A.A. Abdel Hameed, A.M. Ayesh, M. Abdel Razik and H.F. Abdel Mawla
The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of ultraviolet radiation (UVC) on the survivability and susceptibility of some fungal species isolated from the indoor air of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of ultraviolet radiation (UVC) on the survivability and susceptibility of some fungal species isolated from the indoor air of agricultural, industry‐related workplaces.
Design/methodology/approach
Environmental fungi were collected from the air of cotton and soybean mills using liquid impinger sampler (AGI‐30). The UVC exposure experiment was performed on Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, Aspergillus ochraceous, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium rubrum using UV lamp (λ=254 nm; 0.1 mW/cm2). The susceptibility constant (Z) was used to determine the susceptibility of any given organism to UVC.
Findings
The conidia survival was inversely proportional to the time of UVC exposure and ∼77‐88.5% of conidia were killed within six hours of exposure. Mutant conidia showed a wide range of morphological alterations including damage of their cell walls and features. Mycotoxin production patterns of the mutants Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus changed on comparison with the parental control patterns.
Originality/value
The paper provides information on the effect of UVC radiation on environmental fungi. The results reported in this research discussed the disadvantages of using UVC as a decontaminant of fungi.
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The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of laser treatment on disperse dye-uptake and fastness values of polyester fabrics. Furthermore, it was aimed to evaluate…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of laser treatment on disperse dye-uptake and fastness values of polyester fabrics. Furthermore, it was aimed to evaluate colors directly over the photos of fabric samples instead of color measuring with spectrophotometer which is thought to be useful in terms of online digital color assessment.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, 100% polyester (150 denier) single jersey knitted fabrics (weight: 145 g/m2, course density: 15 loops/cm, wale density: 24 loops/cm) were used in the trials. The effect of laser treatments before and after dyeing on color was investigated. Laser treatments were applied to fabrics at different resolutions (20, 25 and 30 dpi) and pixel times (60, 80 and 100 µs) before dyeing. The power of the laser beam was 210 W and the wavelength was 10.6 µm. In order to determine the effect of laser treatment on polyester; FTIR analysis, SEM-EDX analysis and bursting strength tests were applied to untreated and treated fabric samples.
Findings
It was found that treatments with laser have a significant effect on disperse dye-uptake of polyester fibers, and for this reason laser-treated fabrics were dyed in darker shade. Furthermore, it was determined that the samples treated at 30 dpi started to melt and the fabric was damaged considerably, but the fabrics treated at 20 and 25 dpi were not affected at all. Another result obtained regarding the use of laser technology in polyester fabrics is that if some areas of fabrics are not treated with laser and some other areas are treated with laser at 20 dpi 60 µs and 25 dpi 60 µs, it will be possible to obtain patterns containing three different shades of the same color on the fabric.
Originality/value
When the literature is examined, it is seen that there are various studies on the dyeability and patterning of polyester fabrics with disperse dyes by laser technology. As it is known, today color measurement is done digitally using a spectrophotometer. However, when we look at a photograph on computer screens, the colors we see are defined by RGB (red-green-blue) values, while in the spectrophotometer they are defined by L*a*b* (L*: lightness-darkness, a*: redness-greenness, b*: yellowness-blueness) values. Especially when it is desired to produce various design products by creating patterns with laser technology, it would be more useful to show the color directly to the customer on the computer screen and to be able to speak over the same values on the color. For this reason, in this study, the color measurement of the fabric samples was not made with a spectrophotometer, instead, the RGB values obtained from the photographs of the samples were converted into L*a*b* values with MATLAB and interpreted, that is, a digital color evaluation was made on the photographs. Therefore, it is believed that this study will contribute to the literature.
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Rana Bahaa Elsayed, Eman EZZ Elsharkawy and Ahmed Abdelbaky Sharkawy
The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and concentrations of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in raw buffalo milk samples obtained from four different seasons: winter…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and concentrations of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in raw buffalo milk samples obtained from four different seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn in Sohag City, upper Egypt, and compared the determined findings against the several regulations regarding AFM1 that have been legislated by the European Union, US Food and Drug Administration and Egyptian Regulations.
