Like other emergencies, as COVID-19 is announced as a pandemic, all countries have started trying to control the situation with technological advancement in the medical sector, educational progress, and in the continuity of productions. As most of the educational institutions have been closed since March and the learning process in higher education has moved online, therefore, developing countries like Bangladesh are also trying to continue classes through the online platform with a lack of technological resources, readiness, and inclusiveness from the perspective of the students. This quantitative study surveyed over 844 students of different universities of Bangladesh to analyze the status of preparedness, participation, and classroom activities through online during the pandemic. The findings revealed a lack of preparedness, participation, and less scope of classroom activities through online learning. Problems of infeasible consistency of the internet and…

Nowadays, companies know that keeping customers engaged is essential to increase their loyalty. The main goal of this study is to understand the impact of gamification and reputation on the intention of repurchase in e-commerce. Gamification corresponds to the regular usage of game elements in non-game context. This study purposes a theoretical model indicating the determinants of repurchase intention. Here we present an empirical study (survey collected data) within a real e-commerce usage context. Data were analysed with SEM/PLS method. Results indicate a positive impact of trust on the intention to use of e-commerce, on buy frequency and on repurchase intention. Ease of use, usefulness of e-commerce platforms affect intension to use. We verified the impact of reputation on trust, as well as the impact of gamification on the effective use of the e-commerce platforms. Results indicate that gamified e-commerce websites determine usage and use positively influences repurchase intention in e-commerce context.

Electric cars are relatively in the early stage of acceptance in Malaysia, the purpose of the current research was to determine the factors affecting the adoption of battery electric vehicles in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This research utilized a quantitative method to gather and analyze the data and proposed a novel theoretical framework to explain the acceptance of battery electric vehicles. 500 surveys were distributed and 322 were gathered. Respondents of the study were University lecturers, postgraduate students, and employees in private companies. The results of SEM analysis indicated that the developed model provides a good fit for constructs used for this research. The result showed that social influence, facilitating conditions, environmental concern, and perceived enjoyment have positive effects on the adoption of BEVs. However, respondents indicated anxiety about the battery range. In conclusion, this study has contributed additional variables such as range anxiety and driving experience to the electric vehicle's acceptance literature. The findings are significant to…

The current study aimed to evaluate university students' technological acceptance and connectedness to online learning with WhatsApp support. A total of 202 students from three different courses at an Indonesian private university participated in an online survey. Quantitative data analyses using Rasch modelling technique were conducted to evaluate the survey data. Findings show that most students accepted social media use to support learning and felt connected to the learning. The findings also have identified several drivers that promoted the high level of acceptance and connectedness to learning, such as students' perceived usefulness, availability of learning support, motivation, and connectedness with their friends. Implications for further research and practices of WhatsApp usage to support online learning are discussed.

This study examines the effectiveness of using YouTube videos in teaching the speaking skills among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in Jordan. The study sample comprised 80 students attending Oral Skills classes in the English Language and Literature Department at a private university in Jordan. The participants were equally divided into a control group and an experimental group of 40 students each. The experimental group was taught through the use of YouTube videos, while the control group was taught the speaking skills using the traditional approach. A pre-test and a post-test were administered to the two groups. Four TEFL experts were asked to rate the participants' performance using the IELTS speaking band descriptors, which consist of four main categories: fluency & coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range & accuracy, and pronunciation. The findings showed that the performance of the two groups was improved. However, compared to the traditional group, the experimental group demonstrated a relatively better improvement. The results also showed significant…

A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study is performed on 48 novel 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[D]-thiazol-2 derivatives as anticancer agents capable of inhibiting c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase. The present study is conducted using multiple linear regression, multiple nonlinear regression and artificial neural networks. Three QSAR models are developed after partitioning the database into two sets (training and test) via the k-means method. The obtained values of the correlation coefficients by the three developed QSAR models are 0.90, 0.91 and 0.92, respectively. The resulting models are validated by using the external validation, leave-one-out cross-validation, Y-randomization test, and applicability domain methods. Moreover, we evaluated the drug-likeness properties of seven selected molecules based on their observed high activity to inhibit the c-Met receptor. The results of the evaluation showed that three of the seven compounds present drug-like characteristics. In order to identify the important active sites for the inhibition of the c-Met receptor responsible…

