Search Results (28,942)

This study investigates the financial behavior of Thai investors in equity crowdfunding (ECF), focusing on the factors that influence their investment intentions. Drawing upon the Information System Success Model (ISSM), the Theory of Diffusion of Innovations, and the Technology Acceptance Model 3 (TAM3), the research examines the platform quality (PQ), platform characteristics (PC), and social influence (SI) as independent variables, with the perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU) acting as mediators. Data were gathered from 275 Thai investors and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that the PU significantly influences investment decisions both directly and indirectly through the PEOU, which also directly affects investment intention. Furthermore, SI, PC, and PQ have indirect effects on investment decisions via the PU and PEOU, with SI being the most influential factor. This study provides valuable insights into optimizing ECF platform design, fostering investor trust, and enhancing regulatory frameworks to facilitate financial inclusion and innovation in the Thai crowdfunding landscape. Full article

One way to manage sewage sludge, which is consistent with the assumptions of the European Green Deal, is to use it in agriculture. The study focused on the possibility of using soil enzyme activity and the GMea index (the geometric mean of enzyme activities) in connection with the total organic carbon (TOC) and the total nitrogen (TN) content to assess the quality of fallow light soil after exogenous organic matter (EOM) fertilization. Exogenous organic matter in the form of stabilized municipal sewage sludge was introduced into the soil. The experiment included five variants: one control site and four sites with 30, 75, 150, and 300 Mg ha⁻¹ of sewage sludge added to the soil. The contents of TOC, TN and heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd) in the soil material were assayed. In addition, the activity of soil enzymes, i.e., neutral phosphatase, urease, protease and dehydrogenase, was examined, and the geometric mean of the enzyme activities (GMea index) was calculated. Fertilization of light soil with sewage sludge resulted in an increase in TOC and TN proportionally to the EOM dose. The addition of sewage sludge increased the content of tested heavy metals in the soil and did not exceed the levels considered acceptable. The introduction of sewage sludge contributed to the stimulation of biological life in the soil. This was evidenced by an intensification of soil enzyme activity. However, individual enzymes showed a different response to EOM fertilization, while GMea showed a significant increase in the quality of the fallowed soils as the EOM rate increased to 150 Mg ha⁻¹. Full article

Under the dynamics of urbanization and counterurbanization, rural areas in China face both challenges and opportunities with the government’s new-town policy. A comprehensive analysis is essential for developing effective strategies. Characterized by traditional water settlements and high ecological sensitivity, Anxin County, which encompasses 50% of Baiyangdian Lake, was selected as a case study. Anxin County was incorporated into the National New Area in 2017, and it served as an experimental site for green ecological development. This study aims to provide insights into the sustainable spatial planning of Anxin County’s settlements by examining their long-term evolution and locational differences, modeling the driving mechanisms, and proposing differentiated spatial planning strategies based on predictive outcomes. Our research findings indicate the folllowing: (1) Anxin County’s settlements have expanded significantly in the past, with a notable surge between 1975 and 1996. Initially, semi-waterside settlements experienced the fastest growth before the 1970s, followed by land settlements. (2) Natural and socio-economic factors are modeled as independent variables to explain the evolution of settlement areas. The results indicate a decreasing impact of natural factors and an increasing influence of socio-economic factors over time. Furthermore, the evolution of settlements in water areas is relatively straightforward and random, whereas land settlements are influenced by a complex array of factors. (3) Utilizing the model to predict settlement growth, the study identifies settlements requiring relocation, and it proposes the most suitable relocation targets for them. A total of 23 villages, including Bei Tianzhuang and Cai Putai, are identified for relocation, while villages such as Ma Village, Bian Village, and Liu Lizhuang have strong capacities for accepting in-migrants. The study also offers recommendations for enhancing waterfront landscapes, flexible land use, road network systems, and internal construction. Full article

Marine sources contribute approximately 2% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions, with the shipping industry accounting for 87% of this total, making it the fifth-largest emitter globally. Environmental regulations by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), such as the MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) treaty, have driven the exploration of alternative green energy solutions, including nuclear-powered ships. These ships offer advantages like long operational periods without refueling and increased cargo space, with around 200 reactors already in use on naval vessels worldwide. Among advanced reactor concepts, the molten salt reactor (MSR) is particularly suited for marine applications due to its inherent safety features, compact design, high energy density, and potential to mitigate nuclear waste and proliferation concerns. However, MSR systems face significant challenges, including tritium production, corrosion issues, and complex behavior of volatile fission products. Understanding the impact of marine-induced motion on the thermal–hydraulic behavior of MSRs is crucial, as it can lead to transient design basis accident scenarios. Furthermore, the adoption of MSR technology in the shipping industry requires overcoming regulatory hurdles and achieving global consensus on safety and environmental standards. This review assesses the current progress, challenges, and technological readiness of MSRs for marine applications, highlighting future research directions. The overall technology readiness level (TRL) of MSRs is currently at 3. Achieving TRL 6 is essential for progress, with individual components needing TRLs of 4–8 for a demonstration reactor. Community Readiness Levels (CRLs) must also be addressed, focusing on public acceptance, safety, sustainability, and alignment with decarbonization goals. Full article