Design/methodology/approach
Simultaneous determination of aflatoxins in raw buffalo milk samples trailed in different seasons, in Sohag City, Egypt. The aflatoxin that has been included in this survey is AFM1. Milk samples were obtained from February to October 2021. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used as a methodology technique.
Findings
The results of AFM1 presented the highest frequency of occurrence, with a detected incidence of 85.5% in winter samples, 64.2% in spring samples, 78.5% in summer samples and 78.5% in autumn samples. The positive samples showed concentration range levels of AFM1 between 0.0 and 0.9 µg/kg (12 samples) in winter samples, 0.03 and 1.2 µg/kg in spring milk samples (9 samples), 0.06 and 0.8 µg/kg in summer milk samples (11 samples) and lasted with 0.028 and 0.9 µg/kg in autumn milk samples (11 samples). The percentage of AFM1samples exceeded the maximum residues limit of Egyptian Standard Regulation 2010/7136 last updated, 78%, 57%, 100% and 64% in the four examined seasons, respectively.
Originality/value
The residue levels of AFM1 obtained in the investigated samples represented a serious concern about the health risk of consumers. Milk is introduced to the diet plan all over the people units especially the offspring ones as it is a complete food that contains a lot of important nutrients. So it is worth to set a regular schedule for monitoring and inspection of dairy products for aflatoxin residues.
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Thejas Ramakrishnaiah, Prasanna Gunderi Dhananjaya, Chaturmukha Vakwadi Sainagesh, Sathish Reddy, Swaroop Kumaraswamy and Naveen Chikkahanumajja Surendranatha
This paper aims to study the various developments taking place in the field of gas sensors made from polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposites, which leads to the development of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the various developments taking place in the field of gas sensors made from polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposites, which leads to the development of high-performance electrical and gas sensing materials operating at room temperature.
Design/methodology/approach
PANI/ferrite nanocomposites exhibit good electrical properties with lower dielectric losses. There are numerous reports on PANI and ferrite nanomaterial-based gas sensors which have good sensing response, feasible to operate at room temperature, requires less power and cost-effective.
Findings
This paper provides an overview of electrical and gas sensing properties of PANI/ferrite nanocomposites having improved selectivity, long-term stability and other sensing performance of sensors at room temperature.
Originality/value
The main purpose of this review paper is to focus on PANI/ferrite nanocomposite-based gas sensors operating at room temperature.
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Aleksander Aristovnik, Nina Tomazevic, Damijana Kerzic and Lan Umek
In higher education, a combination of traditional face-to-face learning and e-learning is becoming very popular. During their studies, students are enroled in several e-courses…
Abstract
Purpose
In higher education, a combination of traditional face-to-face learning and e-learning is becoming very popular. During their studies, students are enroled in several e-courses. They perceive various aspects of e-courses and show different responses when using teaching materials and learning in an e-course. The purpose of this paper is to measure such aspects from the students’ perspective and explore the differences among various subgroups of students.
Design/methodology/approach
In the survey, students expressed their opinions on 13 different aspects (a seven-level scale) of the e-courses in which they were enroled. In addition, the influence of some demographic characteristics was analysed. The authors used statistical tests (t-test and ANOVA) to compare the means among the analysed subgroups.
Findings
The empirical results reveal some differences among the subgroups of students. Students’ attitudes to blended learning increase significantly by year of study and decrease according to the amount of other non-study activities. Simplicity of finding materials in an e-course is the factor where male and female students differ significantly. This finding serves as a guideline for faculty management concerned with how to adjust blended learning to fulfil the various expectations of different student subgroups.
Originality/value
This paper’s insights will be of value to individuals and institutions engaged in the e-learning process in higher education. In particular, the results will be helpful to the faculty management and teachers with the main task to increase the engagement of particular groups of students regarding the work in e-courses.
