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1 – 10 of 378Safia Akram, Maria Athar, Khalid Saeed, Mir Yasir Umair and Taseer Muhammad
The purpose of this study, thermal radiation and viscous dissipation impacts on double diffusive convection on peristaltic transport of Williamson nanofluid due to induced…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study, thermal radiation and viscous dissipation impacts on double diffusive convection on peristaltic transport of Williamson nanofluid due to induced magnetic field in a tapered channel is examined. The study of propulsion system is on the rise in aerospace research. In spacecraft technology, the propulsion system uses high-temperature heat transmission governed through thermal radiation process. This study will help in assessment of chyme movement in the gastrointestinal tract and also in regulating the intensity of magnetic field of the blood flow during surgery.
Design/methodology/approach
The brief mathematical modelling, along with induced magnetic field, of Williamson nanofluid is given. The governing equations are reduced to dimensionless form by using appropriate transformations. Numerical technique is manipulated to solve the highly nonlinear differential equations. The roll of different variables is graphically analyzed in terms of concentration, temperature, volume fraction of nanoparticles, axial-induced magnetic field, magnetic force function, stream functions, pressure rise and pressure gradient.
Findings
The key finding from the analysis above can be summed up as follows: the temperature profile decreases and concentration profile increases due to the rising impact of thermal radiation. Brownian motion parameter has a reducing influence on nanoparticle concentration due to massive transfer of nanoparticles from a hot zone to a cool region, which causes a decrease in concentration profile· The pressure rise enhances due to rising values of thermophoresis and thermal Grashof number in retrograde pumping, free pumping and copumping region.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, a study that integrates double-diffusion convection with thermal radiation, viscous dissipation and induced magnetic field on peristaltic flow of Williamson nanofluid with a channel that is asymmetric has not been carried out so far.
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Tea Collins, Juan Tello, Menno Van Hilten, Lina Mahy, Nicholas Banatvala, Guy Fones, Svetlana Akselrod, Fiona Bull, Alarcos Cieza, Jill Farrington, Jack Fisher, Cristina Gonzalez, Jaimie Guerra, Fahmy Hanna, Zsuzsanna Jakab, Alexey Kulikov, Khalid Saeed, Nisreen Abdel Latif, Bente Mikkelsen, Nasim Pourghazian, Giuseppe Troisi and Juana Willumsen
As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread across countries, it is becoming increasingly clear that the presence of pre-existing noncommunicable diseases…
Abstract
Purpose
As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread across countries, it is becoming increasingly clear that the presence of pre-existing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) dramatically increases the risk of aggravation in persons who contract the virus. The neglect in managing NCDs during emergencies may result in fatal consequences for individuals living with comorbidities. This paper aims to highlight the need for a paradigm shift in the governance of public health emergencies to simultaneously address NCD and noncommunicable disease (CD) pandemics while taking into account the needs of high-risk populations, underlying etiological factors, and the social, economic, and environmental determinants that are relevant for both CDs and NCDs.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper reviews the available global frameworks for pandemic preparedness to highlight the governance challenges of addressing the dual agenda of NCDs and CDs during a public health emergency. It proposes key strategies to strengthen multilevel governance in support of countries to better prepare for public health emergencies through the engagement of a wide range of stakeholders across sectors.
Findings
Addressing both CD and NCD pandemics during public health emergencies requires (1) a new framework that unites the narratives and overcomes service and system fragmentations; (2) a multisectoral and multistakeholder governance mechanism empowered and resourced to include stakeholders across sectors and (3) a prioritized research agenda to understand the political economy of pandemics, the role played by different political systems and actors and implementation challenges, and to identify combined strategies to address the converging agendas of CDs and NCDs.
Research limitations/implications
The article is based on the review of available published evidence.
Practical implications
The uptake of the strategies proposed will better prepare countries to respond to NCD and CD pandemics during public health emergencies.
Originality/value
The article is the first of its kind addressing the governance challenges of the dual pandemic of NCDs and CDs in emergencies.
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Claire Wilson, Mohammad Taghi Yasamy, Jodi Morris, Atieh Novin, Khalid Saeed and Sebastiana D. Nkomo
Neuropsychiatric disorders account for a substantial proportion of disease burden and disability in Africa. Despite this, mental health systems are under-resourced in Africa, as…
Abstract
Purpose
Neuropsychiatric disorders account for a substantial proportion of disease burden and disability in Africa. Despite this, mental health systems are under-resourced in Africa, as in most parts of the world, creating a “treatment gap” and denying the African population the right to mental health achieved through access to mental health services. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The mental health systems of African countries were compared with figures for all low- and middle-income countries (LAMICS) using data from the World Health Organization Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems. Comparable global figures were also available for some indicators from the WHO's World Mental Health Atlas 2011.
