Signal optimization: using signals to mitigate information overload in crowdfunding campaigns

Purpose – This study explores how information volume affects crowdfunding success and identifies the signals – operational transparency, past crowdfunding experience, perceived project authenticity and perceived product quality – that moderate this relationship. The goal is to provide insights into managing information overload and enhancing the probability of funding success in various information volume contexts. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 2,681 Kickstarter campaigns and analyzed using fixed effects logit regression models. Findings – The study reveals a curved relationship between information volume and funding success, moderated by factors such as operational transparency, crowdfunding experience, project authenticity and product quality. Practical implications – This study provides fund-seekers with essential insights into disseminating information effectively. Originality/value – This study contributes to the literature by elucidating the complex dynamics among information volume, signaling types and crowdfunding success, offering a nuanced understanding of how fund-seekers can optimize their campaigns for better outcomes

Lindernia rotundifolia (Linderniaceae), Picria fel-terrae (Linderniaceae), and Limnophila aromatica (Plantaginaceae): three new records for the flora of Nepal

Lindernia rotundifolia (L.) Alston (Linderniaceae), Picria fel-terrae Lour. (Linderniaceae), and Limnophila aromatica (Lam.) Merr. (Plantaginaceae) are newly reported from Jalthal forest, eastern Nepal. Picria Lour. is a new generic record for Nepal. Descriptions of all the species based on Nepalese specimens are provided, along with notes on diagnostic features, color photographs of the species, distribution maps, and notes on habitats

Behavioural science principles for scaling-up zero tillage wheat and maize in the Eastern Terai region of Nepal

Farmers have a set of convictions and tend to do what their forefathers had practiced. By identifying their beliefs and designing appropriate ways of upscaling to convince them of new and improved practices, we can improve the adoption of zero tillage technology for maize and wheat. Small and fragmented landholdings that resulted from the cultural system of distributing land to heirs are diverse in their cropping requirements. Moreover, farmers are risk-averse and do not believe easily in new technologies. Traditional extension approaches have not been effective in upscaling these technologies. A new way of thinking based on behavioural science can provide some insights and guidelines for improving the effectiveness of technology adoption. Understanding farmers' socioeconomic circumstances and their decision-making system at the household and society level can help in designing upscaling approaches. Approaches such as capitalising on social bonding, use of established technology leaders, and use of farmers' organizations can improve adoption. Recommended strategies include encouraging a comprehensive contracting system of service provision, using active community influential local leaders in technology expansion, taking group and social identity approaches in technology extension, and capacity building programs for service providers/operators and farmers to help raise confidence and to remove perceived barriers to technology adoption. &nbsp

Co-Circulation of Dengue Virus Serotypes 1, 2, and 3 during the 2022 Dengue Outbreak in Nepal: A Cross-Sectional Study

The largest dengue outbreak in the history of Nepal occurred in 2022, with a significant number of casualties. It affected all 77 districts, with the nation’s capital, Kathmandu (altitude 1300 m), being the hardest hit. However, the molecular epidemiology of this outbreak, including the dengue virus (DENV) serotype(s) responsible for this epidemic, remain unknown. Here, we report the epidemic trends, clinico-laboratory features, and virus serotypes and their viral load profiles that are associated with this outbreak in Nepal. Dengue-suspected febrile patients were investigated by routine laboratory, serological, and molecular tools, including a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Of the 538 dengue-suspected patients enrolled, 401 (74.5%) were diagnosed with dengue. Among these dengue cases, 129 (32.2%) patients who required hospital admission had significant associations with myalgia, rash, diarrhea, retro-orbital pain, bleeding, and abdominal pain. DENV-1, -2, and -3 were identified during the 2022 epidemic, with a predominance of DENV-1 (57.1%) and DENV-3 (32.1%), exhibiting a new serotype addition. We found that multiple serotypes circulated in 2022, with a higher frequency of hospitalizations, more severe dengue, and more deaths than in the past. Therefore, precise mapping of dengue and other related infections through integrated disease surveillance, evaluation of the dynamics of population-level immunity and virus evolution should be the urgent plans of action for evidence-based policy-making for dengue control and prevention in the country