Groundwater depletion in Bangladesh’s Barind tract poses significant challenges for sustainable water management. This study aims to delineate groundwater recharge potential zones in this region using an integrated geospatial and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. The methodology combines remote-sensing data with GIS analysis, considering seven factors influencing groundwater recharge: rainfall, soil type, geology, slope, lineament density, land use/land cover, and drainage density. The AHP method was employed to assess the variability of groundwater recharge potential within the 7586 km² study area. Thematic maps of relevant factors were processed using ArcGIS software. Results indicate that 9.23% (700.22 km²), 47.68% (3617.13 km²), 37.12% (2816.13 km²), and 5.97% (452.70 km²) of the study area exhibit poor, moderate, good, and very good recharge potential, respectively. The annual recharge volume is estimated at 2554 × 10⁶ m³/year, constituting 22.7% of the total precipitation volume (11,227 × 10⁶ m³/year). Analysis of individual factors revealed that geology has the highest influence (33.57%) on recharge potential, followed by land use/land cover (17.74%), soil type (17.25%), and rainfall (12.25%). The consistency ratio of the pairwise comparison matrix was 0.0904, indicating acceptable reliability of the AHP results. The spatial distribution of recharge zones shows a concentration of poor recharge potential in areas with low rainfall (1200–1400 mm/year) and high slope (6–40%). Conversely, very good recharge potential is associated with high rainfall zones (1800–2200 mm/year) and areas with favorable geology (sedimentary deposits). This study provides a quantitative framework for assessing groundwater recharge potential in the Barind tract. The resulting maps and data offer valuable insights for policymakers and water resource managers to develop targeted groundwater management strategies. These findings have significant implications for sustainable water resource management in the region, particularly in addressing challenges related to agricultural water demand and climate change adaptation. Full article

Magnetic fluid hyperthermia, a minimally invasive localized therapy that uses heat generated by magnetic nanoparticles under an AC magnetic field, is a complementary approach for cancer treatment that is excellent due to its advantages of being noninvasive and addressing only the affected region. Still, its use as a stand-alone therapy is hindered by the simultaneous requirement of nanoparticle biocompatibility, good heating efficiency, and physiological safe dose. To overcome these limits, the biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles’ heating efficiency must be optimized. Iron oxide nanoparticles are accepted as the more biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles available. Therefore, in this work, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by a low-cost coprecipitation method and modified with starch and gum to increase their heating efficiency and compatibility with living tissues. Two different reducing agents, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH), were used to compare their influence. The X-ray diffraction results indicate the formation of a single magnetite/maghemite phase in all cases, with the particle size distribution depending on the coating and reducing agent. Citric acid functionalized water-based ferrofluids were also prepared to study the heating efficiency of the nanoparticles under a magnetic field with a 274 kHz frequency and a 14 kAm⁻¹ amplitude. The samples prepared with NaOH display a higher specific loss power (SLP) compared to the ones prepared with NH₄OH. The SLP value of 72 Wg⁻¹ for the magnetic nanoparticles coated with a combination of starch and gum arabic, corresponding to an intrinsic loss power (ILP) of 2.60 nWg⁻¹, indicates that they are potential materials for magnetic hyperthermia therapy. Full article

Background/Objective: Narrow-spectrum beta-lactam antibiotics such as benzylpenicillin and flucloxacillin are increasingly used in outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) programs to mitigate the adverse effects associated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. These beta-lactams require continuous administration via portable infusion devices during OPAT. However, the use of benzylpenicillin in OPAT requires special consideration because of its limited stability at elevated temperatures. Methods: We tested the benzylpenicillin stability, pH, and degradation of products in elastomeric pumps at different concentrations in saline and in buffered solution containing sodium citrate during a prolonged storage and at high temperatures (seven days at 2–8 °C followed by 24 h at 37 °C). Additionally, drug concentrations during intermittent bolus infusion and during OPAT were determined in five patients. The concentrations and degradation products of benzylpenicillin were measured using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results: Unbuffered benzylpenicillin solutions that were already degraded during refrigerator storage and analyte concentration were not measurable after 8 days. The stability of the buffered solutions was acceptable at all three of the tested concentrations (97.6 ± 1.3%, 96.3 ± 0.8%, and 94.9 ± 1.1% for 10 Mio IU, 20 Mio IU, and 40 Mio IU of benzylpenicillin). The stability was influenced by benzylpenicillin concentration, and several breakdown products were identified. Benzylpenicillin concentrations were measured in five patients during OPAT and ranged from 7.2 to 60 mg/L. Conclusions: Benzylpenicillin buffered with sodium citrate is a safe and convenient option for use in continuous infusions during OPAT and should be favored over broad-spectrum antibiotics. Therapeutic drug monitoring data indicate sufficient to high plasma levels when patients received benzylpenicillin as continuous infusions. Full article

