bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing Prescribe Branded Drugs by Physicians: An Empirical Study in Sri Lanka
Authors: Priyantha S.G. , De Alwis Tyrone 
Published: April 2024

The pharmaceutical industry in Sri Lanka has been one of the dominant industries, yet it depends more on customers and medical practitioners although the customer (patients) is the end user who depends on the decisions that are made by the doctors. The pharmaceutical industry, having understood the interaction between the patients and the doctors, keeps more focus on doctors as they desire to promote their products through the medical practitioners. The pharmaceutical industry reaches its desired targets using specific strategies and promotional activities through doctors targeting the end users. The present study tries to understand the different strategies used by the pharmaceuticals industry. In achieving the desired objectives, the study used Medical Detailing (MD), Providing Scientific Literatures (SL), Sponsoring Overseas Conferences (SPON), Continuous Medical Education (CME) and Distribution of the Physicians Samples (SAM) as the variables. The samples of 130 physicians were selected from three different districts; Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara. The techniques of the descriptive inferential statistical method are used in analysing the data. The main technique used in the study is a questionnaire with a Likert scale. However, owing to the unexpected situation that arose in the country, only 108 questionnaires were responded to by the doctors and accordingly the study was conducted. The findings revealed that MD, SL, SPON, CME and SAM are all highly impacted by doctors in recommending the branded drugs in Sri Lanka. Further indications are that if drugs are locally manufactured, it is required to maintain standards that are equivalent to international standards. If not locally manufactured drugs will not be able to attract doctors in the field. The managerial implications that can be received in this empirical study is , though the product/s is unique using medical detailing, scientific literature, sponsor for overseas conferences, continuous medical education and samples distribution are integral in marketing strategy in order to achieve the marketing objectives.
Keywords: Pharmaceutical Industry, Branded Drugs, Descriptive Statistics, Correlation, Coefficients
Conspicuous Consumption of Mobile Phones among Sri Lankan Managers
Authors: Silva A.A. Sajani Divya , Kariyapperuma Seshika 
Published: April 2024

Conspicuous consumption is a concept that has stood the test of time and proven its validity and importance in terms of human consumption. This research paper has taken the initiative to analyse the conspicuous consumption behaviour of Sri Lankan managers in terms of mobile phone preference and usage. The answers as to how they employ mobile phones for conspicuous consumption and the reasons as to why they engage in the conspicuous consumption of mobile phones are discussed and analysed in this research. To seek insight into this phenomenon, the research has taken a qualitative approach, using interviews to collect data for the research and thematic analysis to develop research findings. The research reveals that mobile phone is conspicuously consumed by Sri Lankan managers through its features, the occasion it is used in, the brand and the outer aesthetic of the mobile phone. Mobile phones are conspicuously consumed by Sri Lankan managers to maintain current and higher levels of wealth and status. It is also incentivised by psychological attributes such as personal achievement, personality, and attitudes and how one’s self and self-concept is developed. Brand variables such as brand image, brand familiarity, perceived brand quality and brand loyalty, along with the interest in expressing their uniqueness, also affect this intention. Interpersonal influences, as well as interest in keeping up with technology and market demand also play a hand in pushing managers towards conspicuous consumption of mobile phones. With these revelations, mobile phone companies will be able to develop suitable branding and positioning strategies for their products.
Keywords: Conspicuous Consumption, Status Consumption, Hedonism, Mobile Phones
Organisational Changes for Adopting Virtual Reality in the Sri Lankan Hospitality Industry
Authors: Muwandeniya K.C.B. , Eranda B.A.N. 
Published: April 2024