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Osama Mohammad Ayesh, Jusuf Zeqiri, Kimberley Gleason and Baker Ahmad Alserhan
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial motivation and pharmapreneurial intention among pharmacists in Jordan.The authors also assessed the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial motivation and pharmapreneurial intention among pharmacists in Jordan.The authors also assessed the moderating effect of gender and the COVID-19 pandemic on the relationship between these two variables.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is a quantitative study targeting pharmacists and using a nonprobability sample. A structured questionnaire was distributed through official channels to the entire population of registered pharmacists in Jordan. SmartPLS 3 was used for carrying an advanced structural equation model analysis, and SPSS 26 for the descriptive statistics.
Findings
The three entrepreneurial motivation variables (behavioral control [BC], risk tolerance and desirability of self-employment) affected pharmapreneurial intention, with BC contributing more to pharmapreneurial intention among pharmacists in Jordan than the other variables examined. On the other hand, gender and COVID-19 did not moderate this relationship.
Research limitations/implications
The authors find that entrepreneurial motivation affects pharmapreneurial intention. Consequently, the authors provide insights to policymakers and educators regarding dovetailing the recent financial literacy programs implemented in Jordanian schools with medical education in Jordan to better motivate the formation of pharmapreneurial intention.
Practical implications
Policymakers and educators should be dovetailing the recent financial literacy programs implemented in Jordanian schools with medical education in Jordan to better motivate the formation of pharmapreneurial intention.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine pharmapreneurship in Jordan.
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Ayesh Udayanga Nelumdeniya, B.A.K.S. Perera and K.D.M. Gimhani
The purpose of this study is to investigate the usage of digital technologies (DTs) in improving the mental health of workers on construction sites.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the usage of digital technologies (DTs) in improving the mental health of workers on construction sites.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed research approach was used in the study, which comprised a questionnaire survey and two phases of semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to determine the interviewees and respondents of the questionnaire survey. Weighted mean rating (WMR) and manual content analysis were used to rank and evaluate the collected data.
Findings
The findings of this study revealed bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, work-related stress and depression as the six most significant mental disorders (MDs) among the construction workforce and 30 causes for them. Moreover, 27 symptoms were related to the six most significant MDs, and sweating was the most significant symptom among them. Despite that, 16 DTs were found to be suitable in mitigating the causes for the most significant MDs.
Originality/value
There are numerous studies conducted on the application of DTs to construction operations. However, insufficient studies have been conducted focusing on the application of DTs in improving the mental health of workers at construction sites. This study can thus influence the use of DTs for tackling the common causes for MDs by bringing a new paradigm to the construction industry.
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Sustainable development goals (SDGs) have been attracting ever considerable attention from practice and academia, but the relationship between board characteristics and SDGs…
Abstract
Purpose
Sustainable development goals (SDGs) have been attracting ever considerable attention from practice and academia, but the relationship between board characteristics and SDGs reporting remains unclear, especially in emerging countries. This paper empirically aims to the impact of board characteristics on SDGs reporting.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on stakeholder-agency theory, this study used data from 572 firm-year observations between 2017 and 2023 from top Malaysian-listed companies.
Findings
The result of feasible generalized least squares regression indicates that larger, more independent boards are associated with increased SDG disclosure. This suggests that well-structured boards can positively influence decision-making by reducing information asymmetries and agency conflicts. On the other hand, the results reveal that board activity insignificantly impacts the disclosure of SDGs. The findings are robust to robustness analyses and endogeneity checks.
Practical implications
This research offers significant implications for companies, practitioners and stakeholders, seeking to enhance their commitment to SDG implementation. In addition, the findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to encourage companies to diversify their composition boards and to promote strong, complementary governance mechanisms that align management behavior with sustainable business objectives.
Social implications
The findings can enhance SDG reporting quality by improving materiality assessment disclosures. This increased transparency and accountability will empower corporate stakeholders to better evaluate the reporting entity’s underlying processes. Enhanced corporate SDG reporting aligns with Malaysia’s commitment to implementing the UN SDGs and transitioning to a sustainable future.