The ICT, energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions (CO 2 ) relationship is examined for South Africa spanning the period 1970–2019, while controlling for the effects of financial development. The findings of the study based on the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL), Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS), and Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) estimators show that ICT and fossil fuel consumption contribute to carbon dioxide emissions, while renewable energy consumption and financial development reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Specifically, the results show that a 1% increase in ICT activities will increase CO 2 emissions by 0.565% in the long-term, and any temporary shock to this long-run relationship is corrected by 93.20%. Further, there is no evidence of threshold effect of ICT on carbon emissions.

This research aims to review the current state and limitations of water resources management in Nigeria and explore how adopting an integrated approach to water management can strengthen socio-economic development. As the support for integrated water resources management (IWRM) grows, it is necessary to explore how feasible it is in the Nigerian context especially with many Nigerian states facing water stress even with the country's substantial resources. This paper reviews literature related to the implementation of IWRM around the world with particular reference to developing countries in Africa and draws parallels between their experience and the possibilities that exist for IWRM in Nigeria. Progress on adopting IWRM in Nigeria is discussed and the pitfalls to implementing IWRM in practice are identified. Among the hindrances to effective water resources management in the country is the lack of good water governance, which has affected the quality of water legislation and institutions. This paper concludes that the slow progress of IWRM implementation in Nigeria is the result of…

Universities worldwide have been conducting e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue education irrespective of faculties are familiar with e-education or not. This study assessed perception and preference for e-teaching amongst 438 faculty members. Results revealed that around half of teachers were conducting e-classes without any training, and they also had conducted examinations using online platforms. Teachers perceived e-teaching as effective during the pandemic, time-efficient, easy to share materials, unsuitable for monitoring or conducting practical classes and less effective for evaluation. More than three-fourths of the teachers preferred online teaching during the pandemic, and most preferred both physical and mixed teaching in the post-pandemic era. Their preferences were influenced by their age, teaching experience, academic discipline, current residency, training on online teaching, hours of online classes taught per week, internet connection used, types of classes and whether they had given online examinations. The major challenges in online teaching during…

The high expense of chemical coagulant-treated water forces most people in rural regions rely on easily available sources, which are usually of poor quality and expose them to waterborne infections. According to this statement, the purpose of this study was to confirm the efficacy of extracting powder Moringa oleifera seeds, which are widely available in rural regions. The experiment was done based on random design load of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6g/500ml of powder extracted from Moringa seeds. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), color and turbidity were determined for both acidic and basic characteristics of wastewater. The optimum dosage of Moringa oleifera was 0.4g/500ml in both characteristics of waste water in case of color and turbidity. Moringa airfare maximum reduction in turbidity, color and COD in acidic waste water was 98%, 90.76% and 65.8% respectively. And maximum reduction turbidity, color and COD in basic waste water were 99.5%, 97.7% and 65.82% respectively. The study was demonstrated that, the application of RSM for seeking optimum condition in the coagulation…

Heavy metal pollution has emerged as one of the most serious environmental challenges facing the world today. The removal of heavy metals from the effluent is of special environmental concern because of their toxicity and persistence in nature. This study presents the suitability of activated carbon from waste rubber tire as a low-cost adsorbent for multiple adsorption of copper, lead and zinc from wastewater. The adsorbent removed heavy metal ions effectively from solution medium in the order of copper > lead > Zinc. The adsorption process was rapid with all metals reaching equilibrium within 120 min. The optimum pH for Lead was achieved at 5 and 6 for copper and Zinc. The removal of heavy metals was discovered to increase with adsorbent dosage and contact time and reduced with initial concentration. The adsorption of multiple heavy metals was modeled using Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms to assess the experimental findings. The equilibrium data better fitted to the Langmuir isotherm with regression coefficient (R 2 ) of 0.9831, 0.9992 and 0.9953 for lead, copper and…