The social potential of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) as a greener and faster transportation system in and around urban environments is indisputable. Nevertheless, the success of UAM introduction and its wide use will strongly depend on acceptance by the citizens and future UAM users. The impact on overall quality of life, as a multidimensional concept that encompasses physical health, mental and emotional well-being, economic status, education, and the environment, is becoming a significant issue. This paper aims to describe the performance framework for the assessment of the social and environmental impact of UAM. The specific objectives are to identify the full range of UAM’s impacts on citizens’ quality of life and to propose a set of indicators that enables the quantification and assessment of the identified impacts. Firstly, the main issues (focus areas) were identified, namely, noise, visual pollution, and privacy concerns, followed by access and equity, economic aspect, emissions, public safety, and impact on wildlife. In the next step, for each identified focus area, performance indicators were defined along with the several cross-cutting areas for a geographical, temporal, demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral resolution. The proposed performance framework could enable more efficient mitigation measures and possibly contribute to wider adoption of the UAM operations. Full article

Pregnancy termination, also referred to as abortion, is a contentious subject in many countries. Uganda’s culture requires young people to remain celibate; they therefore suffer from restricted access to any sexual and reproductive health information, products, and services, including contraceptives. Girls who are pregnant in Uganda are oppressed in various ways, including being expelled from school. Since abortion is illegal under Ugandan law, those abortions that take place are assumed to have a high risk of being unsafe. Most previous studies in the African context have thus focused on the phenomenon of unsafe abortion. Adolescent abortion is characterized by a rhetoric of pathology that frames girls as victims of deadly unsafe abortion practices. This paper aims to critique the view that pregnant adolescent girls are merely vulnerable victims who passively accept the denial of SRH services, including abortion. We analyzed the life histories of 14 girls in Uganda who had undergone pregnancy termination. Our findings showed that adolescent girls are not passive victims of the structural barriers to abortion. They use their agency to obtain knowledge, make decisions, successfully terminate pregnancy, and conceal the information as needed. It is therefore important for policymakers to acknowledge the agency of adolescent girls in regard to pregnancy termination and how this recognition could be of benefit in terms of devising appropriate supports for them. Full article

Background/Objectives: Low back pain is thought to be caused by lumbar instability. To date, multiple definitions of radiological lumbar instability have been used without verifying the “normal range” of the lumbar segmental mobility. Ideally, normative data for lumbar mobility in healthy individuals are required to establish an acceptable threshold for lumbar instability. This study aims to elucidate (i) the prevalence of so-called radiological lumbar instability at each lumbar spine level in conventional criteria and (ii) a practical radiological threshold for lumbar instability in healthy individuals. Methods: Participants completed a questionnaire and underwent standard active dynamic radiography of the lumbar spine in the standing position. Intervertebral range of motion (IROM) and sagittal translation distance (ΔST) were measured at each intervertebral level. Nachemson’s criteria of radiological lumbar instability were applied. Results: This study involved four hundred and twenty participants (249 males and 171 females); 76% (320/420) met the criteria for radiological lumbar instability. The definition of lumbar instability based on IROM and ΔST was achieved by 0.2% and 1.7% of participants at the L5–sacrum (L5–S) level, respectively. Conclusions: The normative data of lumbar mobility were obtained from a large number of participants who had less LBP-related ADL disability. The widely accepted criteria for lumbar instability were not applicable except for the L5–S level. Further studies of lumbar mobility, including patients with severe LBP, might prove the relationship between hypermobility of the lumbar spine and LBP. Full article

Mixed friction in liquid-lubricated tribosystems is characterized by the simultaneous presence of liquid and solid friction. Liquid friction results from the shearing of the lubricant, and solid friction from deformation and adhesion. Elastic hysteresis and plastic deformation of the solids cause energy losses during deformation and the separation of molecular bonds between the solids causes energy losses during adhesion. The classic conception of mixed friction presupposes direct contact between rough solids for solid friction to exist. However, if hysteresis losses are fully accepted as a cause for solid friction, every fully lubricated elastohydrodynamic contact would ultimately be a mixed friction contact since the elastic deformations of the solids also cause a loss of energy induced by hysteresis. Thus, the classic conception of mixed friction should be expanded since mixed friction can occur even when solids do not have any direct contact. Full article

