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Article
Publication date: 14 January 2014

Evila L. Melgoza, Guillem Vallicrosa, Lidia Serenó, Joaquim Ciurana and Ciro A. Rodríguez

This work aims to present the design of a new continuous tool-path strategy for open-source low-cost fused deposition modeling (FDM) machines, such as Fab@Home or RepRap; and the…

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Abstract

Purpose

This work aims to present the design of a new continuous tool-path strategy for open-source low-cost fused deposition modeling (FDM) machines, such as Fab@Home or RepRap; and the development of an innovative integrated tool to design and fabricate customized tracheal stents with any FDM machine and six patient parameters. Both contributions were validated and implemented by obtaining a customized medical-grade silicone tracheal stent.

Design/methodology/approach

For the design of the new deposition strategy, a Python programming language was used. The new tool-path strategy was proposed as a continuous path to avoid drops and gaps and to improve the accuracy of the final model. Meanwhile, patient parameters were obtained by medical doctors and introduced into the innovative integrated system. On the one hand, one mold generated automatically, and viewed with Matlab® software, was fabricated with a Fab@Home machine, optimized with the continuous tool-path strategy. On the other hand, the same generated mold was viewed in SolidWorks/Excel software and was fabricated using a commercial FDM machine. Finally, the mold was filled with medical grade silicone, and a silicone tracheal stent was obtained.

Findings

Path planning for extrusion technologies is still a major concern, especially for open-source FDM machines. The results obtained in this work show the benefits of applying the newly developed continuous tool-path strategy to optimize the performance and efficiency of these machines. In addition, the proposed innovative integrated system allows the fabrication of customized tracheal stents rapidly and affordably.

Practical implications

The possibility of obtaining customized tracheal stents is a worthy challenge. Medical doctors could play a more active role and interact during the design process, helping to obtain more suitable stents. The method proposed herein would provide the opportunity to obtain real values from the trachea of a patient in the operating room and quickly fabricate a customized stent that would fit the patient's trachea perfectly.

Originality/value

The results obtained in this work are relevant and have future applications in both the medical and the additive manufacturing fields. The optimized tool-path strategy can help to improve and enhance the use of low-cost FDM machines. Moreover, the innovative automatic design approach to fabricate tracheal stents may open new market opportunities in the medical device field.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 20 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

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Article
Publication date: 28 December 2020

Pedro Manuel Amaya, Doris Esenarro Vargas, Ciro Rodriguez Rodriguez, Violeta Vega and Jorge López Bulnes

The purpose of this paper is to present the first economic valuation of four environmental attributes of the Yanachaga–Chemillén National Park (PNYCH – Parque Nacional…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the first economic valuation of four environmental attributes of the Yanachaga–Chemillén National Park (PNYCH – Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén) in Peru.

Design/methodology/approach

This study included households in three cities adjacent to the PNYCH and assessed the willingness to pay (WTP) for preservation efforts of these natural services to avoid the predicted loss in forest area by 2030 (currently 143,425 hectares per year).

Findings

The results showed that the average WTP was US$0.695 (2.3197 soles) per household annually. Added to all households in Peru (9 million), this is equivalent to approximately 6.255 million dollars annually.

Practical implications

The economic valuation of these attributes is complementary to the contingent valuation and can have a significant impact, as this data influences decision-making and public policies focused on conserving forests and biodiversity.

Social implications

Upon using the choice experiment (CE) model, the attributes that have the most significant impact on inhabitants’ well-being were economic benefits. The flora and fauna coverage attributes were beneficial for the inhabitants of the place because they valued the proposed recovery and conservation program in a positive and differential way.

Originality/value

From the collection of valuable economic data, the novelty lies in using the CE method, which has not yet been applied in valuations of natural ecosystem services in Peru.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 15 October 2020

Bishwajeet Pandey, Geetam Singh Tomar, Robin Singh Bhadoria, Dil Muhammad Akbar Hussain and Ciro Rodriguez Rodriguez

The Purpose of this research is to make an energy efficient finite state machine (FSM) in order to achieve the core objective of green computing because FSM is an indispensable…

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Abstract

Purpose

The Purpose of this research is to make an energy efficient finite state machine (FSM) in order to achieve the core objective of green computing because FSM is an indispensable part of multiple computer hardware.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses ultra-scale plus FPGA architecture in place of seven-series field-programmable gate array (FPGA) for the implementation of the FSM design and also uses output load scaling for the design of environment-friendly FSM. This design study is done using Verilog Hardware description language and Vivado integrated system environment design tools and implemented on 16 nm ultra-scale FPGA architecture.

Findings

There is up to 98.57% reduction in dynamic power when operating frequency is managed as per smart job scheduling. There is up to a 21.97% reduction in static power with proper management of output load capacitance. There is up to 98.43% saving in dynamic power with the proposed management of output load capacitance.