INTRODUCTION: Growing demand for mental health services, coupled with funding and resource limitations, creates an opportunity for novel technological solutions including artificial intelligence (AI). This study aims to identify issues in patient flow on mental health units and align them with potential AI solutions, ultimately devising a model for their integration at service level. METHOD: Following a narrative literature review and pilot interview, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with AI and mental health experts. Thematic analysis was then used to analyse and synthesise gathered data and construct an enhanced model. RESULTS: Predictive variables for length-of-stay and readmission rate are not consistent in the literature. There are, however, common themes in patient flow issues. An analysis identified several potential areas for AI-enhanced patient flow. Firstly, AI could improve patient flow by streamlining administrative tasks and optimising allocation of resources. Secondly, real-time data analytics systems could support clinician decision-making in triage,…

In this work, reduced graphene oxide-nickel (RGO-Ni) nanocomposite is synthesized. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and SEM-EDS (Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy) are used to study the crystalline nature, morphology and elemental composition of the RGO-Ni nanocomposite, respectively. As synthesized RGO-Ni nanocomposite is used to develop selective adsorptive removal of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye from the aqueous solution. The experiments have been performed to investigate RhB uptake via RGO-Ni nanocomposites which include, contact time (60 min), initial dye concentration (50 mg/100 ml), adsorbent dosage (0.5 mg) and pH 8 of dye solution. The equilibrium concentration is determined by using different models namely, Freundlich, Langmuir and Tempkin. Langmuir isotherm has been fitted well. Langmuir and Tempkin equations are determined to have good agreement with the correlation coefficient data. The kinetic study concluded that RhB dye adsorption follows with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Further, adsorption mechanism of RGO-Ni is proposed which…

Few studies have been conducted about individuals' continuance to use m-payment, especially in an African context. This study investigates the continuance intention to use m-payment, employing two theoretical models: the DeLone and McLean information system (D&M IS) success model and the expectation-confirmation model (ECM) in an African context. We collected 338 questionnaires through an online survey to evaluate and validate the proposed theoretical model, using partial least squares - structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Our results indicate that the most important predictors of continuance intention to use m-payment are individual performance, use, and satisfaction. The results present useful insight to understand continuance intentions toward mobile payment in an African context. The integration of D&M IS success model, and the ECM model is to allow us to understand the main factors affecting the continuance intention to use mobile payment in the African context. By combining these two models we show how to compensate for and complement the weaknesses and strengths of the…

COVID-19 pandemic has been a global serious issue that adversely impacted humans' life. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students' learning in higher education in Afghanistan. A mixed method research design was employed in conducting the study. The quantitative data were gathered using an online survey questionnaire from 592 randomly selected students and 6 semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the quantitative data and the qualitative data were coded and analysed thematically. The quantitative finding showed that the students did not experience a constant online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic devastatingly affected students' learning in higher education in Afghanistan. In addition, the qualitative finding revealed that the students had problems with Internet and technological facilities in their learning and they suggested that the Ministry of Higher Education should design and…

L., known as Black Soldier Fly (BSF) appear as an opportunity to reuse vegetable by-products, as it is easy to reproduce and can be reared in agricultural side streams, allowing the production of both, animal feed (the larvae, after recycling of the vegetal debris) and soil organic fertilizer (insect frass). Although several organic fertilizers, from long ago, have been used in agriculture, there is yet a paucity of experimental data on the evaluation of the fertilization potential of BSF larvae frass (BSFF). The present study is a contribution to access the agronomic and environmental potential of the BSFF as an organic fertilizer. Within this aim, it was conducted a greenhouse experiment with ryegrass, using seven treatments of BSFF. Under the experimental conditions, the results showed a significant effect of BSFF on the overall ryegrass production, with a steady increase (significant at p ≤ 0.05, as accessed through the Tukey test) up to the treatment with a greater rate of application. In what concerns sustainability of soil productivity, at the end of the experiment, there was…

