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Bezier curves are widely used in computer-aided geometric design (CAGD) for modeling objects such as aircraft, cars and ships. Augmented reality applications are an important type of new-generation technology that is increasingly being used in simulations in education, military fields and gaming fields. Our study aims to provide a different approach with Augmented reality applications, one of the new generation technologies, by examining some geometric properties of Bezier curves, which have an important place in the design world. In our study, the Bishop frame, curvatures, derivative formulas and the Darboux vector of the Bishop frame have been computed by the algorithm method for the whole points of the rational Bezier curves. In the last part, some numerical examples and augmented reality applications have been given for the rational and polynomial Bezier curves in the GeoGebra program. Firstly, geometric computations related to rational Bezier curves were made in the GeoGebra program, and then drawing algorithms of rational Bezier curves were demonstrated with videos in the GeoGebra Ar program.

In this study, the theoretical method used is the algorithmic computation of the Bishop frame of Rational Bezier curves. The design application involved creating some three-dimensional Bezier curve and their augmented reality application.

Using the algorithmic method, the Bishop frame of Rational Bezier curves was calculated, the curvatures of the curve's Bishop frame were determined and various properties were computed.

The originality of this study lies in the algorithmic computation of the Bishop frame of rational Bezier curves, which has not been previously addressed in the literature, as well as the calculation of certain properties related to the curvatures of the Bishop frame. Additionally, a boat design was created using Bezier curves, which are widely used in object design, and an augmented reality application was implemented. Another advantage of this study is that it is expected to help in the more effective use of Bezier curves in the gaming industry.

Drawing on prospect theory, terror management theory, and social influence theories, this study explores the phenomenon of panic buying amid the COVID-19 pandemic, namely its situational antecedents such as fear of COVID-19, increased media exposure to COVID-19-related news, and context-specific paranoia. It offers insight into the situational nature of panic buying, contrary to the purely dispositional/trait conceptualization of irrational spending, usually depicted through the phenomenon of compulsive buying.

This is a cross-sectional study. An online questionnaire was used for data collection from 621 Croatian citizens. The questionnaire features a series of validated instruments designed to measure compulsive buying, fear of COVID-19, and context-specific paranoia. The media exposure scale (MES) was also specifically developed and empirically tested for the purpose of this research.

The results suggest that individuals who exhibited greater fear of COVID-19 while also experiencing increased exposure to COVID-19-related news were more likely to engage in panic buying. This connection has remained significant even after controlling for compulsive buying tendencies, suggesting that panic buying witnessed during the coronavirus pandemic was a situational phenomenon, not strictly dispositional. This establishes the fear of COVID-19 and increased exposure to pandemic-related news content as situational antecedents to panic buying. After controlling for compulsive buying, this paper does not demonstrate a significant connection between context-specific paranoia and panic buying. Furthermore, context-specific paranoia does not mediate the relationship between media exposure to pandemic-related content and panic buying, whereas the fear of COVID-19 significantly mediates the same relationship.

This study recognizes people's panic behavior amid the COVID-19 pandemic as a byproduct of a situational, reactive process – not a psychopathological one. Furthermore, it recognizes media sensationalism and the audience's impaired capacity for rational spending as major risk factors preceding the event of panic buying.

This study proposes a novel conceptual framework of irrational spending amid crises such as COVID-19 pandemic, introducing the differentiation between the situational nature of the phenomenon (panic buying), thereby separating it from its previous dispositional operationalizations (hoarding, compulsive buying).

This study aims to present an innovative predictive methodology that transitions from traditional efficiency assessment techniques to a forward-looking strategy for evaluating working capital management(WCM) and its determinants by integrating data envelopment analysis (DEA) with artificial neural networks (ANN).

A slack-based measure (SBM) within DEA was used to evaluate the WCME of 1,388 firms in the Indian manufacturing sector across nine industries over the period from April 2009 to March 2024. Subsequently, a fixed-effects model was used to determine the relationships between selected determinants and WCME. Moreover, the multi-layer perceptron method was applied to calculate the artificial neural network (ANN). Finally, sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the relative significance of key predictors on WCME.

Manufacturing firms consistently operate at around 50% WCME throughout the study period. Furthermore, among the selected variables, ability to create internal resources, leverage, growth, total fixed assets and productivity are relatively significant vital predictors influencing WCME.

The integration of SBM-DEA and ANN represents the primary contribution of this research, introducing a novel approach to efficiency assessment. Unlike traditional models, the SBM-DEA model offers unit invariance and monotonicity for slacks, allowing it to handle zero and negative data, which overcomes the limitations of previous DEA models. This innovation leads to more accurate efficiency scores, enabling robust analysis. Furthermore, applying neural networks provides predictive insights by identifying critical predictors for WCME, equipping firms to address WCM challenges proactively.

This study aims to compare the influence of user-generated content and mainstream media on the formation of hot springs tourists’ cognitive and affective destination image and, secondly, how these image formations impact travellers’ satisfaction and loyalty.