Digitalisation has generated a new paradigm shift in the hospitality industry. Hence, hoteliers cannot ignore the emerging technologies that come with digitalisation, such as virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence, augmented reality, robotics, and so forth. Today, hoteliers tend to adopt these cutting-edge technologies to gain a sustainable competitive advantage, attract new customers, and enhance customer experiences. However, most hoteliers and hotel managers fail to implement digitalisation-enabled development initiatives due to incomprehension about the required organisational changes. In the meantime, the Sri Lankan tourism and hospitality sector experienced a recession due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Easter attack in 2019. Further, it has shown a resistance to technological changes. To uplift the Sri Lankan tourism industry again, it is essential to utilise the full potential of new digital technologies. The VR technology, which is one of these technologies, could be implemented for this purpose. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the necessary organisational changes required to adopt VR technology. Accordingly, this research study is expected to provide a clearer picture of required organisational changes for adopting VR. Further, this study is a steppingstone on the road to investigating the required organisational changes for adopting VR as one of the digitalisation trends that can be effectively used within the hospitality industry. Under the qualitative research methodology, the phenomenological approach has been used to capture the respondents’ experiences and knowledge about VR. The data collection was carried out using in-depth semi-structured interviews with eight respondents. From the perspective of tourism and hospitality professionals, the results suggest that the organisations need strategic transformational change, developmental change and structural change to adopt VR technology. These organisational changes are essential to capture the real essence of the new digital transformation and implement the right policies and investment decisions. VR technology is a new booming trend of digitalisation, and when embedding VR into the hospitality industry, new challenges will emerge, and organisations will have to make changes accordingly.
Keywords: Virtual Reality, Digital Transformation, Hospitality Industry,Phenomenology
Lateral Transhipment Inventory Models: A Systematic Literature Review of Models and Solution Approaches
Authors: Kumari A.G.K.C. , Wijayanayake A.N. , Niwunhella D.H.H. 
Published: April 2024

Proper inventory management is known to be one of the major challenges in the retail industry. Maintaining a sufficient level of inventory while reducing the total inventory cost results in increasing customer satisfaction and increasing profitability by reducing the overall cost in the retail industry. Lateral transhipment is one of the most effective ways to achieve both objectives. Lateral transhipment is rotating or sharing of stocks among locations in the same echelon. Due to the effectiveness of lateral transhipment in better managing inventory, it has been studied widely in literature. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of literature on different lateral transhipment inventory models and solution procedures proposed. The objective is to analyse and identify the research gap for future research and to identify solution approaches used in existing literature for lateral transhipment problems so that the potential research paths can be explored to improve the inventory management in the retail industry. Even though there are reviews conducted for lateral transhipment, to the best of our knowledge most of them do not focus on the solution approaches used. Hence, this paper focuses on the model setting and solution approaches used in the literature. The results of the literature review have revealed that less attention has been given to proactive and hybrid transhipment approaches. Also, the high number of constraints used commonly in lateral transhipment literature can be considered as a restriction in generalising the solutions proposed. It was also concluded that when the number of retailers and items in the considered inventory model increases, approximation techniques were mostly used in literature rather than exact algorithms. Developing complex proactive or hybrid models for multiple item transhipment among multiple retailers or warehouses while considering the allocation of items to vehicles is a future research area to be explored. Also, it was discovered that all the lateral transhipment problems in literature are aligned with economic objectives. Hence, considering the environmental objectives like green approaches is a challenge for future research.
Keywords: Inventory Management, Lateral Transhipment, Retail Industry, Solution Approaches
Impact of Physical Learning Environment on Undergraduates’ Academic Engagement in an Online Learning Setting during COVID-19: Evidence from a Sri Lankan University
Authors: Wickremasinghe Hashini T. , Kumuduni W.Y. 
Published: April 2024