Originality/value

The proposed design will be environment friendly that eventually leads to the green earth. This is the main motive of the research area i.e. green computing.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 7 December 2020

Ytavclerh Vargas, Ronald H. Puerta, Frits Palomino Vera, Doris Esenarro Vargas, Ciro Rodriguez Rodriguez and Bishwajeet Pandey

This paper aims to characterize the sexual maturation of M. flexuosa plantations in Tulumayo.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to characterize the sexual maturation of M. flexuosa plantations in Tulumayo.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology in this paper was selection of three plots in open field and usage of different densities of planting, after the maturation of the first plants, we began the quarterly evaluation. There was total 28 evaluations in seven years of age.

Findings

As a result, it was determined that at 12 years, the plots with lower density presented a greater number of mature individuals, with a predominance of female palms that produced an average of four bunches of fruit per year, and males five inflorescences. In addition, 15% of adult female plants went dormant, whereas males accounted for 3.4%. Reproductive cycles began in September and culminated in October of the following year, which were synchronized with rainfall.

Originality/value

Planting density was a determining factor in the early maturity of M. flexuosa and sustainable plantation management.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 19 September 2020

Jairo Buitrago Ciro and Lynne Bowker

This is a comparative investigation of how university libraries in the United States, Canada and Spanish-speaking Latin America are responding to predatory publishing.

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Abstract

Purpose

This is a comparative investigation of how university libraries in the United States, Canada and Spanish-speaking Latin America are responding to predatory publishing.

Design/methodology/approach

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings was used to identify the top ten universities from each of the US and Canada, as well as the top 20 Spanish-language universities in Latin America. Each university library's website was scrutinized to discover whether the libraries employed scholarly communication librarians, whether they offered scholarly communication workshops, or whether they shared information about scholarly communication on their websites. This information was further examined to determine if it discussed predatory publishing specifically.

Findings

Most libraries in the US/Canada sample employ scholarly communication librarians and nearly half offer workshops on predatory publishing. No library in the Latin America sample employed a scholarly communication specialist and just one offered a workshop addressing predatory publishing. The websites of the libraries in the US and Canada addressed predatory publishing both indirectly and directly, with US libraries favoring the former approach and Canadian libraries tending towards the latter. Predatory publishing was rarely addressed directly by the libraries in the Latin America sample; however, all discussed self-archiving and/or Open Access.

Research limitations/implications

Brazilian universities were excluded owing to the researchers' language limitations. Data were collected between September 15 and 30, 2019, so it represents a snapshot of information available at that time. The study was limited to an analysis of library websites using a fixed set of keywords, and it did not investigate whether other campus units were involved or whether other methods of informing researchers about predatory publishing were being used.

Originality/value

The study reveals some best practices leading to recommendations to help academic libraries combat predatory publishing and improve scholarly publishing literacy among researchers.

Details

Aslib Journal of Information Management, vol. 72 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-3806

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 22 February 2022

Elena M. Gimenez-Fernandez, Alberto Ferraris, Ciro Troise and Francesco Domenico Sandulli

External knowledge is a key resource for the success and the survival of born global firms; however, existing models provide minimal evidence on how these firms should source this…

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Abstract

Purpose

External knowledge is a key resource for the success and the survival of born global firms; however, existing models provide minimal evidence on how these firms should source this knowledge resource. Thus, the purpose of this research is to increase understanding on the impact of diverse knowledge search and knowledge formal protection in international new ventures (INVs).

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a quantitative methodology based on a sample of start-ups from the Spanish Community Innovation Survey data. Using ordinary least squares regressions on a 10-year period panel data, this research tests the moderator role of a heterogeneous base of international partners and formal knowledge appropriation strategy on the relationship between start-ups and their export performance.

Findings

The results show that compared to non-born global start-ups, born global firms benefit more from establishing relationships with a set of heterogeneous international partners. By contrast, all start-ups benefit from an extensive appropriation strategy if they establish such alliances with diverse international partners.

Originality/value

The study extends current theory on international entrepreneurship by providing a new theoretical framework for INVs of both the extensive use of formal mechanisms of knowledge protection and the access to heterogeneous and distant knowledge. This study has also several implications for knowledge management domain.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 28 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 13 August 2024

Thyago Celso Cavalcante Nepomuceno, Victor Diogho Heuer de Carvalho, Thiago Poleto and Ciro José Jardim Figueiredo

This article presents a methodological application of decision support with the purpose of identifying and better aligning sustainable banking strategies. Those strategies are…

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Abstract

Purpose

This article presents a methodological application of decision support with the purpose of identifying and better aligning sustainable banking strategies. Those strategies are based on best practices declared by employees and conducted during efficient periods affecting sustainable production, the health quality of clients, the organization’s profitability and social impact on the local community across different sectors.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach involves a two-phase process: first, it employs directional data envelopment analysis (DEA) to benchmark knowledge based on employee opinions gathered through interviews to evaluate strategies related to banking services; then, using the best-worst method and ELECTRE outranking incorporating elements of fuzzy set theory based on an experienced decision-maker’s input, sustainable banking strategies are ranked according the different perspectives for leveraging outputs from the first step.