Findings
Selected indicators of mental health systems are presented for 14 African countries and shows that they are lower as compared to figures for all other LAMICS and also global figures. The treatment gap for mental disorders is much higher in Africa than comparable global figures. For example, the treatment gap for mood disorders has been estimated from 95 to 100 per cent for some African countries.
Originality/value
There is an imbalance between need and service provision in the area of mental health across the world but particularly in Africa. Despite this, there are a greater number of outpatient than inpatient services in Africa which provides an opportunity for development of community-based services. There are also many encouraging examples of effective approaches to reducing the burden of neuropsychiatic disease in Africa.
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Muhammad Shakil Ahmad, Massimiliano Barattucci, Thurasamy Ramayah, Tiziana Ramaci and Narmeen Khalid
Referring to the theory of organizational empowerment, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of organizational support and perceived environment on quality of…
Abstract
Purpose
Referring to the theory of organizational empowerment, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of organizational support and perceived environment on quality of care and job satisfaction, with organizational commitment as a mediator for the first variable.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed a cross-sectional research design and data was collected from seven private and public sector hospitals in Pakistan, involving 352 nurses on a voluntary basis through a self-administered survey.
Findings
The results showed that organizational commitment mediates the relationship between organizational support and job satisfaction with the quality of care. Moreover, the perceived environment has an impact on job satisfaction and quality of care.
Originality/value
Healthcare service quality seems strictly dependent on the perceived quality of care and job satisfaction among healthcare workers. Theoretical and practical implications for policymakers and HR management are discussed.
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Saeed Al-Muharrami and Daniel C. Hardy
Islamic and cooperative banks – including credit unions – are broadly similar in that they both share risk with savers. However, risk sharing goes along with ownership control in…
Abstract
Islamic and cooperative banks – including credit unions – are broadly similar in that they both share risk with savers. However, risk sharing goes along with ownership control in cooperatives, whilst Islamic banks share risk with borrowers also, and full downside risk with depositors. Islamic banking is consistent with mutual ownership, which may ease some of the governance and efficiency concerns implied by Shari’ah constraints. Greater risk sharing among cooperative bank stakeholders, along the lines of products offered by Islamic banks, may strengthen cooperatives’ financial resilience.
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Ahmet Esat Suzer and Aziz Kaba
The purpose of this study is to describe precisely the wind speed regime and characteristics of a runway of an International Airport, the north-western part of Turkey.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to describe precisely the wind speed regime and characteristics of a runway of an International Airport, the north-western part of Turkey.
Design methodology approach
Three different probability distributions, namely, Inverse Gaussian (IG), widely used two-parameter Weibull and Rayleigh distributions in the literature, are used to represent wind regime and characteristics of the runway. The parameters of each distribution are estimated by the pattern search (PS)-based heuristic algorithm. The results are compared with the other three methods-based numerical computation, including maximum-likelihood method, moment method (MoM) and power density method, respectively. To evaluate the fitting performance of the proposed method, several statistical goodness tests including the mostly used root mean square error (RMSE) and chi-squared (X2) are conducted.
Findings
In the light of the statistical goodness tests, the results of the IG-based PS attain better performance than the classical Weibull and Rayleigh functions. Both the RMSE and X2 values achieved by the IG-based PS method lower than that of Weibull and Rayleigh distributions. It exhibits a better fitting performance with 0.0074 for RMSE and 0.58 × 10−4 for X2 for probability density function (PDF) in 2012 and with RMSE of 0.0084 and X2 of 0.74 × 10−4 for PDF in 2013. As regard the cumulative density function of the measured wind data, the best results are found to be Weibull-based PS with RMSE of 0.0175 and X2 of 3.25 × 10−4 in 2012. However, Weibull-based MoM shows more excellent ability in 2013, with RMSE of 0.0166 and X2 of 2.94 × 10−4. Consequently, it is considered that the results of this study confirm that IG-based PS with the lowest error value can a good choice to model more accurately and characterize the wind speed profile of the airport.