This study aimed to examine the influence of conflict, leadership, organizational culture, and work ethic on employees' work performance in North Sumatra Education Authority, Indonesia. This becomes important because this organization is not a profit-oriented organization, so it needs further understanding about how to foster the work performance. However, most of these research topics still concentrate on the western populations. A quantitative approach was used to conduct this study, where data were collected directly to the office of Education Authority with n = 180. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) is employed for data analysis in this study. The results showed that conflict negatively affects employees' work performance. However, leadership, organizational culture, and work ethic have positive effect on employees' work performance.

In recent years, the educational landscape has been in a period of constant change due to the advent of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). As a result, training in digital competence has become one of the challenges to be met by the teaching staff, in order to incorporate these skills into their professional practice. As a result of this, the present work aimed to analyse the level of digital competence presented by a sample of 140 teachers of the Lifelong Learning stage in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia (Spain). To this end, a transversal methodological design of a quantitative nature was advocated, based on the configuration of an ad hoc questionnaire developed from the European conceptual frameworks on teaching digital competence. The results showed that the level shown by teachers is low, especially in terms of creation, information literacy and problem solving, although they did show optimal skills in communication and collaboration of digital content. The findings also determined the importance of factors such as age, teacher training and school type in…

Ground improvement will be critically important in the present and future geotechnical practice for designing the structures in weak soil. This paper presents a review of the recent development in ground improvement techniques, especially chemical stabilisers. Various available chemical stabilisers are identified and compared with other available methods. Though the use of chemicals provides an excellent alternative to the traditional methods, they still lack proper understanding regarding their use, handling, application, and long-term effect on the environment. Various chemical stabilisers and their applicability conditions are summarised in the present paper. Insight of biochemical, electrochemical, inorganic, and organic stabilisers is presented with future scope of these methods along with the potential areas where a lot of efforts is needed to industrialise these methods are also discussed briefly. A need for developing a more environmentally friendly and safe method was felt while reviewing these methods. Lack of a large amount of data is a major concern for lesser use of…

The COVID-19 pandemic and the enforced restrictions have harshly affected educational sectors in 161 countries around the world. With more than 1.6 billion students away from normal school life, the crisis threatens the teaching and learning processes and the students' emotional health. Herein, we present the result of a careful assessment of the feelings of over 13,000 students at high school, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels across 36 campuses over 8 subsequent weeks from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate a general low energy level and dominance of negative feelings among the students regardless of their academic levels. We have recorded 5 responses (being anxious , stressed , overwhelmed , tired , and depressed ) as the most frequently reported feelings in the time of lockdown. Overall, 14% of those who have reported to suffer from these feelings have also identified a need for professional help in managing their feelings throughout the quarantine period. The current study also presents several strategies to combat the undesirable consequences of…

Crop residue burning (CRB) over northern India is a major air quality and human health issue. The present study assesses the impact of PM 10 , PM 2.5 , NO 2 and SO 2 , emitted during CRB activities in Haryana on the air quality of Delhi. The transition from pre-burning to burning period, in both rabi and kharif seasons, shows considerable increase in pollutant concentrations. PM 10 and PM 2.5 concentrations exceeded NAAQS limits by 2–3 times, while NO 2 and SO 2 stayed within the limits. MODIS fire observations used to estimate CRB fire counts (confidence ≥80%) shows that rabi (burning period) fires in Haryana are ~3 times higher and more intense than in kharif. Furthermore, backward trajectories shows air mass movement from Haryana, Punjab and Pakistan. Thus, pollutants emitted reach Delhi via air masses, deteriorating its air quality. Meteorological conditions influence pollutant concentrations during both seasons. Frequent dust storms in rabi, and Dusshera and Diwali firework celebrations in kharif season exacerbate air pollution. In rabi, PM 10 and PM 2.5 have a significant…

