Mišljenja pakistanske djece o TV oglašavanju

This qualitative study explores Pakistani children’s views regarding TV advertising and outlines the factors impacting their choice of snack brands. Thirty-six children from three schools were selected purposefully and qualitative dana was collected through focus group sessions held in schools. Findings suggest that children understand the intended message of snack brand advertisers. Different variants of brands focusing on some product- and non-product related elements are considered imperative, contributing towards purchase. Children identify brandsn through jingles and cartoon characters and are well-aware of the logic behind TV advertising. This study highlighted children as knowledgeable, straightforward, fun-loving and rational consumers, all of which have some important implications for food marketers. The research is an original contribution to the work in the field of consumer socialization; it is intended to help the readers understand children’s attitude with regard to TV advertising, and identify some of the elements contributing to the choice of snack brands among children.Ova kvalitativna studija istražuje mišljenja pakistanske djece o televizijskom oglašavanju te navodi čimbenike utjecaja na izbor marke tzv. snack proizvoda. Namjernim uzorkovanjem odabrano je tridesetšestero djece iz triju škola, u kojima su putem fokus grupa prikupljeni kvalitativni podaci. Nalazi istraživanja upućuju na to da djeca razumiju namjere sadržane u porukama oglašivača snack proizvoda. Različiti oblici pojedinih maraka usmjereni na elemente vezane i nevezane uz proizvod smatraju se nužnima i pridonose namjeri kupovine. Djeca identificiraju marke kroz jinglove i crtane likove te su svjesna logike TV oglašavanja. Istraživanje je pokazalo da su ona dobro obaviještena, iskrena, da vole zabavu i racionalni su potrošači, što ima važne implikacije za marketinške stručnjake u prehrambenoj industriji. Ovaj je rad izvoran doprinos u području socijalizacije potrošača i nastoji pomoći čitateljima pri razumijevanju stavova djece prema TV oglašavanju putem identifikaciju nekih elemenata koji pridonose izboru marke snack proizvoda među djecom

Potential and prospects of biomass as a source of renewable energy in Pakistan

In an agricultural country like Pakistan, producing affordable and clean energy can be a challenging task. However, Pakistan has the potential to utilize various biomass feedstocks to generate renewable energy and tackle climate change while promoting sustainable development. Wheat, rice, sugarcane, and corn are the four main crops that yield a significant amount of residue, totaling 112.1 million tons per year. These residues have the potential to produce 3,050 kWh/ton of energy, which can meet 14% of the energy demand in Pakistan, equivalent to 9.85TW, starting in 2022. Gasification technology is a versatile option that efficiently converts biomass into energy while reducing negative environmental impacts. The current research explores the feasibility of generating clean energy from crop residues with low emissions, addressing the country’s energy needs, and supporting policymakers in promoting the use of biomass for energy production. According to this study, rice husk, corn cobs, wheat straw, and sugar bagasse all produce hydrogen at rates of 6.9 wt.%, 6.4 wt.%, 5.69 wt.%, and 5.35 wt.%, respectively. Therefore, our study demonstrates that corn cobs have a significant potential for energy production

Association between XRCC3 p.Thr241Met polymorphism and risk of glioma:a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: The XRCC3 p.Thr241Met (rs861539) polymorphism has been extensively studied for its association with glioma risk, but results remain conflicting. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to resolve this inconsistency. METHODS: Studies published up to June 10, 2022, were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, VIP, Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases and screened for eligibility. Then, the combined odds ratio (OR) of the included studies was estimated based on five genetic models, i.e., homozygous (Met/Met vs. Thr/Thr), heterozygous (Thr/Met vs. Thr/Thr), dominant (Thr/Met + Met/Met vs. Thr/Thr), recessive (Met/Met vs. Thr/Thr + Thr/Met) and allele (Met vs. Thr). The study protocol was preregistered at PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42021235704). RESULTS: Overall, our meta-analysis of 14 eligible studies involving 12,905 subjects showed that the p.Thr241Met polymorphism was significantly associated with increased glioma risk in both homozygous and recessive models (homozygous, OR = 1.381, 95% CI = 1.081–1.764, P = 0.010; recessive, OR = 1.305, 95% CI = 1.140–1.493, P0.05). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that the XRCC3 p.Thr241Met polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of glioma only in the homozygous and recessive models

