Determinants of social and institutional beliefs about internet acceptance within developing country’s context: A structural evaluation of higher education systems in Pakistan

This study aims to extend a model of technology acceptance to suit in developing country’s context. The model attempts to identify relationship between social and institutional factors over behavioural intention and usage. Recently, ‘acceptance and adoption of information technology (IT) in multicultural setting’ is becoming topic of interest for IS researchers. In this line, numerous theories and models are proposed to contribute in examining factors of IT acceptance and reluctance. It is argued that the models in published literature are found culturally biased, which successfully present results in only American and European context, however, their validity became questionable when they were tested in south Asian countries context. Additionally, lack of research is observed to predict individual’s cognitive behaviour of acceptance, which are influenced by social factors (i.e. peer influence and superior influence, voluntariness, experience) and institutional factors (i.e. local institutional management influence and top-level governmental policies influence). This study used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) based on Partial Least Square (PLS) method to analyse the data. The results reveal that the proposed conceptual model achieves acceptable fit and the hypothesised paths are valid

Simulation of horizontal and vertical drainage systems to combat waterlogging problem along the Rohri canal in Khairpur district, Pakistan.

Continuous seepage from earthen canals creates a serious water-management problem in Pakistan. Efficient water management through a properly designed drainage system is therefore indispensable and imperative not only for the control of waterlogging, but also to provide a favorable environment for crop root development that ultimately enhances crop growth and increases yield potential. This paper discusses the effectiveness of different remedial measures adopted to intercept seepage from the Rohri canal and control the rising water table on 1,000 ha of agricultural land near the Gambat railway station in the district of Khairpur in the Sindh Province of Pakistan. A three-dimensional (3D) finite-element model for groundwater flow and solute transport (FEMGWST), developed at Universiti Putra Malaysia, has been used to evaluate the performance of horizontal and vertical drainage systems, operating either independently or simultaneously, for different flow levels in the Rohri canal. Simulation results have revealed that an increase in tube-well discharge from 20 to 24  L/s can result in about 5.02% more reclaimed area, and an 8.68% additional reclaimed area can be achieved when the well discharge was increased from 20 to 28  L/s; however, waterlogging still prevailed along the canal embankment. About 196.35 ha of agricultural land had water-table depth below 0.5 m when the well was discharging at 20  L/s, followed by 146.14 ha and 109.59 ha of land for the well discharges of 24 and 28  L/s, respectively. Thus it was obvious that the vertical drainage system alone cannot maintain the water table below the root zone adjacent to the canal embankments. Results revealed that managing waterlogging with the horizontal tile drainage system is only effective up to a distance of 300 m away from the canal, beyond which the effectiveness of this system gradually diminishes. A combined drainage system (tube wells plus a horizontal drainage system) is more effective and beneficial in maintaining the water table within desirable depths, and more land could be cultivated. Under the combined drainage system only 91.98 ha of land was still considered waterlogged as compared to 236.38 ha when only the vertical drainage system was operating

A conceptual framework for measuring the acceptance of pervasive learning

The technological innovation and advancements in smart phones and wireless communication have reformed learning techniques such as Pervasive Learning (P-learning), Mobile Learning (m learning) and Electronic Learning (e-learning). P learning is the new form of innovative technologies for learning that occurs at the user’s will at anywhere, anytime and with any mobile or handheld devices.Students using P-learning can overcome the obstacles such as poor facilities in the classroom, gender, cultural and religious barriers, hectic personal and professional lives by providing flexibility and more than one medium for learning.This research is intended to study the specific factors influencing students as to whether accept and use these new technologies (P-learning).This study extends the existing research on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and will develop an integrated model of P-learning acceptance.It is also expected that this research study will help provide strategies for educators in the development and implementation of courses designed to integrate technology. This study employs mixed research methods for triangulation to get the desired research results.The data for this research is collected through focus group and a cross sectional questionnaire survey

A framework for the analysis of determinants of social media acceptance in higher educational institute of Pakistan