Data were collected from 575 international tourists who visited hot spring destinations. The non-probability purposive sampling approach was used, and the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) assessment was used to test the proposed hypotheses.

This study found no significant differences in the roles of user-generated content and mainstream media in shaping tourists’ perceptions. User-generated content and mainstream media significantly influence cognitive and affective image formation. Tourists’ cognitive image significantly influences their satisfaction with hot springs visitation; however, affective image is an insignificant predictor of satisfaction. Ultimately, tourist satisfaction is crucial to tourists’ loyalty to hot springs destinations.

Leveraging uses and gratifications theory, this study introduces a novel framework that integrates user-generated content and mainstream media to dissect their combined impact on destination image formation. It highlights the theoretical understanding of media consumption and provides groundbreaking insights into optimising tourism strategies and fostering enduring destination loyalty.

本研究的目标有两个：一是比较用户生成内容与主流媒体对温泉游客认知和情感目的地形象形成的影响, 二是探讨这些形象形成如何影响游客的满意度和忠诚度。

数据来自575名访问过温泉目的地的国际游客, 采用非概率的立意抽样方法, 并使用部分最小二乘结构方程模型（PLS-SEM）评估以检验提出的假设。

本研究发现, 用户生成内容和主流媒体在塑造游客感知方面的作用没有显著差异。用户生成内容和主流媒体显著影响了认知和情感形象的形成。游客的认知形象显著影响他们对温泉访问的满意度, 然而, 情感形象并不是满意度的重要预测因素。最终, 游客的满意度对于他们对温泉目的地的忠诚度至关重要。

本研究利用使用与满足理论, 提出了一个新的框架, 将用户生成内容与主流媒体结合起来, 分析它们对目的地形象形成的综合影响。研究强调了对媒体消费的理论理解, 并提供了优化旅游策略和促进持久目的地忠诚度的创新见解。

Los objetivos del estudio son dos: comparar la influencia del contenido generado por los usuarios y los medios de comunicación tradicionales en la formación de la imagen cognitiva y afectiva que los turistas tienen de los destinos de aguas termales y, en segundo lugar, determinar cómo estas formaciones de la imagen impactan en la satisfacción y la lealtad de los viajeros.

Se recopilaron datos de 575 turistas internacionales que visitaron destinos de aguas termales. Se empleó un método de muestreo intencional no probabilístico y se utilizó la evaluación de Modelos de Ecuaciones Estructurales por Mínimos Cuadrados Parciales (PLS-SEM) para comprobar las hipótesis propuestas.

Este estudio no encontró diferencias significativas en el papel que desempeñan los contenidos generados por los usuarios y los medios de comunicación tradicionales en la formación de las percepciones de los turistas. El contenido generado por los usuarios y los medios de comunicación tradicionales influyen significativamente en la formación de la imagen tanto cognitiva como afectiva. La imagen cognitiva de los turistas influye significativamente en su satisfacción con la visita a las termas; sin embargo, la imagen afectiva es un predictor insignificante de la satisfacción. En última instancia, la satisfacción de los turistas es crucial para su lealtad a los destinos de aguas termales.

Basado en la Teoría de Usos y Gratificaciones, este estudio introduce un novedoso marco que integra el contenido generado por los usuarios y los medios de comunicación tradicionales para analizar su impacto combinado en la formación de la imagen del destino. Destaca la comprensión teórica del consumo de medios de comunicación y proporciona ideas innovadoras para optimizar las estrategias turísticas y fomentar la lealtad duradera al destino.

The use of e-health applications has remained popular during pandemic for medical treatments. Nevertheless, adoption of e-health applications among individuals is considerably low in post-COVID-19 world. To address this issue, the current research integrates three renowned theories, namely unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model, diffusion of innovation and DeLone and McLean model and investigates individual intention to adopt e-health application.

Research design is grounded in quantitative and cross-sectional methods and uses a survey questionnaire. Survey questionnaire is administered toward smartphone users. Overall, 238 valid responses were analyzed with structural equation modeling approach.

Results indicate that altogether performance expectancy, effort expectancy, information quality, system quality, service quality, facilitating condition and social influence explained substantial variance (R² = 76.5%) in user intention to adopt e-health applications. Similarly, effect size analysis has revealed substantial impact of social influence on user intention to adopt e-health applications. Geiser and Stone’s Q² analysis discloses that research model has substantial power to predict user intention to adopt e-health applications.

This study integrates three known information system models to investigate individual behavior toward adoption of e-health applications. In practice, it suggests that managers should pay attention in improving performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, system quality, service quality and information quality which develop positive behavior and encourage smartphone users to adopt e-health applications.

This study is original as it integrates three models and investigates individual intention to adopt e-health applications. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to test the moderating impact of patient health value between user intention to adopt and actual use of e-health applications. It has established that compatibility and innovativeness are essential antecedents of performance and effort expectancy and hence make this research more unique and valuable.