Graphene-based nanomaterials as antimicrobial surface coatings: a parallel approach to restrain the expansion of COVID-19

The recently emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a significant and topmost global health challenge of today. SARS-CoV-2 can propagate through several direct or indirect means resulting in its exponential spread in short times. Consequently, finding new research based real-world and feasible solutions to interrupt the spread of pathogenic microorganisms is indispensable. It has been established that this virus can survive on a variety of available surfaces ranging from a few hours to a few days, which has increased the risk of COVID-19 spread to large populations. Currently, available surface disinfectant chemicals provide only a temporary solution and are not recommended to be used in the long run due to their toxicity and irritation. Apart from the urgent development of vaccine and antiviral drugs, there is also a need to design and develop surface disinfectant antiviral coatings for long-term applications even for new variants. The unique physicochemical properties of graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs) have been widely investigated for antimicrobial applications. However, the research work for their use in antimicrobial surface coatings is minimal. This perspective enlightens the scope of using GBNs as antimicrobial/antiviral surface coatings to reduce the spread of transmittable microorganisms, precisely, SARS-CoV-2. This study attempts to demonstrate the synergistic effect of GBNs and metallic nanoparticles (MNPs), for their potential antiviral applications in the development of surface disinfectant coatings. Some proposed mechanisms for the antiviral activity of the graphene family against SARS-CoV-2 has also been explained. It is anticipated that this study will potentially lead to new insights and future trends to develop a framework for further investigation on this research area of pivotal importance to minimize the transmission of current and any future viral outbreaks

Research and development journey and future trends of hollow fiber membranes for purification applications (1970–2020): A bibliometric analysis

Hollow fiber membrane (HFM) technology has received significant attention due to its broad range separation and purification applications in the industry. In the current study, we applied bibliometric analysis to evaluate the global research trends on key applications of HFMs by evaluating the global publication outputs. Results obtained from 5626 published articles (1970–2020) from the Scopus database were further manipulated using VOSviewer software through cartography analysis. The study emphasizes the performance of most influential annual publications covering mainstream journals, leading countries, institutions, leading authors and author’s keywords, as well as future research trends. The study found that 62% of the global HFM publications were contributed by China, USA, Singapore, Japan and Malaysia, followed by 77 other countries. This study will stimulate the researchers by showing the future-minded research directions when they select new research areas, particularly in those related to water treatment, biomedical and gas separation applications of HFM

Fabrication of high performance PVDF hollow fiber membrane using less toxic solvent at different additive loading and air gap

Existing toxic solvents in the manufacturing of polymeric membranes have been raising concerns due to the risks of exposure to health and the environment. Furthermore, the lower tensile strength of the membrane renders these membranes unable to endure greater pressure during water treatment. To sustain a healthier ecosystem, fabrication of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber membrane using a less toxic solvent, triethyl phosphate (TEP), with a lower molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) (0–3 wt.%) additive were experimentally demonstrated via a phase inversion-based spinning technique at various air gap (10, 20 and 30 cm). Membrane with 2 wt.% of PEG 400 exhibited the desired ultrafiltration asymmetric morphology, while 3 wt.% PEG 400 resulting microfiltration. The surface roughness, porosity, and water flux performance increased as the loading of PEG 400 increased. The mechanical properties and contact angle of the fabricated membrane were influenced by the air gap where 20 cm indicate 2.91 MPa and 84.72◦, respectively, leading to a stronger tensile and hydrophilicity surface. Lower toxicity TEP as a solvent helped in increasing the tensile properties of the membrane as well as producing an eco-friendly membrane towards creating a sustainable environment. The comprehensive investigation in this study may present a novel composition for the robust structure of polymeric hollow fiber membrane that is suitable in membrane technology

Blockchain adoption for sustainable supply chain management : economic, environmental, and social perspectives