Social media is being considered an important source in the perspective of academic learning in the educational sector.The scope of learning through social media encompasses broadening the information sharing through collaborative approach with the help of web-based social networking sites as the means to enhance the knowledge of coworkers, colleagues and other mates.Due to large scale penetration of social media among youngsters, it is being perceived to be one of the futuristic approaches for next generation knowledge sharing and academic learning.On one hand, learning through social media has attained an important value in developed economies but on the other hand, real benefits and future implications have not been interpreted and realized in developing economies like Pakistan.Educational institutes in Pakistan need to evaluate and understand the importance and the usage of social networking for the sake of its valued role in academia.Although research communities in the developing countries are paying attention towards the development of this sector in academia but Pakistan still has to go a long way in this regard.The aim of the study is to explore the significant factors which are affecting the delayed acceptance and usage of social media for academic learning purpose.This research proposes an integrated framework including some widely accepted technology models such as Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) to determine significant factors

Antimicrobial resistance and Neisseria gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST) genotypes in N. gonorrhoeae during 2012-2014 in Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Globally, increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoea has led to decreased treatment options for gonorrhoea. Continuous monitoring of resistance is crucial to determine evolving resistance trends in Neisseria gonorrhoea and to suggest treatment recommendations. Quality assured gonococcal AMR data from Pakistan are mainly lacking. This study was performed to determine prevalence and trends of gonococcal AMR and molecular epidemiology of local strains during 2012-2014 in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: Gonococcal isolates (n = 100) were obtained from urogenital specimens submitted to the Aga Khan University Laboratory, Karachi, Pakistan. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using Etest and molecular epidemiology was assessed by N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST). Quality control was performed using N. gonorrhoeae WHO reference strains C, F, G, K, L, M, N, O, and P, and ATCC 49226. Results: Susceptibility to spectinomycin, ceftriaxone and cefixime was 100 % and to azithromycin was 99 %. All isolates had low ceftriaxone MICs, i.e., ≤0.032 mg/L. Resistance to ciprofloxacin, tetracycline and penicillin G were 86 %, 51 % and 43 %, respectively. NG-MAST analysis identified 74 different sequence types (STs). Conclusions: A highly diversified gonococcal population, 74 NG-MAST STs (62 novel STs) with an increased resistance to penicillin G, ciprofloxacin and tetracycline circulated in Karachi, Pakistan. Fortunately, no resistance to ceftriaxone was detected. Accordingly, ceftriaxone can continuously be recommended as the treatment of choice. However it is recommended to increase the dose of ceftriaxone from 125 mg intramuscularly to 250 mg intramuscularly due to ceftriaxone MIC creep and emerging resistance reported in the region. Furthermore, due to the high level of resistance to ciprofloxacin (86 %) it is essential to exclude ciprofloxacin from the recommended first-line therapy. It is imperative to significantly broaden the gonococcal AMR monitoring with participation from other laboratories and cities in Pakistan

How Will Changes in Net Incomes Affect Iowa's Land Market?

The Iowa land market has experienced significant fluctuations over the past century, marked by three golden eras—in the 1920s, 1980s, and early 2010s—with each characterized by a significant surge in farm incomes and land values. The first two golden eras ended with marked crashes in land value, while the last ended with a less drastic market adjustment. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered another such surge, inevitably drawing comparisons to these golden eras and raising questions about the potential for a subsequent decline. In 2023, however, the rate of increase slowed noticeably, with a nominal growth of 3.7% and an inflation-adjusted increase of 0.5%. This plateau indicates a less sustained rise in land values, highlighting a difference from previous golden eras, and has prompted questions about the future direction of the land market and the broader agricultural economy

2023 Iowa State University Land Value Survey: Overview

Fluctuations in land values can signal changes in market conditions, impact farmers' financial well-being, and influence policy decisions, making it essential to record and analyze them. Since 1950, the Iowa State University Land Value Survey has been the only data source that provides a county-level land value estimate for each of the 99 counties in Iowa. The 2023 Iowa State University Land Value Survey reported a 3.7% increase to $11,835 per acre for average Iowa farmland values from November 2022 to November 2023. This continues the increase in land values from last year, and the$11,835/acre nominal land value is the highest ever since data collection began in the 1940s. However, the pace of the increase has slowed down. The inflation-adjusted value, $9,131/acre in 2015 dollars, also the highest recorded, saw a very modest increase of 0.5%. While the overall increase is supported by limited land supply, stronger-than-expected crop yields, and ample cash reserves on the farm, the slowing pace and, in some places, the fall in land values is largely attributable to the recent hikes in interest rates, decreasing commodity prices and increasing input costs. All crop reporting districts except the Northwest district reported an increase in land values. The Southeast and South Central districts reported the largest growths of 12.8% and 9.6%, respectively, with all other increases falling below 5%. The Northwest district reported a small decrease of 0.8% in land values. High-quality land saw a 3.5% increase, while medium-and low-quality land increased 3.8% and 4.0%, respectively. In general, the 2023 Iowa State University Land Value Survey results echo other surveys, which all showed relatively stable farmland market values