This study investigated the impact of social capital on farm productivity and food security among cocoa-based farming households in Southwestern, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 300 cocoa-based farming households for the study. Two-step Heckman and three-stage simultaneous models were used for the analyses. The results of a two-step Heckman model revealed that asset, age of household head, years of education, gender, farm size, land tenure, loan interest rate and extension visits were the determining factors influencing the probability of participating in social groups. While the level of participation in the social groups were determined by age of household head, years of education, membership in agricultural organization, off farm income, land tenure, interest rate, distance to credit sources, extension visit, decision making index, cash contribution index, and labour contribution index. The simultaneous equation models showed that social capital was positive and significantly influenced farm productivity and food security of the cocoa-based farming…

Threats are potential events, intentional or not, that compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and/or availability of information systems. Defending against threats and attacks requires actionable threat intelligence. Using this intelligence to minimise risk, requires a systematic methodology or framework that recognises every possible threat scenario. This can be done with Threat Modelling (TM), which assists with identifying, understanding and providing visibility of threats affecting an organisation. The focus of this study is to determine TM limitations, strengths, and any perceivable gaps. It has also focused on identifying any possible enhancements that may improve TM performance and efficiency when modelling sophisticated attacks such as Advanced Persistent Threats (APT).

BACKGROUND: E-learners' satisfaction has a significant impact on the success of the e-learning process and leads to improving the quality of the e-learning system. Many factors affect e-learning satisfaction. This study aimed to determine the factors related to students' satisfaction with e-learning during the Covid-19 pandemic based on the dimensions of e-learning. METHODS: The present study was a cross-sectional study, which was conducted in 2020 among students studying in different fields of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences using stratified random sampling. To collect data three parts of questionnaires were used included the demographic information, the measuring the effectiveness of e-learning, and measuring the level of satisfaction with holding e-learning during the Covid-19 period. Data were entered into spss23 and analyzed by descriptive method, chi-square, and t-test. RESULTS: The results showed that the mean (standard deviation) score of satisfaction with e-learning in the students was 20.75 (2.13) and 59 % of them had undesirable satisfaction. There was a significant…

Today, hundreds of studies on mathematics learning have been found in various literature, supported by the use of GeoGebra software. This meta-analysis aims to determine the overall effect of using GeoGebra software and the extent to which study characteristics moderate the study effect sizes to consider the implications later. This study analyzed 36 effect sizes from 29 primary studies identified from ERIC documents, Sage Publishing, Google Scholar, and repositories from 2010 to 2020, and a total of 2111 students. In order to support calculation accuracy, a Comprehensive Meta-analysis (CMA) software was used. The effect size is determined using the Hedges equation, with an acceptable confidence level of 95%. It is known that the overall effect size of using GeoGebra software on the mathematical abilities of students is 0.96 based on the estimation of the random-effect model, and the standard error is 0.08. These findings indicate that, on average, students exposed to GeoGebra-based learning outperformed math abilities, which was initially equivalent to 82% of students in…

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted biopsychosocial health and wellbeing globally. Pre-pandemic studies suggest a high prevalence of common mental disorders, including anxiety and depression in South Asian countries, which may aggravate during this pandemic. This systematic meta-analytic review was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of anxiety and depression in South Asian countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: We systematically searched for cross-sectional studies on eight major bibliographic databases and additional sources up to October 12, 2020, that reported the prevalence of anxiety or depression in any of the eight South Asian countries. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled proportion of anxiety and depression. RESULTS: = 99%) among 37,437 participants in 28 studies. Among the South Asian countries, India had a higher number of studies, whereas Bangladesh and Pakistan had a higher pooled prevalence of anxiety and depression. No studies were identified from Afghanistan, Bhutan, and Maldives. Studies in this review had high…