All physically conducted activities in educational institutions including universities were discontinued due to restrictions imposed with the COVID-19 outbreak. Many universities commenced academic activities online during the work-from-home period. Although student engagement is vital in students' learning and satisfaction in distance education, the literature reveals that the level of student engagement in online learning is relatively low. As stipulated in the Engagement Theory, given the right conditions individuals will be engaged in their in-role performances. Although the significance of physical environmental factors including ambient and spatial attributes has been emphasised continuously by scholars on academic engagement of students, studies on this phenomenon are inconclusive. In response, this cross-sectional quantitative study aims to study the impact of ambient and spatial attributes in the physical environment on the level of students’ academic engagement in an online learning setting. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from a purposive sample of 238 undergraduates representing all four academic years of the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka. The collected data were analysed using the Structural Equation Modelling with AMOS. The study findings empirically validate the impact of ambient and spatial attributes of the physical environment on student engagement in an online learning setting. The impacts of age and education level, the controlling variables, on student academic engagement were found insignificant. Through the validated impact of ambient and spatial attributes of the physical environment on the student engagement in an online learning setting, this study broadens the components taken as physical resources considered in the Engagement Theory by including external environmental factors; ambient and spatial attributes as key significant components in the availability antecedent. Further, this study helps practitioners to identify ways to improve physical environment attributes to improve the comfortability of students to properly engage in their academic activities.
Keywords: Ambient Attributes, COVID-19, Engagement, Online Learning, Spatial Attributes
Assessing the Supplier Selection Criteria based on Minimising Pre-Consumer Fabric Waste
Authors: Wijayarathne P.N.K. , Layangani L.D.S.C. 
Published: April 2024

The concept of sustainability has become a buzzword in modern society and consequently, managing solid waste has become a key priority. Out of this, apparel solid waste accounts for a significant portion of solid waste. Pre-consumer apparel waste generated during apparel manufacturing such as fabric waste contributes to 60% of total apparel solid waste. According to the well-established waste minimisation techniques, prevention of apparel waste at early design stages is proven to be effective. Hence, the prevention of fabric cutting waste at the inception of sourcing is the main focal point of this study. At the stage of sourcing fabric, if the ideal fabric type and traits can be chosen, it will lead to eliminating the possibility of excess apparel cutting waste generation. As a result, the study takes initiative in assessing supplier selection criteria when sourcing fabric. A list of supplier selection criteria is analysed using expert interviews and questionnaires focusing on the mass apparel manufacturing sector in Sri Lanka. Further, the study contributes to introducing a new supplier selection criteria list that would, directly and indirectly, minimise pre-consumer fabric cutting waste. The Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) model incorporating Intuitionistic Fuzzy TOPSIS (IFT) is used to capture the linguistic and intuition-based human judgments encompassed in the supplier selection decision-making process. The results are validated using a real-world case study. The study manages to introduce a list of supplier selection criteria in terms of Sustainable Supplier Selection; in the three virtues of economic, social and environment. Additionally, it introduces a new supplier selection criterion to minimise cutting waste. Quantification of possible reduction of fabric cutting waste is assessed by maker efficiency ratio using a selected case organisation in the mass apparel manufacturing industry. Furthermore, the study presents new directions for flexible negotiation strategies when sourcing fabric in Mass Apparel Manufacturing Context.
Keywords: Pre-Consumer Apparel Waste, Cutting Waste, Intuitionistic Fuzzy TOPSIS, Supplier Selection Criteria, Fabric Sourcing Supplier Selection Criteria
Comparison of СO<sub>2</sub> Content in the Atmosphere of St. Petersburg According to Numerical Modelling and Observations
Authors: Nerobelov G. M. , Timofeyev Yu. M. , Smyshlyaev S. P. , Foka S. Ch. , Imhasin H. H. 
Published: April 2024