The purpose of this review paper is to provide a review of the most recent advances in the field of manufacturing composite sandwich panels along with their advantages and limitations. The other purpose of this paper is to familiarize the researchers with the available developments in manufacturing sandwich structures.

The most recent research articles in the field of manufacturing various composite sandwich structures were reviewed. The review process started by categorizing the available sandwich manufacturing techniques into nine main categories according to the method of production and the equipment used. The review is followed by outlining some automatic production concepts toward composite sandwich automated manufacturing. A brief summary of the sandwich manufacturing techniques is given at the end of this article, with recommendations for future work.

It has been found that several composite sandwich manufacturing techniques were proposed in the literature. The diversity of the manufacturing techniques arises from the variety of the materials as well as the configurations of the final product. Additive manufacturing techniques represent the most recent trend in composite sandwich manufacturing.

This work is valuable for all researchers in the field of composite sandwich structures to keep up with the most recent advancements in this field. Furthermore, this review paper can be considered as a guideline for researchers who are intended to perform further research on composite sandwich structures.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is characterized by anxiety over potentially missed experiences, while Joy of Missing Out (JOMO) embraces contentment in opting out of social engagements. Drawing on cognitive appraisal theory, this study aims to investigate how FOMO and JOMO appeals influence pride, gratitude and purchase intention while considering the impacts of age and social comparison orientation.

Three experiments examined the impact of FOMO (Study 1), JOMO (Study 2), and comparison between FOMO and JOMO (Study 3) on pride, gratitude and purchase intention. Moderated-moderated mediation models were also tested to assess the roles of age and social comparison orientation (SCO).

FOMO appeals tend to boost feelings of pride, while JOMO appeals promote gratitude, both of which result in a higher likelihood of making a purchase. The effect of FOMO appeal on purchase intention via pride is stronger among younger consumers with high SCO. In contrast, the impact of JOMO appeal on purchase intention via gratitude is higher among older consumers with low SCO.

Understanding the nuances of different advertising appeals and their effect on consumer emotions (e.g. pride and gratitude) and purchase intention can inform marketers and advertising agencies in crafting more targeted and effective advertising campaigns that resonate with diverse consumer segments.

This study adds to the consumer emotion literature and generational research by emphasizing the role of emotions and age in shaping consumer responses to advertisements.

The study attempts to investigate the role of social media in spreading awareness regarding ayurvedic immunity boosters (AIB) and changes in diet. Further, the study examines the factors affecting the willingness to pay for ayurvedic immunity boosters (WPIB) during the pandemic and new normal situation with the moderating effect of the “fear of COVID-19 infection.”

The data were collected from millennials in two phases, i.e. the first phase (1 July–August 2021) with 300 respondents and a second phase with (June–August 2022) 257 respondents. An online questionnaire was shared with millennials using the snowball sampling technique. Descriptive statistics with SPSS and SmartPLS 4.0 software were applied to analyze the data.

The results found a variation in AIB content sharing on social media during 2021 and 2022. Results found that respondents reported significant changes in their lifestyle and diet, like consuming honey, khada, tulsi tea, etc. In 2021, health consciousness and trust significantly affected WPIB, whereas in 2022, only health consciousness was substantially affected. Fear of COVID-19 infection moderates the relationship between health consciousness, perceived fear and willingness to pay for ayurvedic products, whereas the effect on consumer preference and trust remains insignificant.

Results could help ayurvedic product manufacturing companies understand the consumers' mindset and the factors that stimulate consumers to buy these immunity boosters. Ayurvedic advertisers should design unambiguous messages that focus on health consciousness and have trustable components to encourage consumers to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

This is one of its kinds of studies that presents the contrasts of how the COVID-19 crisis has significantly changed individuals' dietary intake and affected lifestyle patterns.

This paper aims to explore sociocultural factors as determinants of entrepreneurial emergence and to examine their relative influence (i.e. the influence of each factor) on entrepreneurial emergence.

A survey design with a questionnaire instrument administered to 250 business owners selected randomly from a cross section of businesses was used. The data were analyzed using the descriptive method, pairwise comparison, Kendall’s W test and Mean Rank Statistics.

This study showed that the level of influence of sociocultural factors on the decision to own a business by an individual in Africa varies by factor. Family background is the factor that has the highest influence, whereas religious values has the least influence. Altogether, nine most significant factors influence the choice of business ownership in Nigeria and in Africa generally. These include family background, unemployment, family values, inadequate income, job displacement, stock of social capital, role models, social networks and lack of social security, in that order.

Although some scholars may have explored sociocultural factors as determinants of entrepreneurial emergence, there is no study on their relative influence on entrepreneurial emergence, at least not in the context of Africa or Nigeria in particular. This study extends previous studies by examining the relative influence of the factors, using Nigeria as a reference for Africa. A focus on their relative influence is a new perspective on the study of sociocultural factors as determinants of entrepreneurial emergence.