Search results

There is a strong inducement to develop new inorganic materials to substitute the current industrial pigments, which are known for their poor ultraviolet absorbent and low photoluminescence (PL) properties. The purpose of this paper is to invent a better rare-earth-based pigment material as a spectral modifier with good luminescence properties to enhance the spectral response for photovoltaic panel application.

Different phosphor samples made of nano-calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) with varied wt.% of the dopant Dysprosium doped calcium borophosphate (CBP/Dy) as (W0 – 0%, W1 – 3,85%, W2 – 7.41%, W3 –10.71% and W4 –13.79%) were prepared via the solid-state diffusion method at 600 °C for 6 h using a muffle furnace. The structural, morphological and luminescence properties of the CaCO₃:CBP/Dy powder samples were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and PL test.

The XRD, SEM and FTIR results verified the crystalline formation, morphological behaviour and vibration bonds of synthesized CBP/Dy-doped CaCO₃ powder samples. XRD pattern revealed that the synthesized powder samples exhibit crystalline structured materials, and SEM results showed irregular shape and porous-like structured morphologies. FTIR spectrum shows prominent bands at 712, 874 and 1,404 cm⁻¹, corresponding to asymmetric stretching vibrations of CO3²⁻ groups and out-of-plane bending. PL characterization of CBP/Dy-doped CaCO₃ (sample W) shows emission at 427 nm (λmax) under the excitation of 358 nm. The intensity of PL emission spectra drops due to the concentration quenching effect, while the maximum PL intensity is observed in the W3 phosphor powder system.

This phosphor powder is expected to find out the potential application such as a spectral modifier which is applied to match the energy of photons with solar cell bandgap to improve spectral absorption and lead to better efficiency.

The introduction of a nano-CaCO₃:CBP/Dy hybrid powder system with good luminescence properties to be used as spectral modifiers for solar cell application has been synthesized in the lab, which is a novel attempt.

The design process of a bio-model involves multiple factors including data acquisition technique, material requirement, resolution of the printing technique, cost-effectiveness of the printing process and end-use requirements. This paper aims to compare and highlight the effects of these design factors on the printing outcome of bio-models.

Different data sources including engineering drawing, computed tomography (CT), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were converted to a printable data format. Three different bio-models, namely, an ophthalmic model, a retina model and a distal tibia model, were printed using two different techniques, namely, PolyJet and fused deposition modelling. The process flow and 3D printed models were analysed.

The data acquisition and 3D printing process affect the overall printing resolution. The design process flows using different data sources were established and the bio-models were printed successfully.

Data acquisition techniques contained inherent noise data and resulted in inaccuracies during data conversion.

This work showed that the data acquisition and conversion technique had a significant effect on the quality of the bio-model blueprint and subsequently the printing outcome. In addition, important design factors of bio-models were highlighted such as material requirement and the cost-effectiveness of the printing technique. This paper provides a systematic discussion for future development of an engineering design process in three-dimensional (3D) printed bio-models.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the safety of substituting the first day post-operative review after routine cataract surgery (phacoemulsification) with a telephone survey.

Prospective non-randomised cohort study. A standardised questionnaire of five common ocular symptoms (general condition, vision, eye pain, headache, nausea or vomiting) was administered by a trained nurse on the first post-operative day. The patients were reviewed in clinic two to 14 days later. Patient charts were retrospectively reviewed for complications (endophthalmitis, raised intra-ocular pressure, wound leaks and uveitis) requiring deviation from standard treatment.

Over 13 months, 256 eyes of 238 patients underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification by four consultant surgeons. Only one patient reported poor general condition, blurred vision and eye pain. She was subsequently found to have corneal oedema and raised intra-ocular pressure when recalled for an earlier review. Best corrected visual acuity better than 20/40 was achieved in 80.5 per cent of patients. There were no other post-operative complications noted from medical records review.

Non-randomised nature, skewed surgical expertise, lack of a control group and patient experience data. In all, 22 patients (9.2 per cent) were also uncontactable for the telephone interview.

A nurse-administered telephone survey seemed to be a safe and effective alternative to first day post-operative review after routine phacoemulsification. The survey also enabled the detection of serious post-operative complications. The first day post-operative hospital visit may be safely substituted in a selected patient population with greater patient convenience achieved and liberation of clinic resources.

This is the first study which utilises a standardised questionnaire as a form of post-operative review in an Asian population.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of preparation level of heirs and the relationship between family and business members on the performance of family business in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia.