Due to the increase in CO2 content in the Earth’s atmosphere, which is highly dependent on anthropogenic emissions of CO2, quality of emission estimation should be improved. Advanced experiment-based methods of the CO2 anthropogenic emission estimation are built on solution of an inverse problem using highly-accurate measurements of CO2 content and numerical models of transport and chemistry in the atmosphere. The accuracy of such models greatly determines errors of the emission estimations. In a current study temporal variations of column-average CO2 content in an atmospheric layer from surface to the height of ~70–75 km (XCO2) in the Russian megapolis of St. Petersburg during Jan 2019–Mar 2020 simulated by WRF-Chem model and measured by IR Fourier-transform spectrometer Bruker EM27/SUN are compared. The research has demonstrated that the WRF-Chem model simulates well the observed temporal variation of XCO2 in the area of St. Petersburg (correlation coefficient of ~0.95). However, using CarbonTracker v2022-1 data as chemical boundary conditions, the model overestimates XCO2 relative to the observations significantly during almost the whole period of investigation – systematic difference and standard deviation of the difference are 4.2 and 1.9 ppm (1 and 0.5%). A correction of the chemical boundary conditions which is based on analysis of a relation between near-surface wind direction and XCO2 variation notably decreases the systematic difference between the modelled and observed data (almost by a factor of 2). The XCO2 variation by the observations and modelling with uncorrected chemical boundary conditions are in a better agreement during vegetation season. Probably this is related to the compensation of the systematic difference by inaccuracies in estimated biogenic contribution. Hence, the reason of the still existing mean difference between the modelled and observed data can be inaccuracies in setting chemical boundary conditions for upper troposphere and in estimating how biosphere influences CO2 content.
Methane Production in a Temperate Freshwater Lake during an Intense Cyanobacterial Bloom
Authors: Kallistova A. Yu. , Kosyakova A. I. , Rusanov I. I. , Kadnikov V. V. , Beletskii A. V. , Koval’ D. D. , Yusupov S. K. , Zekker I. , Pimenov N. V. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract—Seasonal cyanobacterial blooms have a negative impact on freshwater ecosystems. The role of cyanobacteria in methane production and their relationship with methanogenic archaea are not yet well understood. The goal of the present work was to identify the features of methanogenesis in the water column and sediments of a profoundal part of the freshwater Lake Senezh (Moscow oblast) during a period of cyanobacteria over-bloom. Analytical, radiotracer, microscopic, molecular biological, and incubation techniques were used. Alkalization and oxygen oversaturation of the 0–2-m water layer were caused by intensive photosynthesis. The near-bottom water (4 m) was pH-neutral and hypoxic; the sediments were reduced. Methane was detected throughout the water column; its concentration in the surface water was an order of magnitude lower than in the near-bottom water and 4 orders of magnitude lower than in the sediments. Cyanobacteria of the species Microcystis aeruginosa predominated in the photic zone (up to 30% of the total number of the 16S rRNA gene fragments). The sequences of cyanobacteria and freshwater members of the SAR11 clade, which can potentially be involved in aerobic methanogenesis via decomposition of methylphosphonates (MPn), were also detected. The sequences of hydrogenotrophic methanogens of the genus Methanoregula, which are potentially capable of methanogenesis in cooperation with cyanobacteria, were revealed in oxygen-supersaturated water. Hydrogenotrophic and aceticlastic pathways of methanogenesis predominated in reduced sediments. Sequences of methanogens of to the orders Methanomicrobiales, Methanobacteriales, Methanosarciniales, and Methanomassiliicoccales were detected there. Cyanobacterial bloom promoted methanogenesis both in the photic zone of Lake Senezh (due to MPn decomposition and anaerobic methanogenesis in association with cyanobacterial aggregates) and in the near-bottom water and sediments (due to oxygen depletion and excessive release of substrates caused by sedimentation and degradation of cyanobacterial mortmass).
PARASITIODS (HYMENOPTERA, EULOPHIDAE, BRACONIDAE) AS A MORTALITY FACTOR FOR THE LIME LEAF MINER (<i>PHYLLONORYCTER ISSIKII</i>, LEPIDOPTERA, GRACILLARIIDAE) IN TRANS-URALIA AND WESTERN SIBERIA
Authors: Ermolaev I. V. , Yefremova Z. A. , Belokobylskij S. A. , Tyul’kin Yu. A. , Yegorenkova E. N. 
Published: April 2024

