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The purpose of this study is therefore to detail an additive manufacturing process for printing TiD parts for implant applications. Titanium–diamond (TiD) is a new composite that provides biocompatible three-dimensional multimaterial structures. Thus, the authors report a powder-deposition and print optimization strategy to overcome the dual-functionality gap by printing bulk TiD parts. However, despite favorable customization outcomes, relatively few additive manufacturing (AM) feedstock powders offer the biocompatibility required for medical implant and device technologies.

AM offers a platform to fabricate customized patient-specific parts. Developing feedstock that can be 3D printed into specific 3D structures while providing a favorable interface with the human tissue remains a challenge. Using laser metal deposition, feedstock powder comprising diamond and titanium was co-printed into TiD parts for mechanical testing to determine optimal manufacturing parameters.

TiD parts were fabricated comprising 30% and 50% diamond. The composite powder had a Hausner ratio of 1.13 and 1.21 for 30% and 50% TiD, respectively. The flow analysis (Carney flow) for TiD 30% and 50% was 7.53 and 5.15 g/s. The authors report that the printing-specific conditions significantly affect the integrity of the printed part and thus provide the optimal manufacturing parameters for structural integrity as determined by micro-computed tomography, nanoindentation and biocompatibility of TiD parts. The hardness, ultimate tensile strength and yield strength for TiD are 4–6 GPa (depending on build position), 426 MPa and 375 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, the authors show that increasing diamond composition to 30% results in higher osteoblast viability and lower bacteria count than titanium.

In this study, the authors provide a clear strategy to manufacture TiD parts with high integrity, performance and biocompatibility, expanding the material feedstock library and paving the way to customized diamond implants. Diamond is showing strong potential as a biomedical material; however, upscale is limited by conventional techniques. By optimizing AM as the avenue to make complex shapes, the authors open up the possibility of patient-specific diamond implant solutions.

The governance of our towns and cities requires an approach that connects people with nature and places. Digital technology can be the glue that does this, if it serves the needs of the various stakeholders, including urban communities. It means identifying the potential connections across people, digital, and place themes, examining successful approaches, and exploring some of the current practice (or lack of it) in spatial planning and smart cities. This can be considered using a range of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies with other methodologies which combine the use of socioeconomic and environmental data about the urban environment. This ambient domain sensing can provide the ecological and other data to show how digital connectivity is addressing the placemaking challenges alongside providing implications for urban governance and communities.

This study examines the impact of deposit money banks' loan on agricultural sustainability in Nigeria for the period 1985–2017. The study adopted the ARDL bonding test to determine the short- and long-run effect of deposit money banks' loan on agricultural sustainability in Nigeria. It found that bank loans have a negative impact on agricultural sustainability in both the short and long run. Similarly, deposit money banks' interest rate also has an inverse relationship on agricultural growth in Nigeria in both the long and short run. The study concludes that bank finance is very impactful in stimulating agricultural growth within the context of the Nigerian economy. Therefore, the study recommends that the Nigerian government should increase agricultural financing and lower interest rates in order to achieve food sufficiency and promote agricultural sustainability.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly within the last decade and the application of ‘deep learning’, has simultaneously accelerated human fears of the changes AI provokes in human behaviour. The question is not any more if the new phenomena, like artificially-induced consciousness, empathy or creation, will be widely used, but whether they will be used in ethically acceptable ways and for ethically acceptable purposes.

Departing from a diagnosis of the state humans have brought themselves to by (ab)use of technology, the present chapter investigates the possibility of a systematic study of adaptations human society will have to consider in order to guarantee the obeyance to the fundamental ethical values and thus its spiritual survival. To that end, a new discipline – epharmology (from the Greek epharmozein = to adapt) is proposed, together with its aims and methodology.

Exploring historically significant and often eerie locations, dark tourism has surged in popularity lately. With advancing technology, online platforms have become influential tools that amplify the dark tourism encounter. This research delves into how online platforms contribute to enriching the dark tourism experience. It addresses the effective utilization of online media to improve exploration, understanding, and engagement with dark tourism destinations.