Over the past decades, construction delays have been perceived as a global challenge that hinders the time delivery, budget, and quality of construction projects. It is the most common, expensive, and risky problem associated with both private and public construction projects. Within this context, the aim of this study is to investigate the significant factors that influence delays in construction projects in Hargeisa, using the road and building projects as a baseline. Through a questionnaire survey with 51 critical delay factors that are categorized into seven major groups, data were collected from 51 construction stakeholders selected based on simple random sampling from the different construction companies. Feedback from the respondents was analyzed using Relative Importance Index (RII) for ranking purposes. Results showed that delay in honoring payment progressively, underestimation or overestimation of the project cost, and delay in the approval of major changes in the work scope were ranked as the three major causes of delays in construction projects in Hargeisa. The…

Nowadays, most shoppers use e-business online platforms. However, consumer behaviors need to be studied in terms of satisfaction and the intention to purchase and re-purchase according to the online shopping process because online shopping platforms still have influenced their usage behaviors. This work proposes a retentive consumer behavior assessment model of the online shopping platforms through integration of Technology Acceptance Model and Online Purchase Decision-Making Process with two input factors: Trust and Quality. A questionnaire designed according to all factors from the proposed conceptual model is used to collect data from a sample group. The participants of this study are 384 respondents who have experienced using online shopping platforms. The data is used to analyze causal relationships through the use of structural equation modeling. The results showed that the proposed model can be explained for the relationship with consistent E-Business platforms affecting purchase and continue to purchase (re-purchase or recommend) behaviors of online trading users, and it…

Anodised titanium has a long history as a coating structure for implants due to its bioactive and ossified surface, which promotes rapid bone integration. In response to the growing literature on anodised titanium, this article is the first to revisit the evolution of anodised titanium as an implant coating. The review reports the process and mechanisms for the engineering of distinctive anodised titanium structures, the significant factors influencing the mechanisms of its formation, bioactivity, as well as recent pre- and post-surface treatments proposed to improve the performance of anodised titanium. The review then broadens the discussion to include future functional trends of anodised titanium, ranging from the provision of higher surface energy interactions in the design of biocomposite coatings (template stencil interface for mechanical interlock) to techniques for measuring the bone-to-implant contact (BIC), each with their own challenges. Overall, this paper provides up-to-date information on the impacts of the structure and function of anodised titanium as an implant…

There is evidence that Nigeria is already experiencing environmental challenges attributed to climate change (CC) and its impacts. This has clearly highlighted the need for knowledge-based strategies to help plan adequate mitigation and adaptation measures for the country. One of the basic requirements to ensure such strategies is the development of a database of national CC research. This will aid in the assessment of past and present scientific publications from which directions for future study can be mapped. The present study used standard, systematic, and bibliographic literature reviews to analyse the trend, focus, spatial variability, and effectiveness of published research on CC impacts in Nigeria. Four thematic areas of CC impact research were defined: Agriculture, Environment, Human and Multi-disciplinary study. A total of 701 articles were found to be relevant and the review shows that CC impacts and adaptations in the literature vary across research categories and locations. The period between 2011 (68 studies) and 2015 (80 studies) showed a tremendous rise in CC impact…

Flood is a danger to human beings and their properties because less consideration is given for risk analysis and assessment of risk areas. The main aim of this study was to assess the flood vulnerability areas of Fetam watershed. For analyzing this issue, flood generating factors: slope, elevation, land use/land cover, drainage density, rainfall, and soil types were rated and collected to mark out flood vulnerability zones using a multi-criteria evaluation technique within the Geographic Information System (GIS). Maps were constructed using past data on river banks and discharge of earlier floods along with topographic data to illustrate areas susceptible to flood for various discharges. The influences of all overflow distribution factors were calculated using pair-wise evaluation techniques for decisive weighted-overlay investigation of each factor in flood vulnerability assessment. The flood vulnerability valuation map showed that 67.54, 634.11, 280.89, 121.28, and 2.81 km 2 areas correspond to very high, high, moderate, low, and very low flood vulnerabilities respectively.…