The assemblage of hymenopteran parasitoids associated with the invasive lime leaf miner, Phyllonorycter issikii (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) developing on the lime (Tilia cordata) was studied in the Kurgan Province (Madvezh’ye Lake), and in the cities of Tobolsk, Omsk, and Novosibirsk during 2018−2019. Twenty-one species of parasitoids of Ph. issikii were recognized: Pteromalus sp. (Pteromalidae), Cirrospilus diallus, Elachertus sp., Hyssopus geniculatus, H. nigritulus, Pnigalio mediterraneus, Pnigalio sp., Sympiesis dolichogaster, S. gordius, S. sericeicornis, Chrysocharis laomedon, Ch. pentheus, Ch. pubicornis, Ch. viridis, Chrysocharis sp., Neochrysocharis formosus, Minotetrastichus frontalis (Eulophidae), Colastes braconius, Apanteles sp., Pholetesor circumscriptus and Cotesia sp., (Braconidae). Chrysocharis viridis has been reported as a parasitoid of lime leaf miner for the first time. The role of the complex of parasitoids in the mortality of the miner is negligible, the mortality rate ranging from 1.9 ± 0.4 (Novosibirsk) to 23.7 ± 3.3% (Omsk).
THE FIRST DATA ON MICROTURBELLARIANS (PLATHELMINTHES, RHABDITOPHORA) OF THE BOGUCHANSKY RESERVOIR. 2. THE FAMILIES MACROSTOMIDAE, MICROSTOMIDAE AND PROVORTICIDAE, WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF <i>BAICALELLIA NASONOVI</i> SP. N.
Authors: Krivorotkin R. S. , Zaytseva E. P. , Timoshkin O. A. 
Published: April 2024

This is the second contribution in series devoted to the study of the microturbellarian fauna (Plathelminthes, Rhabditophora) of the Boguchansky Reservoir, lower section of the Angara River, eastern Siberia. It provides information on the taxonomy, the structure of the male copulatory organ, and zoogeography of one species each from the families Provorticidae Beklemischev 1927, Macrostomidae Benden 1870, and Microstomidae Luther 1907. The faunas of these worms in the Angara River and Lake Baikal are still poorly studied. Three species from these families were recorded and described more than 90 years ago from the Angara River before our study, but the original descriptions were accompanied by highly schematic and non-informative sketches which do not allow us to perform exact species identifications and comparisons, as a rule. In the research process of the lower section of the Angara River, we found representatives of further three species: Macrostomum johni Young 1972, Microstomum rogozini Timoshkin et Krivorotkin 2023, and Baicalellia nasonovi Timoshkin et Krivorotkin, sp. n. The stylets of M. johni from the Angara River and Lake Baikal were revealed to be almost identical in structure and size to those of specimens of the type series from Great Britain. M. rogozini is one of the most common species of Microstomidae that inhabits the coastal zone of Lake Baikal. The stylet structure of Baicalellia species resembles that of Baicalellia baicali Nasonov 1930 and Baicalellia nigrofasciata Nasonov 1930, but their available descriptions do not allow us to make reliable comparisons with the species found. Therefore, we propose to consider both these names as nomina nuda and attribute those individuals to B. nasonovi, a species new to science. Despite rhe significant geographic isolation, the stylets of Baikal and Boguchan specimens are identical in structure and size. Similarly to Kalyptorhynchian species (see contribution 1), the discovery of provorticids and microstomids of Baikal origins in such a remote section of the Angara River considerably expands their distributions and demonstrates their capacities to colonize water bodies hydrographically connected to Lake Baikal. Illustrated descriptions of Boguchan and Baikal specimens of M. johni, M. rogozini and B. nasonovi, comparisons with the most similar species and zoogeographic information are given. In addition, a complete checklist of the Angara River microturbellarian fauna known so far, one currently including 35 species from nine families, is presented.
Proton and deuteron polarimetry at Nuclotron–NICA
Authors: Terekhin A. A. , Ladygin V. P. , Isupov A. Y. , Volkov I. S. , Reznikov S. G. , Gurchin Y. V. , Tishevsky A. V. , Legostaeva K. S. 
Published: April 2024

Extensive experience has been accumulated in deuteron and proton beam polarization measurements as well as in the simulation of the pp-, pd- and dp-elastic scattering up to 1 GeV/nucleon for polarimeter upgrade at the Nuclotron Internal Target Station. Further development of the pp-, pd- and dd-colliding beams polarimetry at NICA is discussed. The first results of the simulation of dd-elastic scattering at the total energy 4.22 GeV are presented.