The research questions focus on how online platforms enhance exploration and interpretation, their impacts on visitor understanding and emotional engagement, and their facilitation of community engagement and knowledge sharing within dark tourism.

Employing a mixed-methods access, in addition to literature review, qualitative interviews, and quantitative surveys, the study adopts a theoretical framework integrating destination management, digital marketing, and visitor experience theories.

This empirical study adds to the existing literature on how online platforms influence dark tourism, providing practical insights for destination managers and platform developers to enhance visitor experiences and engagement at dark tourism destinations.

Given the existing quality concerns of higher education (HE), particularly in the global South, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been seen as a panacea to improve the quality of teaching learning in HE. AI Chatbots, like ChatGPT, have created profound resonance across HE systems with both positive and negative impacts. Within HE, expectations and concerns related to the quality of HE in general, and teaching learning in particular, loom. It is yet to be investigated how university teachers use AI chatbots in their teaching inside classrooms and its potential to enhance the quality of teaching learning in HE. This chapter sheds light on these questions based on in-depth qualitative interviews with faculty members from six universities in Pakistan. Using a thematic analysis approach, the findings highlight both positive and negative aspects of ChatGPT when used for teaching in HE. Based on the findings, we developed a four-stage framework highlighting faculty members' response to integrating ChatGPT for transforming teaching learning activities. We explain that transformation of teaching learning with AI requires educators to rethink teaching and learning – navigative response – and assess its integration – evaluative response. In conclusion, we discuss how the adoption of AI chatbots provides educators with authentic assessment but will certainly require skills to properly navigate. We further discuss the findings in literature around the quality of HE making some plausible predictions regarding whether chatbots can serve as a quality enhancement tool, mainly in the global South.

This study investigates the dual roles of emotion and cognition in shaping customer experiences within the hospitality sector, examining their distinct impacts on the formation of customer loyalty.

Employing a sequential exploratory mixed-method design, this research integrates qualitative interviews with eighteen hospitality managers and a quantitative survey involving 595 customers to develop and validate a new instrument measuring affective and cognitive experiential states for general hospitality consumers.

The study's results reveal that emotional experiences strongly correlate with affective loyalty, while cognitive experiences significantly influence cognitive loyalty. The study contributes to the existing literature by introducing a robust instrument that effectively captures the experiential dimensions, offering insights into customer loyalty formation.

The reliance on retrospective self-reporting in the quantitative phase may introduce recall bias, potentially limiting the precision of the findings. Future research should seek to mitigate this by employing real-time data capture methods.

The newly developed measurement tool presents a practical solution for industry professionals aiming to enhance customer experience management by focusing on both affective and cognitive aspects, thus facilitating targeted strategies to cultivate customer loyalty. The implications for service design suggest that both emotional and cognitive elements must be considered to optimize customer experiences and drive loyalty.

This work advances the theoretical understanding of customer experience by distinguishing between its affective and cognitive dimensions and their respective contributions to loyalty. It offers a validated empirical tool, setting a foundation for future investigations.

This chapter delves into the intricate evolution and challenges of regulatory frameworks within the global financial sector, spotlighting the dynamic interplay between technological advancements, globalization and the imperative for stringent regulatory compliance. Initially, it traces the historical lineage of financial regulation from its nascent stages, through pivotal transformations aimed at enhancing market stability and integrity, to contemporary paradigms that balance efficiency with systemic safety. The discourse navigates through various regulatory models – ranging from institutional and functional frameworks to the innovative “Twin Peaks” model – and their respective merits and challenges in aligning with the evolving financial landscape. Furthermore, the paper scrutinizes the multifaceted role of managerial accountability in fostering a culture of compliance, emphasizing proactive risk assessment, regulatory reporting and the integration of ethical considerations into corporate governance. Through an analytical lens, it explores how financial institutions can navigate the complexities of adherence to diverse regulatory mandates, thereby safeguarding financial stability while promoting growth and innovation. The narrative concludes by projecting future trajectories of regulatory frameworks, advocating for a harmonious blend of regulatory rigor and flexibility to accommodate the rapid pace of financial innovation and global interconnectedness.