bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Application of smart systems and emerging technologies for disaster risk reduction and management in Nepal
Authors: Dixit Avani , Chauhan Raju , Shaw Rajib 
Published: May 2024

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the application of smart systems and emerging technologies for disaster risk management (DRM) in Nepal. This delves into specific technologies, including advanced connection and communication technologies, AI, big data analytics, autonomous vehicles and advanced robotics, examining their capabilities and potential contributions to DRM. Further, it discusses the possibility of implementing these technologies in Nepal, considering the existing policies and regulations, as well as the challenges that need to be addressed for successful integration.

Design/methodology/approach
For this review journal series of search strategy for identifying relevant journals, the initial examination of results, a manual assessment, geographical refinement, establishment of criteria for the final selection, quality assessment and data management, along with a discussion of limitations. Before delving into the relevant literature within the field of research interest, the authors identified guiding keywords. Further, the authors refined the list by filtering for articles specifically related to Nepal, resulting in a final selection. The final selection of these 95 articles was based on their direct relevance to the research topics and their specific connection in the context of Nepal.

Findings
The way technology is used to reduce disaster risk has changed significantly in Nepal over the past few years. Every catastrophe has given us a chance to shift to something innovative. The use of new emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, autonomous vehicles, advanced robotics and advanced connection and communication technologies are increasing for the purpose of generating risk knowledge, reducing disaster risk and saving the loss of lives and properties. The authors conclude that the successful implementation of smart systems and emerging technologies for disaster risk management in Nepal has the potential to significantly improve the country's resilience and minimize the impact of future disasters. By leveraging data-driven decision-making, enhanced connectivity and automation, Nepal can build a more proactive, adaptive and efficient disaster management ecosystem.

Originality/value
Studies on the application of smart systems in Nepal are limited and scattered across different database. This work collects together such literatures to understand the current status of the application of the smart system and technologies and highlights the challenges and way forward for effective disaster risk management in Nepal. Therefore, this work is an original one and adds value to the existing literatures.
Strengthening a sustainable Islamic financial industry through digital banking
Authors: Riza Alex Fahrur , Wijayanti Dwi Marlina 
Published: May 2024

Purpose
This study aims to determine the factors that influence the actual behavior of Islamic digital banking customers based on the users’ perspectives during the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

Design/methodology/approach
This study used a causal exploratory method with quantitative and qualitative approaches presented in two parts. The first study (Study 1) was empirical testing of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) used WARP-partial least square by modifying the variables of customer trust and satisfaction. A. Hayes’s PROCESS procedures were applied to examine the moderating effects of age, gender and experience. The second study (Study 2) explored the obstacles and solutions to improve digital banking services. The survey was conducted on 897 Islamic bank customers throughout Indonesia.

Findings
The results showed that all the hypotheses about the direct effect of the modification of the UTAUT2 model were supported empirically except for the effect of price value and hedonic motivation on behavioral intention, and there was just one moderating effect in this study. The other results show that 35 factors became obstacles to using digital banking.

Research limitations/implications
This study had limited qualitative data collection techniques that were less deep and comprehensive. This happened because respondents were given complete confidence to fill in the open questions without any follow-up to customer answers. For further research, an in-depth interview method can be added to crucial information from the customer and expert side to get in-depth and complementary data regarding constraints and solutions. This study only used a sample of customers of Islamic banks; further research is expected to use customers of Islamic banks and conventional banks to compare their preferences for digital banking.

Practical implications
This study offered seven strategies that could encourage increased digital banking transactions to accelerate crisis management, mitigate cybercrime and communicate the positive impact of digital banking effectively and efficiently.

Social implications
This study offered seven strategies that could encourage increased transactions using digital banking to accelerate crisis management, mitigate cybercrime and communicate the positive impact of digital banking effectively and efficiently.

Originality/value
Most of the existing studies focused on the modification model of the UTAUT2 model. The study is unique because it has proposed the obstacle and solution to improve digital banking service in Islamic Bank in Indonesia.
The intention of adopting blockchain technology in agri-food supply chains: evidence from an Indian economy
Authors: Saha Aditi , Raut Rakesh D. , Kumar Mukesh , Paul Sanjoy Kumar , Cheikhrouhou Naoufel 
Published: May 2024

Purpose
This paper aims to explore the underlying intention behind using blockchain technology (BLCT) in the agri-food supply chain (AFSC). This is achieved by using a conceptual framework based on technology acceptance models that considers various factors influencing user behavior toward implementing this technology in their practices.

Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual framework developed is empirically validated using structural equation modeling (SEM). A total of 258 respondents from agri-food domain in India were involved in this survey, and their responses were analyzed through SEM to validate our conceptual framework.

Findings
The findings state that food safety and security, traceability, transparency and cost highly influence the intention to use BLCT. Decision-makers of the AFSCs are more inclined to embrace BLCT if they perceive the usefulness of the technology as valuable and believe it will enhance their productivity.

Practical implications
This study contributes to the existing literature by providing thorough examination of the variables that influence the intention to adopt BLCT within the AFSC. The insights aim to benefit industry decision-makers, supply chain practitioners and policymakers in their decision-making processes regarding BLCT adoption in the AFSC.

Originality/value
This study investigates how decision-makers’ perceptions of BLCT influence their intention to use it in AFSCs, as well as the impact of the different underlying factors deemed valuable in the adoption process of this technology.
Impact of health tourism visitor experiences on behavioral intention
Authors: Baydeniz Erdem , Çılgınoğlu Hakkı , Valeri Marco 
Published: May 2024

PurposeThis paper examines the factors that influence behavioral intention in the context of medical tourism in Türkiye. With the growing popularity of Türkiye as a destination for medical tourism, it is essential to understand the key determinants influencing individuals’ intention to engage in medical tourism activities.Design/methodology/approachThis study used the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior (E-PBT) variables, which include attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control, to measure their influence on behavioral intention. In addition, a customer experience scale was used to assess the influence of dimensions such as education, entertainment, aesthetics and escapism on behavioral intention. The research instrument was validated by expert review, and data were collected using purposive sampling. A total of 420 surveys were deemed suitable for analysis.FindingsThe path analysis revealed that attitudes and perceived behavioral control positively impacted behavioral intention within the domain of medical tourism in Türkiye. Conversely, subjective norms did not have a significant positive effect on behavioral intention. Furthermore, it was observed that the dimensions of entertainment, escape and aesthetics positively affected behavioral intention. However, education and aesthetics did not significantly influence behavioral intentions.Practical implicationsThe results of this paper have practical implications for marketers and policymakers in the medical tourism industry in Türkiye. Understanding the factors that drive individuals’ behavioral intentions can assist in developing effective marketing strategies to attract and serve potential medical tourists. Medical tourism providers can enhance their services by optimizing attitudes and perceived behavioral control while emphasizing entertainment and escapism for their clientele.Originality/valueThis research focuses on uncovering factors influencing individuals’ behavioral intentions in medical tourism in Türkiye. Using the E-PBT framework and exploring the dimensions of the customer experience scale, this study aimed to understand the driving forces behind individuals’ decisions to engage in medical tourism.
Unraveling market access opportunities through one stop border posts: Traders’ perceptions on the influence of administrative practices and cross-cultural competences
Authors: Nguvila Toba , John Elia , Ismail Ismail Juma 
Published: May 2024

PurposeIn the process of one stop border posts (OSBP), market access is dynamic. In this context, administrative practices and cross-cultural competence among traders are crucial for market access. However, there is limited research on how cross cultural competences can strengthen the influence of administrative practices on market access among small traders. This study therefore aims at exploring this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThis study used structured questionnaire to collect data from 328 traders of maize, onion and tomatoes at Namanga OSBP. Data were analyzed using PLS-SEM.FindingsThe results of this study imply that administrative practices and cross-cultural competences significantly and positively influence market access. Finally, cross-cultural competence is a significant positive moderator of the relationship between administrative practices and market access.Originality/valueThe results suggest that cross-cultural competence is a significant moderator of the relationship between administrative practices and market access. This adds new knowledge in the literature on how cross-cultural competences of the traders can strengthen the influences of administrative practices at the OSBPs for high market access.
Optimization study of station track utilization in high-speed railroad based on constraints of control in random origin and process
Authors: Zheng Yajing , Zhang Dekun 
Published: May 2024