Mathematical and statistical applications in life sciences and engineering

The book includes articles from eminent international scientists discussing a wide spectrum of topics of current importance in mathematics and statistics and their applications. It presents state-of-the-art material along with a clear and detailed review of the relevant topics and issues concerned. The topics discussed include message transmission, colouring problem, control of stochastic structures and information dynamics, image denoising, life testing and reliability, survival and frailty models, analysis of drought periods, prediction of genomic profiles, competing risks, environmental applications and chronic disease control. It is a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners in the relevant areas of mathematics and statistics

Design of Efficient Electroosmotic Micromixer

Micro-bio/chemical applications in a μTAS (Micro Total Analysis Systems) require rapid and uniform mixing of a number of fluid streams that carries bio/chemical species in the solution. An electro osmotic mixer from COMSOL model library is taken as a main model from which other alterations are designed for optimization. The circular, square and elliptical mixers were modeled to see the variation in the mixing. We analyzed the mixing process by varying the mixing shape, concentration, mixing channel width and electrode pairs. Concentration variance at the outlet over time was studied to determine the extent of mixing.</jats:p

Study of Flow Field Variables in a Pressure Reducing Valve

Pressurized water valves are required in industrial applications ranging from steel industries to manufacturing plants where cooling is highly required. High water pressures are the most common requirement to descale oxide layers formed during steel production. The water passes through pumps, piping systems and valves before it flows out through nozzles. Such a high pressure requirement is generated from pumps and regulated by means of valves. The directional checking and ON-OFF regulation are the major jobs a valve should perform satisfactorily. The fluid properties are governed by mass, momentum and energy conservation as defined by Continuity, Navier-Stokes and Energy equation. The high pressure drop along the neck of the venturi induces cavitation problems which lead to failure over time. Variation of several fluid properties like pressure, wall shear stress can be seen as the fluid flows through the valve. The high pressure fluid at the upstream region goes through the downstream region from the nozzle when the given valve allows to exit. The sharp bends and turns inside the valve causes several properties of water to change throughout its flow domain. The failure being observed on a high pressure water flow passage on a specific geometrical cross section from one of the local companies will be evaluated from the computational analysis. Lately, a baffle system was modeled in 2D as one of the capstone design projects for an undergraduate student. The main objective of this system was to attain a pressure drop within the channel to prefill all the pipes and valves connected along the line so that sudden descaling high pressure would not burst the air along the pipe. No pressure based density variation was employed in this study. The wall shear stress computed using ANSYS Fluent code was found to be max where the actual failure had occurred. It has been noted that no pressure based density variation was employed in this study.</jats:p

Development of a Electro-Osmotic Micromixer for Uniform and Rapid Mixing

Micro Total Analysis Systems (μTAS) require rapid yet homogeneous mixing of a number of fluid streams that carry bio/chemical species in the solution. Current analysis has been continued from our previously published work [1]. New models were designed by rendering some particular fluid and geometric variables from the original design and then analyzed for the degree of mixing effectiveness. A careful placement of obstacles in the mixing zone of the model and the electrodes in it showed enhancement in mixing performance. In addition, models with varied geometrical parameters such as converging inlet and diverging outlet yielded even better mixing capabilities. Concentration variances over time at the outlet were simultaneously compared in all models for mixing. Also average concentration was tracked over time so as to confirm the uniformity in mixing. The concentration variances at the outlet have been dramatically observed to be reduced by a factor of at least 10 from our designs as reported earlier [1].</jats:p

Analysis of Electrokinetic Fluid Flow in T-Shaped DNA Chips

ABSTRACT Lab-on-chip devices promise for many novel applications concerning the transport of the liquid samples and other solutions in the order of micro-scale dimensions. One of the efficient methods for transporting fluid in the samples is through electrokinetic effects, where an electric field will be applied to charged ions such as DNA, a negatively charged ion or proteins. These ions are carried over in the microchannel by the application of electric fields through the entire solution from inlet via probe region for its detection to outlet and the determination of concentration distribution. COMSOL, commercially available multiphysics software, with its specific MEMS and Chemical Engineering modules were employed and simulated for the analysis of fluid velocity and ionic concentration throughout the channel of various shapes. The ionic fluid concentrations and velocities in the channel and at the outlet are plotted against the potential differences across the two inlets in which DNA sample was introduced from one inlet and a buffer solution was supplied from another inlet.