Due to the rapid increase in environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources, the focus of researchers is shifted from economic to socio-environmental problems. Blockchain is a disruptive technology that has the potential to restructure the entire supply chain for sustainable practices. Blockchain is a distributed ledger that provides a digital database for recording all the transactions of the supply chain. The main purpose of this research is to explore the literature relevant to blockchain for sustainable supply chain management. The focus of this review is on the sustainability of the blockchain-based supply chain concerning environmental conservation, social equality, and governance effectiveness. Using a systematic literature review, a total of 136 articles were evaluated and categorized according to the triple bottom-line aspects of sustainability. Challenges and barriers during blockchain adoption in different industrial sectors such as aviation, shipping, agriculture and food, manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceutical, and textile industries were critically examined. This study has not only explored the economic, environmental, and social impacts of blockchain but also highlighted the emerging trends in a circular supply chain with current developments of advanced technologies along with their critical success factors. Furthermore, research areas and gaps in the existing research are discussed, and future research directions are suggested. The findings of this study show that blockchain has the potential to revolutionize the entire supply chain from a sustainability perspective. Blockchain will not only improve the economic sustainability of the supply chain through effective traceability, enhanced visibility through information sharing, transparency in processes, and decentralization of the entire structure but also will help in achieving environmental and social sustainability through resource efficiency, accountability, smart contracts, trust development, and fraud prevention. The study will be helpful for managers and practitioners to understand the procedure of blockchain adoption and to increase the probability of its successful implementation to develop a sustainable supply chain network

Co-combustion of blends of coal and underutilised biomass residues for environmental friendly electrical energy production

This study investigated the co-combustion of the blends of coal and biomass residues from poplar sawdust, rice husk, pine nut shells, and sunflower residues for ecofriendly energy production. Proximate and ultimate analyses and calorific values of the coal and biomass residues were also carried out to evaluate the properties of the coal and biomass residues. The volatile matter in coal was reported as 43.38 wt% and ranged from 56.76 wt% to 80.95 wt% in the biomass residues. The ultimate analysis reported the carbon and sulfur content of coal as 68.7 wt% and 5.5 wt%, respectively. The coal and biomass blends were prepared using different ratios on the thermal basis of coal and biomass given as 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50 by weight percentage. The consequent stoichiometric air requirements for all the blends were also calculated. The results revealed that the combustion of 60:40 of coal and sunflower residue blend was the most efficient blend, resulting in less emission of NOx, SOx, and CO2 in the flue gas compared to the combustion of pure coal. The study revealed a great perspective of the selected biomass residues to blend with coal for environmentally friendly and sustainable energy production

Application study on bubble detection in a metallic bubble column using electrical resistance tomography

Electrical resistance tomography (ERT) has been chosen as the field of study because of its advantages of being low cost, suitable for various kinds and sizes of pipes and vessels, having no radiation hazard, and being non-intrusive. In the development of ERT systems for metallic bubble column, prior knowledge of the fundamental process of the ERT system whilst improving the design and operation of the process equipment is essential. The fabricated electrodes need to be electrically insulated from the metal wall. Besides that, conducting boundary strategy is implemented to overcome the grounding effect of the metallic vesse

Design and develop android application of fluid kinematics

This thesis would be about a Smart Phone Application on the Android platform that will open a new gateway for students to learn Fluid Mechanics in the most accessible way. The objective of this thesis is to design and developed an android application of Fluid Kinematics EBook and calculator. The application is been design and develop using MIT AppInventor. One of the core subjects for mechanical engineering student is Fluid Mechanics and one of the subtopic in the fluid mechanics is fluid kinematics. This application is just covered the studies based on diploma mechanical students. The application contain of introduction, notes, video, question examples, answers, manual solution, and calculator to solve the example question. The survey has been done after the application has been tested. The survey is done to 50 students and 20 lecturers in mechanical engineering faculty. The improvement has been made based on the recommendations from the respondent. The results of testing the application discussed in the thesis. Finally, in conclusion the objective designing and develop the application was reached