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Our study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance decision-making processes to promote circular economy practices within the utility sector.

A unique case study of Alia Servizi Ambientali Spa, an Italian multi-utility company using AI for waste management, is analyzed using the Gioia method and semi-structured interviews.

Our study discovers the proactive role of the user in waste management processes, the importance of economic incentives to increase the usefulness of the technology and the role of AI in waste management transformation processes (e.g. glass waste).

The present study enhances the circular economy model (transformation, distribution and recovery), uncovering AI’s role in waste management. Finally, we inspire managers with algorithms used for data-driven decisions.

The nutritional and anthropometric status can be essential in determining their immune response to vaccines. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the association between diet quality and anthropometric indices with the side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and the SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G titer among Kurdish adults.

This cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted between December 2021 and February 2022. This paper included data on 115 adults, 20–89 years old, from the Kurdistan region. Dietary information was collected using a short food frequency questionnaire, and diet quality was assessed using a plant-based healthy diet score. A blood test was performed to measure the SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobin G (IgG) titer after the vaccination's first and second doses.

Overweight and obese subjects reported more local pain, myalgia, headache, local bruising and local reactions after receiving the first dose of the vaccine (p = 0.04). People on a less healthy diet reported more local pain, myalgia and headache (p = 0.04) and more local bruising and reactions (p = 0.01) after receiving the second dose of the vaccine. On the other hand, the authors observed that those with healthy dietary habits had more IgG titer after the first and second doses of vaccination than those with less healthy dietary habits (p = 0.001).

The results showed that participants with a healthy diet and normal weight status had fewer side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine than obese people and those with a less healthy diet.

This research mainly intends to ascertain the stimulus of investor investment tendencies on the amount of capital investment in the share market.

Utilizing a sample of 477 individual investors who actively trade on the Bangladesh capital market, this empirical study was conducted. The objective of this examination is to ascertain the investment trading behavior of retail investors in the Bangladesh capital market using multiple regression, hypothesis testing and correlation analysis.

The coefficients of market categories, preferred share price ranges and investment source reveal negative predictor correlations; all predictors are statistically significant, with the exception of investment source. Positive predictive correlations exist between investor category, financial literacy degree, investment duration, emotional tolerance level, risk consideration, investment monitoring activities, internal sentiment and correct investment selection. Except for risk consideration and investment monitoring activities, all components have statistically significant predictions. The quantity of capital invested in the stock market is heavily influenced by the investment duration, preferred share price ranges, investor type, emotional toleration level and decision-making accuracy level.

This investigation was conducted exclusively with Bangladeshi individual stockholders. Therefore, the existing study can be extended to institutional investors and conceivably to other divisions. It is possible to conduct this similar study internationally. And the query can enlarge with more sample size and use a more sophisticated econometric model. Despite that the outcomes of this study help the regulatory authorities to arrange more informative seminars and consciousness programs.

The conclusions have practical implications since they empower investors to modify their portfolios based on elements including share price ranges, investment horizons and emotional stability. To improve chances of success and reach financial objectives, they stress the significance of bettering financial understanding, active monitoring and risk analysis. Results can also be enhanced by distributing ownership over a number of market sectors and price points. The results highlight the value of patience and giving potential returns enough time.

This study on the trading behavior of investors in Bangladesh is unique and based on field study, and the findings of this study will deliver information to the stakeholders of the capital market regarding the investors’ trading behavior belonging to different categories, financial literacy level, investment duration, emotional tolerance level and internal feeling.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. However, the role of dietary patterns as a potential risk factor for COVID-19 has not been well established, especially in studies with large samples. Therefore, this study aims to identify and evaluate the association between major dietary patterns and COVID-19 among adults from Iran.

In this cross-sectional study, the authors included 9,189 participants aged 20–70 who participated in the Yazd Health Study (YaHS) and Taghzieh Mardom-e-Yazd study (TAMIZ). They used factor analysis to extract dietary patterns based on a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Then, they assessed the relationship between these dietary patterns and the odds of COVID-19.

This study identified two major dietary patterns: “high protein and high fiber” and “transitional”. Participants in the highest tertile of the “high protein and high fiber” dietary pattern, which included vegetables, fruits, dairy and various kinds of meats such as red meat, fish and poultry, had a lower odds of COVID-19 compared with those in the lowest tertile. However, the “transitional” dietary pattern did not affect the risk of COVID-19.

In conclusion, a “high protein, high fiber” diet may lower the odds of COVID-19. This study suggests that dietary patterns may influence the severity and spread of future similar pandemics.

This paper aims to evaluate Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) on healthcare utilisation by exploring its heterogeneous effects based on residential status and wealth.

The study used the Ghana Socioeconomic Panel Survey (GSPS) datasets. An instrumental variable strategy, specifically the two-stage residual inclusion (2SRI), was employed to control endogenous NHIS membership.

Generally, the results show that NHIS improves healthcare utilisation (i.e. visits to a health facility and formal care). Concerning the heterogeneous effects of health insurance on healthcare utilisation, the results revealed that NHIS members are more likely to seek care, irrespective of their residence status. The results further indicate that the probability of visiting a health facility and utilising formal care increases for the poorest NHIS participants. Based on these, the authors conclude that NHIS provides equitable healthcare access and utilisation for its vulnerable populations, who are beneficiaries.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first to explore the heterogeneous effects of NHIS on healthcare utilisation across residential and income subpopulations. Splitting the dataset by residential status to examine healthcare utilisation inequality is worthwhile. In addition, analysing utilisation in terms of health care type would show whether Ghana's NHIS may be viewed as welfare-enhancing through increased formal health care utilisation.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-05-2023-0330

The purpose of this research is to segment Pakistani consumers based on their insights and preference towards mango quality and safety attributes and to demographically characterise each segment so that effective value chain (VC) development strategies may be developed.

Factor and cluster analysis were applied to data collected from 400 mango buyers randomly selected from seven different cities in Pakistan.

This empirical study identified four distinct segments of mango consumers in Pakistan. The diversity of consumers' perception was mainly based on four factors: food safety, price and marketing, physical quality and shelf life. Based on their demographic characteristics and preferences for product attributes, the identified consumer segments can be classified as “traditional consumers,” “safety-conscious consumers,” price and market-sensitive consumers,” quality-sensitive consumers” and “perfect consumers.” This knowledge is useful to develop mango VCs that target specific consumer segments based on their chain level abilities and aspirations.

This study offers actors of mango VCs an enhanced understanding of consumer segments based on their perceived preferences towards the quality and safety attributes of mangoes, which would help VC actors design and develop business strategies that deliver value specific to each consumer segments. Findings of this study could also be useful to policy makers to design extension strategies that promote food safety and quality standards in mango VCs. Moreover, this study presents yet another case of consumer segmentation study for VC development in developing countries, adding a stepping stone towards a general VC theory development.

The findings stimulate the momentum of the growing literature, particularly in the developing countries on consumer insights and behaviour toward fruit quality and safety attributes of mangoes.