This study predicts factors affecting the tendency to use financial technology (Fintech) services post-COVID-19 lockdown as a new normal behavior. Fintech services have boosted the number of users during the COVID-19 lockdown. However, to maintain the loyal behavior of consumers after usage, firms need to predict key reasons to enhance their intention to use the service and maintain current consumers in the long term. This study offers a model to assess the components of the perceived usefulness toward Fintech. Data were collected via Mechanical Turk (MTurk), and structural equation modeling was used to predict the factors that influence the intention and loyalty to use Fintech post-COVID-19 lockdown. The findings reveal that the COVID-19 lockdown, trust, data security and privacy, and especially staff services are factors that enhance the intention to use through perceived usefulness. In return, it builds consumers' loyalty toward Fintech services and is considered a new normal behavior. This research sheds light on how Fintech firms develop their capabilities and increase their…

Perovskites having the chemical formulae of ABX 3 are promising candidates for various electronic, magnetic, and thermal applications. One of the important structural factors is a (the lattice constant), which represents the unit cell size. The variation in the lattice constant is a combined result of interactions between different ions, determined by valence electrons and ionic radii. The size and stability of unit cells have important influences on structural stabilities, bandgap structures, and therefore performance of materials. To obtain the lattice constant of cubic perovskites without going through experimental efforts such as synthesis and measurements, we construct a model based on Gaussian process regressions for cubic perovskite lattice constant predictions. The model utilizes the number of valence electrons as well as ionic radii of alloying elements as predictors. A total of 149 cubic perovskites containing fluorides, chlorides, and bromides with cation combinations of A 1+ B 2+ , as well as oxides with cation combinations of A 1+ B 5+ , A 2+ B 4+ , and A 3+ B 3+ are…

Molecular imprinted solid-phase extraction is the technique that uses molecular imprinted polymer as the sorbent in solid phase extraction. Molecular imprinted solid-phase extraction is effective and efficient for the extraction process and cleaning as compared with solid phase extraction (SPE) without molecular imprinted polymer. The complexity of variables in molecular imprinted solid-phase extraction arise as problems in the analysis, therefore it is necessary to optimize the extraction conditions of molecular imprinted solid-phase extraction. To achieve the sorption equilibrium and achieve the shortest time, certain parameters such as contact time, ion strength of sample, pH of sample, amount of sorbent, sample flow rate, addition of salt and buffer solution, washing solvent, elution solvent, and loading solvent need to be optimized. The selection of suitable properties and quantities of each factor greatly affect the formation of appropriate interactions between the sorbent and analytes. Percentage recovery is also influenced by formation of the appropriate bonds, sample flow…

This paper reports the findings of a descriptive survey research that explored secondary school students' experiences with mathematics remote learning during the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) school closure. The study involved 367 students of ages 13 to 21 selected from six secondary schools in Kitwe district of Zambia using the cluster random sampling method. Using a mixed-methods research approach, quantitative and qualitative data were merged to provide a comprehensive analysis of the main findings in the context of the existing literature, the government's response to COVID-19 school closure, and the challenges associated with remote learning during that time. Research findings show that more than 56% of the respondents did not have sufficient access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), electricity, and internet services. Most of these respondents also held a belief that mathematics is a subject that is best learned with face-to-face interactions between the teacher and students, and among students. These results suggest a need for the education systems in…

Higher educational institutions are engaged in the provision of services and thus require better focus on satisfying the needs and anticipation of their participating consumers (students). Additionally, it is the delivery of quality services that creates loyal consumers: consumers who patronize the institution more and who stimulate others to patronize. While past researchers have discovered a relationship between service quality and student loyalty in higher educational institutions (HEIs) in developed countries, the peculiar nature of HEIs operating in an emerging country like Nigeria is yet to be examined. Therefore, this study examined the role of quality service, student satisfaction and loyalty in higher education institutions in Nigeria. The study was conducted in a private University in Nigeria because of the stringent competition within the subsector. The descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in this study. A survey of 265 students from the private university provided data for the study through structured questionnaire. Utilizing the structural equation…