Findings

The outcomes yield a ranking of strategies, emphasizing the crucial role of technology in banking services while highlighting the need for more agile services to ensure customer satisfaction. This underscores the necessity of aligning with the market perspective, as fintech companies are reshaping the socio-technological-environmental landscape of financial services.

Research limitations/implications

The research combined DEA and multicriteria analysis in the context of the banking sector, providing a comprehensive and analytically robust approach translated as a decision-making framework for promoting sustainability by aligning operational efficiency and social responsibility. These tools can guide banks in adopting more sustainable practices that benefit the institution, society and the environment.

Practical implications

Decisions in the banking sector encompass a wide array of concepts, from internal technical factors to customer feedback on service processes and offerings. The proposed approach considers decision analysis in complex environments, and the application developed in this study considered not only internal banking activity-oriented concepts but also the preferences of human agents developing them and the managerial perspective focused on issues involving components associated with sustainability.

Originality/value

By integrating DEA with multicriteria analysis, this study paves the way for a more efficient, environmentally conscious and socially responsible management scenario in the Brazilian banking sector. This research assesses operational efficiency and offers a comprehensive framework for selecting and implementing sustainable practices in the banking sector.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 42 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 31 August 2021

Ciro Troise, Leo Paul Dana, Mario Tani and Kyung Young Lee

The aim of this paper is to investigate how social media use (SMU) affects the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and entrepreneurial opportunities (EOP) of start-ups.

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to investigate how social media use (SMU) affects the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and entrepreneurial opportunities (EOP) of start-ups.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypothesis testing and analysis were conducted using the partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The research shows that SMU has a strong positive impact on EOP, while it has no impact on start-ups' EO. Interestingly, the impact of SMU on EOP is stronger than the impact of EO on EOP.

Originality/value

The findings add new knowledge to the emerging research stream that focuses on SMU in the context of entrepreneurship and provides useful insights for both scholars and practitioners. In particular, the evidence suggests implications for stakeholders with regard to their firms' entrepreneurial activities. This research offers several possible avenues for future research.

Details

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 29 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1462-6004

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 5 May 2022

Mario Tani, Ciro Troise, Paola De Bernardi and Tian Han

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, also known as three-dimensional printing (3DP), is a technological breakthrough that have the potential to disrupt the traditional…

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Abstract

Purpose

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, also known as three-dimensional printing (3DP), is a technological breakthrough that have the potential to disrupt the traditional operations of supply chains. They open the way to a supply chains innovation that can significantly benefit hospitals and health-related organizations in dealing with crises or unexpected events in a faster and more flexible way. In this study the authors identify the boundary of this potential support.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopt a case study approach to understand the dynamics behind a well-known best practice to identify the main opportunities and the main pitfalls that AM may pose to health-related organizations wanting to leverage them.

Findings

The case highlights that it is possible to increase hospital flexibility using AM and that by leveraging the Internet it is possible to spread the benefits faster than what it would be normally possible using traditional supply chain processes. At the same time the case highlights that leveraging these technologies needs buy-in from all the relevant stakeholders.

Originality/value

The paper is one of the first, to the best of the authors' knowledge, to highlight the main opportunities and difficulties of implementing 3DP technologies in hospital supply chain management.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 25 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

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Publication date: 18 November 2024

Philipe Lira de Carvalho, Mariana Lima Bandeira and Airton Cardoso Cançado

Community-based tourism (CBT) is a management model that prioritises the sustainable use of natural resources while valuing local history and culture in the tourism…

Abstract

Community-based tourism (CBT) is a management model that prioritises the sustainable use of natural resources while valuing local history and culture in the tourism entrepreneurship business. It has received attention from academics and society worldwide due to its potential to contribute to sustainability frameworks but has some gaps and challenges that need addressing. Studies have highlighted weaknesses in projects, risks of losing community essence through partnerships with the tourism industry and a lack of preparation for community governance. This chapter presents findings from bibliometric studies of publications on CBT and its impact on sustainable regional development indexed by Web of Science (WOS) and Scopus databases over 5 years (2018–2022). The study uses Lotka and Bradford's Laws to review the frequency of citations, the experience and background of cited authors, main subjects, concerns and the most used methodological design. The findings revealed three major concern areas: sustainable development, CBT and the development of tourism. These clusters were further categorised into four subcategories: community participation, sustainability, sustainable tourism and governance. The research papers were published in high-impact factor journals, indicating their relevance and significance in the scientific community. Qualitative results suggest CBT is closely linked to local development issues. There remain challenges that need to be addressed, including the need to associate economic, social and cultural aspects with sustainability issues. It is also essential to improve participation of the local community in governance aspects and expand communication and public policies to motivate and ensure the success of CBT.

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