eHealth literacy (eHL) is directly linked to disease prevention, health promotion, and improved healthcare outcomes. The objectives of this study are to assess undergraduate university students’ knowledge and perceived skills of finding, appraising, and applying electronic health information to health-related problems, as well as to assess the association of eHL with physical, psychological, and emotional self-care. Methods: The measurement model, comprising four correlated factors based on the 28 valid items from two reliable and valid tests, the ‘eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS)’ and ‘the self-care assessment tool (SCAT)’, was estimated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) among a sample of 1557 undergraduate university students in Pakistan. Results: The mean value of the eHEALS ranges between 2.90 and 3.33, indicating that the majority of the respondents had moderate levels of eHL skills. Female respondents and respondents from urban areas have greater levels of perceived eHL skills compared with their male and rural counterparts. The CFA model fit indices show that the goodness of fit values are acceptable: x² = 7.727, p = 0.000; RMSEA = 0.065; TLI = 0.930, CFI = 0.936, IFI = 0.936, GFI = 0.890, NFI = 0.928, RFI = 0.920, PGFI = 0.754. Conclusion: Electronic health (eHealth) literacy has a strong positive association with physical, psychological, and emotional self-care. However, perceived eHL skills among undergraduate university students are moderate, making them potentially susceptible to health risks. Implications: Our study has several practical implications. Its findings can be used to devise eHealth literacy programs for developing relevant skills among undergraduate university students based on their identified needs. Full article

With the advantages of a high specificity, a long half-life, and a high safety, the use of antibody biologic drugs, including camrelizumab, has been rapidly increasing in clinical practice. Camrelizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor and humanized monoclonal antibody, is used to treat several advanced solid cancers. Measuring its concentration supports personalized dosage adjustments, influences treatment decisions for patients, strengthens the control of disease activity through therapeutic drug monitoring, and helps evaluate and prevent drug interactions in combination therapy. Because antibodies are present in complex biological matrices, quantifying monoclonal antibody drugs is challenging, and must rely on precise, selective, and reliable analytical methods. In this study, a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry TripleTOF 6600+ (AB SCIEX, Framingham, MA, USA) system equipped with a Turbo V ion source was used for the qualitative analysis of monoclonal antibodies using the data-dependent acquisition (IDA) MS/MS mode, followed by quantitative analysis using a targeted MRMHR workflow. This method showed a good linear relationship within the range of 4–160 μg/mL, with a correlation coefficient of R² ≥ 0.996. It demonstrated an acceptable accuracy (88.95–101.18%) and precision (≤15%). Furthermore, the lower limit of quantification was found to be 4 μg/mL, with the lowest detection limit of 0.3217 μg/mL, indicating that this method is rapid, accurate, and reliable for the quantitative analysis of camrelizumab in human serum. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cervical cancer screening uptake in Singapore remains suboptimal. This study employed the Social Ecological Model (SEM) to investigate factors influencing cervical cancer screening participation among Singaporean women. Methods: The study included 665 women, aged 25–69 years, who reported awareness of cancer screening and no personal cancer history. Data were collected through a previously described online survey. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify significant factors influencing screening participation. Results: Only 30% of participants reported cervical cancer screening participation. Women aged 25–29 years (OR = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.12–0.77), Malay women (OR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.20–0.83), and unmarried women (OR = 0.30; 95% CI = 0.18–0.48) were less likely to be screened. Positive associations with screening participation were observed with good cervical cancer screening knowledge (OR = 2.90; 95% CI = 1.96–4.32), awareness of primary care providers’ role in delivering screening services (OR = 1.94; 95% CI = 1.24–3.10), cancer information seeking behavior (OR = 1.59; 95% CI = 1.07–2.39), and acceptance of self-sampling options (OR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.22–2.70). Conclusions: Our study highlights the cumulative impact of factors at various SEM levels on screening participation and underscores the necessity for more targeted and multi-pronged strategies to improve cervical cancer screening uptake in Singapore. Full article

Phage display is widely used in biomedical research. One of the great advantages of phage display is the specificity of the connection of a foreign peptide exposed outside the capsid to the intended target. Secondary detection systems, which are often laborious and costly, are required to identify and quantify the peptide/target interaction. In this study, we generated a novel dual-display phage to facilitate the detection and quantification of the peptide/target interaction. First, we generated a biotin-tagged phage by adding a small biotin-accepting peptide (sBT) to gene-3 of the M13K07 helper phage. Subsequently, we enhanced the M13K07 biotin-tagged phage by incorporating a selective peptide on gene-8, which is then exposed to the phage capsid. The exposed peptide acts as a probe to bind to a selective molecular target, whose interaction can be readily visualized thanks to the biotinylated phage. Our versatile dual-display phage exhibits high flexibility; by swapping the displayed peptide/probe, one can change the phage target while retaining the sBT gene in-frame with the pIII. We expect the generated biotin-tagged dual phages to be used as a multifunctional probe to couple with several streptavidin-biotin-based systems. Full article