Practical implications
This paper presents a realistic point of view regarding the wind regime and characteristics of an airport. This study may cast the light on researchers, policymakers, policy analysts and airport designers intending to investigate the wind profile of a runway at the airport in the world and also provide a significant pathway on how to determine the wind distribution of the runway.
Originality value
Instead of the well-known Weibull distribution for the representing of wind distribution in the literature, in this paper, IG distribution is used. Furthermore, the suitability of IG to represent the wind distribution is validated when compared with two-parameter Weibull and Rayleigh distributions. Besides, the performance and efficiency of PS have been evaluated by comparing it with other methods.
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Khasan S. Karimov, Zubair Ahmad, Noshin Fatima, Muhammad Mansoor Ahmed and Muhammad Abid
The paper aims to study the effects of humidity on the electrical properties of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) thin films deposited at different gravity conditions.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to study the effects of humidity on the electrical properties of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) thin films deposited at different gravity conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
Surface-type samples were fabricated on glass substrates with preliminary-deposited copper electrodes. The CuPc solution was prepared in benzene. The thin films of CuPc were deposited on these substrates at diverse gravity conditions by drop-casting and centrifugation at 1 × g and 70 × g, respectively. Impedance and capacitance of the fabricated devices were measured against the different relative humidity ranging from 32 to 98 per cent.
Findings
The impedance and the capacitance of the CuPc film were found to be dependent on the ambient humidity levels (32-98 per cent) and the gravity conditions (1 × g and 70 × g) opted during the fabrication process.
Research limitations/implications
The centrifugation technique can potentially be used in the instrumentation industry for the fabrication of humidity sensors.
Practical implications
The results of the investigations can potentially be used in the instrumentation and optoelectronics industry for the fabrication of humidity sensors.
Originality/value
CuPc films were deposited from a solution in benzene using drop-casting and centrifugation. The electrical properties of the films were found to be dependent on film fabrication conditions and ambient humidity levels. Growth-dependent electrical properties of the CuPc films can be explained by considering their structure.
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Esra Istek and Chinaza Solomon Ironsi
Given the persistent receptive skills challenges faced by language learners and the numerous merits of using technologically-enhanced learning in the form of mobile-assisted…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the persistent receptive skills challenges faced by language learners and the numerous merits of using technologically-enhanced learning in the form of mobile-assisted language learning in language teaching, this study decides to incorporate a context-analysis-practice-exploration lesson-planning framework with mobile learning to improve the receptive skills of learners. This step is necessary on the recommendation by scholarly research that while implementing technology, teacher training, digital literacy and expertise, incorporating good teaching practices and lesson planning frameworks may assist in yielding positive results.
Design/methodology/approach
This study decides to utilize a mixed-method research design through an experimental approach to elicit information from 90 EFL students concerning the effectiveness of incorporating the context-analysis-practice-exploration framework in a mobile-leaning mode instructional delivery to improve their reading and listening skills.
Findings
After collecting and analyzing data, the study found that while the participants perceived enhanced-mobile learning to make lessons enjoyable, integrating this framework and m-learning improved their reading skills. This study used notable findings to make pedagogical conclusions on the objective of this study.
Originality/value
This study contributes through empirical evidence on the effectiveness of incorporating mobile learning and a responsive lesson planning framework towards improving English as a foreign language learners' learning outcome. Besides, this study is the first to probe and unpack the effectiveness of a responsive lesson-planning framework in language education.
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Ya-Lun Yu, Ting Ting Wu and Yueh-Min Huang
This paper aims to investigate whether the effects of children's current learning are related to their learning efficiency and behavior when they are exposed to two different…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate whether the effects of children's current learning are related to their learning efficiency and behavior when they are exposed to two different gaming media.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper the authors used a quasi-experimental design to determine whether game-based learning can be improved by using mobile devices equipped with augmented reality (AR).
Findings
The control group using the card game was careful to find the correct answer, with the intention of “obtaining the maximum score with the highest rate of correctness,” whereas the experimental group using the AR board game played aggressively by “obtaining the maximum score with the highest number.”
Research limitations/implications
Although integrating an AR board game into the curriculum is an effective approach, the need to implement such a game in response to different learning attitudes and behaviors of students should be addressed.
Practical implications
Depending on the learning situation, different teaching methods and aids can be used to help students effectively learn. The recommendations based on this experiment can broaden the teaching field and allow for a wider range of experimental studies.
Originality/value
Learning behavior was observed, and user attention was interpreted using MindWave Mobile.
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