A quantitative research design involving the use of a survey questionnaire was implemented to investigate the influences of succession planning factors on the performance of family business in SMEs. The survey was conducted on 50 family business successors in Malaysian SMEs.

The result showed that the two studied factors – preparation level of heirs and the relationship between family and business members – have a positive impact on the performance of family business.

The research concentrated on the performance of family business in SMEs in Malaysia’s southern region. The generalization therefore must be made very cautiously to the overall Malaysian SMEs.

The findings help family businesses to better understand the importance of the preparation level of heirs and the relationship between family and business members on business performance. This study shows the importance of key factors influencing succession planning so that the successor to the family business can bring the family firm to the next stage of success.

This study serves as a reference or guide for the management of family businesses to better understand the important factors for effective succession planning. It considers the best possible preparation and family-related factors affecting the end results of business, particularly in Malaysian SMEs.

Mango seed, an agricultural food (agri-food) waste obtained during mango processing is generally discarded and causes environmental stress. In the present study, mango kernel was processed into flour and incorporated into macaron formulation. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant potential, physicochemical properties, and sensory qualities of macaron after substitution of almond flour (AF) with 0% (control, MC-0), 20% (MC-20), 40% (MC-40), 60% (MC-60), 80% (MC-80) and 100% (MC-100) (w/w) of mango kernel flour (MKF).

Sensory evaluation was conducted using a nine-point hedonic scale (n = 90 young adults) to evaluate the acceptance towards MC-0 (control), MC-20, MC-40, MC-60, MC-80 and MC-100 macaron shells (without mango-flavoured ganache). The most preferred formulated and control macarons were subjected to proximate analyses according to the methods of Association of Official Analytical Chemists for moisture, ash, and protein, and American Oil Chemists' Society for fat. Carbohydrate content was estimated by difference. Physical analyses such as colour, pH and water activity (a_w) were performed using various instrumental techniques. Antioxidant activity of all macaron shell formulations was accessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH-RSA). Sensory evaluation was repeated using a five-point hedonic scale to determine the acceptance of the most preferred macaron (with mango-flavoured ganache) among consumer panels of all age groups (n = 80).

The first sensory acceptance test revealed that macaron shell with 40% MKF substitution (MC-40) was the most preferred formulation among young adults aged 18–35 years old. Moisture and ash contents between MC-0 and MC-40 were found to be similar (p > 0.05), while significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed for the fat and protein contents. Antioxidant activity increased proportionally with increasing MKF substitution and exhibited significant improvement (p < 0.05) in MC-40. Approximately 93% of the panellists expressed their liking towards MC-40 in the second sensory acceptance test. Overall, this study demonstrated that 40% MKF substitution in macaron improved its antioxidant performance without compromising consumers' acceptance.

This innovative research features the incorporation of MKF in the development of an economical and healthier macaron. The results constitute industrial relevant findings pertaining to its application feasibility and nutritional properties. This research has contributed knowledge to the existing literature as well as benefitted food manufacturers to develop value-added products that could meet the needs and expectations of interested parties, including consumers, governmental organisations, health-cautious advocates and healthcare providers.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interaction effect of placement characteristics and emotional experiences on consumers’ recognition of placed brands. Brand recognition is a fundamental step in the consumer’s decision-making journey.

The authors developed a research model based on emotional process theory and cognitive capacity theory incorporating placement characteristics, emotional experiences and brand recognition. An experimental study of 110 young Chinese consumers was conducted to test the research model.

The findings indicated that all three placement characteristics (prominence, serial positions and plot connection) had significant effects on brand recognition, as suggested in previous research. The effect of emotional experiences on brand recognition was comparatively less prominent. Placement characteristics and emotional experiences also interacted to influence the recognition of placed brands.

This study shows the role of emotional experiences and their interaction with placement characteristics on brand recognition, which has yet to be examined. The conceptual model contributes to the product placement literature by suggesting that both cognitive and emotional processing are important for brand recognition. The findings provide useful insights for marketers in designing effective product placement strategies.

This study aims to extend the literature on marketing communications by exploring the effect of placing products in humorous scenes. It aims to ascertain the prevalence of placement scenes associated with humor in television programs and the effect of humor on brand persuasiveness.

The study used a two-phase research process. A content analysis of prime-time television programing was conducted to map the relative prevalence of brands placed in humorous contexts and for the selection of research stimuli. This was followed by a large-scale experimental study of 1,100 television viewers in Hong Kong with real stimuli that had been digitally manipulated.