Studying acceptance of online banking information system: A structural equation model

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Acceptance of information technology (IT) has remained a topic of interest for a last few decades. Several theories, specifically over the conceptualisation of the technology acceptance model (TAM) have emerged and they have been applied in different contexts to investigate new insights into the acceptance behaviour at individual and organisational levels. However, despite TAM’s maturity and validity in different contexts, very little published literature strives to extend its capability to predict individuals’ acceptance behaviour about an online banking information system (OBIS). A possible rational for this gap may be conceptualisation of the TAM under which individuals’ acceptance behaviour can only be predicted with two beliefs: perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU). The evidence in literature shows that PU and PEOU beliefs are not sufficient; hence, they may not explain individuals’ acceptance behaviour in emerging contexts, such as online banking information systems, especially in developing economies such as Pakistan. There is therefore a need for inclusion of any additional factor that can enhance prediction of acceptance of online banking information system by potential users. Extending research on the TAM, this study developed and tested a model of OBIS acceptance. The proposed model integrated key constructs from the information systems acceptance research stream into the theoretical frame of the TAM and other theories from social psychology, such as the theory of reasoned action (TRA), theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the TAM2. According to the proposed conceptual model, OBIS acceptance was determined by eight main factors, which included perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, trust, technological self-efficacy, response time, output quality, accessibility, and terminology clarity. In this model, PU was hypothesised to be affected by PEOU, trust, technological self-efficacy (TSE), output quality (OQ) and response time (RT). In addition, PEOU was hypothesised to be determined by three external factors: TSE, accessibility and terminology clarity (TC). The model was tested on a sample of 353 Internet banking users in Pakistan. Using structural equation modelling with Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) software, data analysis showed considerable support for the extended hypothesised model. The result indicated that, in order of importance, PU, PEOU and trust explained 45.7 % of the variance in the acceptance behaviour. The trust and the TSE predicted 28.1 % of the variance in the PU. However, the hypothesised relationships between the PU and the PEOU, OQ and RT were found to be not significant. While in the PEOU, 21.8 % of the variance was predicted by the TSE, accessibility and TC. TSE was found to be a more influential determinant of the PEOU than the PU. The consideration of factors that have a significant influence on the acceptance of OBIS, as identified in this research, is important for the managers in the banking sector, especially in developing countries, in order to increase wider acceptance and use of these systems, which provide benefits to both the customers and the service providers.University of Sind

COMPARISON OF FA WAG AND SWAG AS AN EFFECTNE ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY METHOD

At present petroleum engineering has become economic based field hence all efforts are being made to make sure that we squeeze out the last drop of oil from the reservoir Pl. Reservoirs start to deplete with time hence secondary recovery methods are applied. When such methods are also failed, Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques remain the only solution for the production of well hence with EOR techniques 30-60 % of oil can be recovered. In EOR techniques we inject gas and/or water to provide energy (driving force) to the reservoir to produce. Currently Simultaneous Water Alternating Gas (SWAG) along with other techniques tends to improve oil recovery by improving reservoir fluids mobility and providing driving force rzJ. Foam can also be added in water alternating gas technique to improve the sweeping mechanism and cut off the gas production and we term such method as Foam Assisted Water-Alternating Gas (FA WAG). In this study, a comparison has been made between FA WAG & SWAG in order to come up with the effective method of EOR, having better oil recovery. Core flooding is to be carried out for the evaluation of both techniques. Hence from previous experiences it has been predicted that SWAG tends to address all recovery related problems economically, where as foam has been seen to address the problems by assisting other Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques and proved that foam assistance has given better recovery