Originality/value
The findings offer fresh insights into a previously unexplored topic and highlight the important role of the corporate board in addressing and improving the corporate SDGs reporting of listed firms in Malaysia.
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Adel Ali Al-Qadasi, Belal Ali Ghaleb and Sumaia Ayesh Qaderi
This study aims to seek to answer concerns about the sufficiency of traditional corporate reporting by examining the influence of the internal audit function’s (IAF) qualities on…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to seek to answer concerns about the sufficiency of traditional corporate reporting by examining the influence of the internal audit function’s (IAF) qualities on integrated reporting quality (IRQ) and the moderating effect of corporate social responsibility committee’s (CSRC). Even though integrated reporting (IR) is becoming more significant, nothing is known about the function of IAF in this setting.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses ordinary least squares regressions, integrating two-way cluster-robust standard errors (clustered by firm and year), to examine the association between the quality IAF and IRQ, as well as the moderating influence of CSRC, for companies listed in Malaysia spanning the period from 2017 to 2020.
Findings
Analysing data from Malaysian-listed firms (2017–2020), findings show that increased IAF investments are associated with lower IRQ, particularly in the presence of a CSRC. However, firms with in-house show a positive association with higher IRQ, which is amplified by a CSRC. This suggests a complementary relationship between CSRC and in-house IAF, potentially guiding regulatory practices regarding CSR or sustainability committees. Thus, the presence of CSRC signifies the organization’s dedication to the advancement of sustainable development principles.
Originality/value
This study’s implications include promoting stronger internal mechanisms such as IAFs and CSRCs, which will ultimately improve IRQ. This research contributes to understanding the combined impact of IAF and CSRC on reporting quality by focusing on them as key governance components influencing both financial and non-financial reporting. As a result, regulators and practitioners can gain insights to improve IR efficacy and stakeholder decision-making.
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Sumaia Ayesh Qaderi, Sitraselvi Chandren and Zaimah Abdullah
Integrated reporting (IR) is a new trend in corporate reporting that has spread rapidly in recent years for disclosing financial and non-financial information. This study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Integrated reporting (IR) is a new trend in corporate reporting that has spread rapidly in recent years for disclosing financial and non-financial information. This study aims to assess the status of the current regulations and the trends in IR disclosure practice in an emerging market, Malaysia, by providing a comparative analysis of the IR disclosure level (IRDL) and IR disclosure quality (IRDQ).
Design/methodology/approach
The current study has developed a comprehensive IR disclosure index based on the international integrated reporting framework (IIRF), which comprises 100 items divided into four categories (background, assurance and reliability, content and form). The data were collected from annual reports of companies listed on the Bursa Malaysia over the three years 2017 to 2019, based on 267 observations. Content analysis technique was used to evaluate and measure IRDL and IRDQ. Descriptive analysis was performed to provide the background statistics of the variables examined.
Findings
IR regulations are at an early stage, and IR adoption is still voluntary in the Malaysian market. Only 267 Malaysian company-year observations during the years 2017–2019 have adopted IR techniques. However, descriptive analysis results showed that Malaysian companies have moved towards the preparation of IR consistent with the IIRF. The findings indicate a significant increase in both IRDL and IRDQ over this period, after the recent recommendation by the Malaysian code of corporate governance (2017) on adopting IR. Further, the results show statistically significant differences in the mean of IRDL and IRDQ between large and small companies.
Practical implications
These results are important for regulators and policymakers in articulating new IR legislation in an emerging market and for corporate entities and investors in shaping their understanding of IR disclosure practice in the Malaysian institutional context.
Originality/value
To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, the study is among the first to address the IR regulation status and practice in Malaysian companies. It also established a comprehensive index for measuring IRDL and IRDQ based on the IIRF. The results add to the meagre descriptive literature on IR practice by providing comprehensive insights into IR practice from the perspective of an emerging country.