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to eliminate the fluctuations in train arrival and departure times caused by skewed distributions in interval operation times. These fluctuations arise from random origin and process factors during interval operations and can accumulate over multiple intervals. The aim is to enhance the robustness of high-speed rail station arrival and departure track utilization schemes.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve this objective, the paper simulates actual train operations, incorporating the fluctuations in interval operation times into the utilization of arrival and departure tracks at the station. The Monte Carlo simulation method is adopted to solve this problem. This approach transforms a nonlinear model, which includes constraints from probability distribution functions and is difficult to solve directly, into a linear programming model that is easier to handle. The method then linearly weights two objectives to optimize the solution.FindingsThrough the application of Monte Carlo simulation, the study successfully converts the complex nonlinear model with probability distribution function constraints into a manageable linear programming model. By continuously adjusting the weighting coefficients of the linear objectives, the method is able to optimize the Pareto solution. Notably, this approach does not require extensive scene data to obtain a satisfactory Pareto solution set.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the field by introducing a novel method for optimizing high-speed rail station arrival and departure track utilization in the presence of fluctuations in interval operation times. The use of Monte Carlo simulation to transform the problem into a tractable linear programming model represents a significant advancement. Furthermore, the method’s ability to produce satisfactory Pareto solutions without relying on extensive data sets adds to its practical value and applicability in real-world scenarios.
Macroalgal eukaryotic microbiome composition indicates novel phylogenetic diversity and broad host spectrum of oomycete pathogens
Authors: Timanikova Natalia , Fletcher Kyle , Han Jon‐Wong , van West Pieter , Woodward Steve , Kim Gwang‐Hoon , Küpper Frithjof C. , Wenzel Marius 
Published: May 2024

AbstractSeaweeds are important components of marine ecosystems with emerging potential in aquaculture and as sources of biofuel, food products and pharmacological compounds. However, an increasingly recognised threat to natural and industrial seaweed populations is infection with parasitic single‐celled eukaryotes from the relatively understudied oomycete lineage. Here we examine the eukaryomes of diverse brown, red and green marine macroalgae collected from polar (Baffin Island), cold‐temperate (Falkland Islands) and tropical (Ascension Island) locations, with a focus on oomycete and closely related diatom taxa. Using 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we show unexpected genetic and taxonomic diversity of the eukaryomes, a strong broad‐brush association between eukaryome composition and geographic location, and some evidence of association between eukaryome structure and macroalgal phylogenetic relationships (phylosymbiosis). However, the oomycete fraction of the eukaryome showed disparate patterns of diversity and structure, highlighting much weaker association with geography and no evidence of phylosymbiosis. We present several novel haplotypes of the most common oomycete Eurychasma dicksonii and report for the first time a cosmopolitan distribution and absence of host specificity of this important pathogen. This indicates rich diversity in macroalgal oomycete pathogens and highlights that these pathogens may be generalist and highly adaptable to diverse environmental conditions.
The role of air transportation in emissions through energy usage: Evidence from global data
Authors: Katircioglu Setareh 
Published: May 2024

AbstractInvestigating the role that air transportation plays in regard to carbon emissions offers several valuable insights and contributions that are critical for addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development as far as climate mitigation, policy development and evaluation, technological innovation, public awareness engagement, international cooperation, and risk management and resilience are concerned. Such studies are of importance since aviation holds approximately 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Therefore, this study aims to search for the role of air transportation in pollutant emissions around the globe. A global data split by regions and income groups is constructed and evaluated through the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) methodology. Results reveal that means of air transportation generally exert statistically significant effects on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions; however, the signs of coefficients of air transportation are in mixed directions across different regions and income groups. The study concludes that alternative air transport systems such as solar‐powered aircraft and technological innovations should be seriously considered as a business strategy due to increasing pollutant emissions.
A comparison of ultrasound‐based testis volume with Prader orchidometry and stability of testis size relative to peers from birth to 28 weeks
Authors: Chin Helen B. , Amabile Thomas H. , Kelly Andrea , Patchel Stacy A. , Darge Kassa , Kaplan Summer L. , Ford Eileen G. , Stallings Virginia A. , Rogan Walter J. , Umbach David M. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackgroundTestis volume, an indicator of the reproductive development during minipuberty, is commonly measured by Prader orchidometer, despite ultrasound being the gold standard. Data are lacking on the longitudinal relationship between these two measures and on the stability of boys’ relative testis size across infancy.ObjectivesTo examine the relationship between ultrasound‐based and orchidometer‐based testis volume measurements and to assess the stability of relative testis size among individual boys in the study.Materials and methodsThe Infant Feeding and Early Development study is a longitudinal cohort of healthy infants recruited from hospitals in the Philadelphia area during 2010–2013. We measured testis size from birth to 28 weeks in 147 infants using Prader orchidometry (nine study visits) and ultrasound (five study visits). We modeled testis growth, extracted predicted volumes for each boy on each day of the study, and ranked these volumes from smallest to largest.ResultsThe average testis volume trajectory exhibited linear growth over the first 16 weeks followed by slower growth and then a plateau. Prader orchidometry overestimated testis size by almost 3‐fold, compared to ultrasound. A range of ultrasound volumes corresponded to each bead size (e.g., bead size of 1 cm3 corresponded to an ultrasound‐based volume between 0.11 and 0.87 cm3). Infants changed rankings of median of 22 positions (of 147) across the entire 6‐month follow‐up. Infants’ ranks near birth were highly correlated with their ranks at the end of the study.DiscussionConsistent with other studies, we found wide variability in testis size during infancy and that Prader orchidometry overestimates testis size. When compared to ultrasound, orchidometry only crudely estimates testis size in this age group. Ultrasound‐based volumes generally showed stability in relative testis size across infancy.ConclusionAccurate measurement of testis size is difficult using orchidometry in infants. This highlights the need for ultrasound for accurate measurement, with a one‐time measurement likely sufficient to determine relative testis size across the first 6 months of infancy.
COVID‐19 severity gradient differentially dysregulates clinically relevant drug processing genes in nasopharyngeal swab samples
Authors: Nwabufo Chukwunonso K. , Luc Jessica , McGeer Allison , Hirota Jeremy Alexander , Mubareka Samira , Doxey Andrew C. , Moraes Theo J. 
Published: May 2024