The study found that a humorous context did enhance recall of placed brands but its effect on brand attitudes was mediated by audience involvement in the viewing and moderated by psychological trait reactance. Interestingly, and in contrast to conventional advertising, placing brands in a humorous context led to lower involvement in the viewing, which, in turn, resulted in lower brand attitudes. Individuals with low trait reactance were more positive toward brands placed in a non-humorous context than individuals with high trait reactance while individuals with high trait reactance were more positive toward brands placed in a humorous context, though the difference was less prominent.

The findings help to illustrate when and how a humorous context contributes to the recall of and attitudes toward placed brands.

The results also facilitate marketers and program producers to choose the best placement context and design more effective placement strategies.

This research is the first to empirically examine the effect of a humorous context on the unaided recall of and attitudes toward brands placed in television programs.

The purpose of this study contributes to literature on marketing communications by empirically contrasting the effectiveness of a new form of covert promotions (product placement in recipes) and an overt promotion (traditional advertisement). The mediating role of perceived believability of promotional materials and the moderating roles of advertising skepticism and brand awareness were examined based on a conceptual model.

A Web-based experiment with 2 (form of promotion: overt versus covert) × 2 (brand awareness: low versus high) between-subjects full factorial design was used. A public sample of 537 participants had participated in the study. The conceptual model was further tested on 106 participants using stimuli of a fictitious brand.

A two-stage moderated mediation analysis shows that the perceived believability of promotional materials was a significant mediator of the form of promotion and brand evaluations. Consumers showed a higher level of believability toward covert promotion, which, in turn, led to more positive evaluations of the promoted brand. Advertising skepticism and brand awareness were found to significantly moderate the relationship between form of promotion and attitudes toward the promoted brands. A similar pattern of results was obtained when stimuli of a fictitious brand were used.

This research addresses an important issue in marketing communication and extends the understanding of the perception of overt and covert promotions by examining the underlying mediating and moderating variables, which have rarely been explored before. The results guide marketers in developing effective marketing communication strategies for well-known, less well-known and even new brands. It also directs policymakers to consider whether integrated branded content in recipes should be disclosed to protect consumers from surreptitious promotions, which may help to lower consumers’ skepticism toward advertising in the long run.

Expenditures on beauty, fitness and body shaping by females have increased significantly in recent years. Most previous studies examined this from the psychological perspective of self-acceptance and self-liking. However, this phenomenon may also have social implications. This study aims to provide a profound understanding of the social environment for female professionals as well as actionable insights for the government and social institutions.

A research model was developed based on impression management and social identity theories incorporating impression management motives, impression construction consumption and social identity. A survey study of 419 Chinese female professionals was conducted to test the research model.

This study surveyed 419 Chinese female professionals and found that impression management motives significantly drove female professionals to spend on their faces and bodies for impression construction, which in turn contributed to the enhancement of their social identities in three dimensions: relational identity, public identity and collective identity.

In a male-dominated society, it has become a norm that females should be cautious about their facial appearance and body shape. Females are often forced to consume to attain physical attractiveness and to construct a favorable social image. This study shows that consumption for impression construction has become a frequently used strategy for impression management and identifies key areas of societal concern.

Despite the promising development and marketing potential of the metaverse, our understanding of how realistic metaverse environments impact user engagement and behaviours remains limited. This study investigates the role of perceived realism in influencing user engagement, thereby affecting external search behaviour and visit intentions.

We surveyed 270 active metaverse users to test the research model. The data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

The results of our study show that three dimensions of realism – avatar involvement, perceptual pervasiveness and social realism – significantly enhance user engagement, which in turn influences external search behaviour and visit intention. In contrast, simulation realism and freedom of choice have minimal effects on absorption and dedication.

This study highlights the role of perceived realism in enhancing user engagement with the metaverse and its impact on physical world behaviours. It contributes to metaverse literature by demonstrating that engagement within the metaverse significantly influences physical world behaviours, including visit intentions and external search behaviours.

This study offers practical guidance for developers to enhance user engagement in metaverse environments. Specifically, our findings advocate for visual and audio quality enhancements, greater persuasiveness of virtual spaces, improved avatar representativeness and a closer alignment of metaverse activities with real-life events.

This study advances the theoretical understanding of perceived realism by examining how its dimensions – such as visual and audio quality, avatar representativeness and alignment with real-life events – impact user engagement in the metaverse. It also explores how this engagement influences offline behaviours, thus bridging the gap between virtual and real-world interactions.