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Bacterial cellulose (BC) is an ideal alternative filtering material. However, current functionalization approaches for BC have not been fully discovered industrially as well as academically applying textile processing. This study aims to create a sustainable fabric-like membrane made of BC/activated carbon (AC) for applications in filtration using textile padding method, to protect people from respiratory pandemics.

Fabric-like BC is first mechanically dehydrated then AC is loaded via a textile padding step. The finishing efficacy, properties of fabric-like BC/AC and NaOH pretreatment are analyzed and characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), CIELab color space, color strength (K/S), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm including Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) pore size and volume.

This research results in a fabric-like BC/AC with pore diameters of 3.407 ± 0.310 nm, specific surface area of 115.28 m²/g and an efficient scalable padding process, which uses 8 times less amount of chemical and nearly 30 times shorter treating duration than conventional methods.

Our globe is now consuming an alarming amount of non-degradable disposable masks resulting in massive trash buildup as a future environmental problem. Besides, current disposable masks requiring a significant upfront technological investment have posed challenges in human protection from respiratory diseases, especially for countries with limited conditions. By combining a sustainable material (BC) with popular padding method of textile industry, the fabric-like BC/AC will offer sustainable and practical values for both humankind and nature.

This research has offered an effective padding process to functionalize BC, and a unique fabric-like BC/AC membrane for filtration applications.

Autistic individuals are employed and access higher education opportunities at significantly lower rates than their nondisabled peers (US Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 2023; Newman, 2015). Schools are an optimal setting for intervention as most individuals access the school setting. However, traditional support to facilitate postsecondary transition effectively, such as transition plans, is currently lacking (Greene, 2018; Hughes et al., 2023). The authors of the present chapter conducted a systematic review to identify school-based interventions available for autistic youth intended to support the transition from high school to higher education, entrepreneurship, and employment. The data extraction methods used by the authors identified 19 articles on interventions. Across all studies, the authors found variation in the extent to which researchers addressed entrepreneurial skills and identified two key skill development areas across different intervention modalities: employability skills and interpersonal communication skills. Based on these results, the authors discuss available school-based programming intended to prepare autistic youth for postsecondary careers and entrepreneurial opportunities and the implications of existing interventions for practitioners and researchers interested in improving outcomes for autistic students as they transition to the workplace, particularly entrepreneurial endeavors.

Drawing upon curiosity drive theory, we examine the effects of epistemic curiosity (EC) on employees' innovative work behavior. Additionally, we explore the potential mediating role of work engagement (WE) and the moderating effects of leader-member exchange (LMX).

The data were collected from 406 employees employed in public service organizations within the United Arab Emirates. Structural equation modeling was employed as the analytical approach to test the hypotheses.

The findings of this study indicate that EC is positively related to innovative work behavior. Further, WE mediates the relationship between EC and creative work behavior. Moreover, LMX moderates the indirect effect of WE on the link between EC (interest and deprivation types) and innovative work behavior. The mediating association is stronger when the leader and member’s exchange is high.

This study will assist practitioners of service organizations in focusing their attention on EC to enhance employees' innovative work behavior and achieve optimal performance. Our research extends work on interest and innovative work behavior in an emerging economic context.

Our study suggests that policymakers should embrace the philosophy of curiosity to nurture innovative behavior in the workplace.

This study assesses the success of a real project in practice, using identified success factors from recent systematic literature. It investigates how theoretical insights translate into real-world outcomes by answering the question: “How do success factors identified in existing literature contribute to the success of a real-world adaptive reuse project?”.

This research utilizes a case study methodology to explore the adaptive reuse phenomenon through the lens of the Fenix I in the Netherlands. Three comprehensive semi-structured interviews with key decision-makers provide insights into experiences, challenges, and ultimately the evaluation of success factors in practice. Data analysis involves deductive coding, systematically organizing success factors into ten categories derived from the literature, to implement the analysis and align with the research objectives.

The results demonstrate the application of a majority of success factors identified in literature within the case study. This study reveals differences in the levels of significance among these factors, their categorization and their existence, particularly between listed and non-listed heritage buildings. Moreover, it shows the remarkable impact of public-private collaboration from the early stages of decision-making through project implementation. The study confirms that a successful real-world project addresses a significant proportion of the success factors identified in the literature.

This research facilitates the decision-making process for stakeholders and practitioners in adaptive reuse projects, aiming to foster the development of more successful initiatives in this field.

This introductory chapter presents the book’s rationale and structure and reflects on the notion of ‘fragmented powers’ as a key entry into understanding evolving power dynamics in the English-speaking world. Combining historical and contemporary perspectives, from the late 18th century to the contemporary era, fragmentation as a non-linear process reveals the tensions between centralisation and decentralisation, as well as confrontation and cooperation in the fields of constitutional and institutional issues, politics and political party systems, the media, and in urban and social policies at both the intra-national and transnational levels. The adoption of a long view perspective and a multidisciplinary approach allows to critically assess the concept of fragmentation by questioning both its positive and negative effects on the cultural, political and socio-economic environments.

Income from investment properties can fluctuate depending on the state of the economy. The idea that there is always a potential exit (sale) value whenever the property stops performing at its optimum or deflation in the economy will always appeal to investors. To determine housing prices, investors would rely on a direct comparison approach (DCA) of recent substitute sales in the open market. Appraisers use this approach to develop an opinion of value when there is a plethora of recent sales to analyse.

The study was designed to establish the use of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) approach as a support tool for deciding property appraisals. A case study of an industrial single-storey stand-alone building with grade-level parking in the south-east of Calgary, Canada, was investigated with the AHP approach. The result was cross-referenced with the DCA.

Using a consistency index of 0.077321 and a consistency ratio of 0.085912, the matrix multiplication was determined to be 0.456706. The average valuations derived from the adjusted price per square foot using the direct comparison method and the unadjusted price per square foot using the AHP were deemed the best value estimate in the light of available comparables. The implications of the findings suggest that AHP, as a quantitative technique, can support and validate the use of similar non-recent sale comparables when appraising investment properties with the DCA.

AHP is an alternative aid in quantitatively deciding the most significant value attribute for comparison before subjective adjustments. When intuitively applied in the DCA, these subjective adjustments almost always lead to an overvaluation of properties.