AimUnderstanding how COVID‐19 impacts the expression of clinically relevant drug metabolizing enzymes and membrane transporters (DMETs) is vital for addressing potential safety and efficacy concerns related to systemic and peripheral drug concentrations. This study investigates the impact of COVID‐19 severity on DMETs expression and the underlying mechanisms to inform the design of precise clinical dosing regimens for affected patients.MethodsTranscriptomics analysis of 102 DMETs, 10 inflammatory markers, and 12 xenosensing regulatory genes was conducted on nasopharyngeal swabs from 50 SARS‐CoV‐2 positive (17 outpatients, 16 non‐ICU, and 17 ICU) and 13 SARS‐CoV‐2 negative individuals, clinically tested through qPCR, in the Greater Toronto area from October 2020 to October 2021.ResultsWe observed a significant differential gene expression for 42 DMETs, 6 inflammatory markers, and 9 xenosensing regulatory genes. COVID‐19 severity was associated with the upregulation of AKR1C1, MGST1, and SULT1E1, and downregulation of ABCC10, CYP3A43, and SLC29A4 expressions. Altogether, SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive patients showed an upregulation in CYP2C9, CYP2C19, AKR1C1, SULT1B1, SULT2B1, and SLCO4A1 and downregulation in FMO5, MGST3, ABCC5, and SLCO4C1 compared with SARS‐CoV‐2 negative individuals. These dysregulations were associated with significant changes in the expression of inflammatory and xenosensing regulatory genes driven by the disease. GSTM3, PPARA, and AKR1C1 are potential biomarkers of the observed DMETs dysregulation pattern in nasopharyngeal swabs of outpatients, non‐ICU, and ICU patients, respectively.ConclusionThe severity of COVID‐19 is associated with the dysregulation of DMETs involved in processing commonly prescribed drugs, suggesting potential disease–drug interactions, especially for narrow therapeutic index drugs.
AMBIVALENTE LYRISCHE PERSPEKTIVEN AUF DIE INDUSTRIELLE REVOLUTION BY LOUISE OTTO‐PETERS
Authors: Huth Alexandra 
Published: May 2024

AbstractLouise Otto‐Peters (1819–95) worked as a political activist, women's rights activist, publicist and writer in the turbulent decades before and after the March Revolution of 1848. These pursuits were closely linked, since Louise Otto, who came from middle‐class liberal circles, commented on social grievances and developments in her newspaper articles, novels and poems. This also applies to the poem ‘Einst und Jetzt’, written between 1840 and 1850, which is hermeneutically examined in this article. As the title suggests, the text outlines the dichotomy of past and present or future. The poem, in which the arrival of the railway is a symbol of industrial change, focuses on the contrast between the old, peaceful world and the new world with its noise, faster speed and growth. A young man is drawn into the new world, while his beloved stays at home and is excluded from the innovation resulting from social and industrial upheaval. I examine the poem according to the following questions: What perspectives on the Industrial Revolution and its consequences are expressed and how? In what ways is the poem a feminist text? And where does the poem sit in terms of Louise Otto‐Peters’ literary‐political background?