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This review aims to focus on recent reported research work on the construction and function of different electrochemical DNA biosensors. It also describes different sensing materials, chemistries of immobilization probes, conditions of hybridization and principles of transducing and amplification strategies.

The human disease-related mutated genes or DNA sequence detection at low cost can be verified by the electrochemical-based biosensor. A range of different chemistries is used by the DNA-based electrochemical biosensors, out of which the interactions of nanoscale material with recognition layer and a solid electrode surface are most interesting. A diversity of advancements has been made in the field of electrochemical detection.

Some important aspects are also highlighted in this review, which can contribute in the creation of successful biosensing devices in the future.

This paper provides an updated review of construction and sensing technologies in the field of biosensing.

Women entrepreneurs are considered here as a backbone of economic growth and development. This research is conducted to explain the role of microfinance banks in women's financial, socioeconomic, and political empowerment. The sample was gathered from the customers of microfinance banks operating in the specific areas of Sukkur, Pano Aqil, and Khairpur districts of Sindh province. Women perception about the microfinance bank was found to be positive as they give positive feedback about the banks. According to the findings, limited knowledge about business and financial matters make it highly challenging for women entrepreneurs to start and run business smoothly. However, most of the women are living separate with their husbands, and due to more children, women enjoy freedom of mobility.

The purpose of this paper is to systematically review knowledge hiding (KH) behavior in higher education institutions (HEIs). KH is regarded as an unethical and antisocial behavior by many scholars, which should not be prevalent in HEIs.

A two-phase analysis through quantitative scientometric analysis and qualitative systematic literature review method through the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) model was applied. In phase 1,174 articles were analyzed using the VOSviewer through co-word and co-citation analyses. In Phase 2, 20 related studies on KH in HEIs were qualitatively analyzed on the fundamental concept of KH. The main themes were determined based on current research findings, through the identification of relevant gaps in the context of higher education.

In Phase 1, co-word and co-citation analyses resulted in six and three clusters, respectively. Subsequently, in Phase 2, five themes were discovered: terminology of KH, scale of KH, cultural and geographical context, KH among academics and students and relevant theories. Further, discussion on the institutional factors of individuals, organizations, technology and culture is presented.

This review lays out a practical guide to facilitate HEIs in managing KH behavior among academics, employees, and students. Strategies can be planned and implemented to foster and inculcate knowledge sharing behavior to circulate knowledge while at the same time diminishing KH behavior in HEIs.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to review KH behavior in the context of HEIs through quantitative and qualitative analysis.

The purpose of this paper is to systematically review knowledge hiding (KH) behaviors in the team context. KH behavior is regarded as unethical and antisocial behavior, detrimental to team development and performance. The nature of its existence should not be allowed in team activities.

Applying a systematic literature review, this study investigated 39 related quantitative studies on KH behavior of employees in team and group contexts. This study discusses the fundamental concept of KH, analyzes current research findings, identifies relevant gaps in the team and group context and sheds light on future direction.

Findings observed that the KH phenomena had gained the interest of scholars since the year 2010. Five main research streams identified in this systematic review are role of leadership, team creativity and innovation, underlying theory, multilevel modeling and KH scale.

The value of this paper is subjected to the specific notion of KH in team background where knowledge sharing should have been promoted instead of KH. This systematic review serves as insight and recognition on the importance of mitigating KH in team. Existing current literature, future research work and trends of KH in the organization may benefit from this new and anticipated behavior within the knowledge management field.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this review is the first to review KH behavior in the team context.

The breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments all over the globe to bring radical changes to all walks of life. Strict lockdowns are not only adversely affecting the social, economic, and psychological wellbeing of individuals but also questioning the sustainability of most businesses. In wake of the current scenario, this study is aimed at exploring how the COVID-19 pandemic is influencing the sustainability of entrepreneurship particularly from a female perspective and further providing insights into the role of Islamic financial institutions in the sustainability of businesses during COVID-19.

This is a qualitative study that takes social constructivism approach to study the underlying phenomenon. Semi-structured interviews are conducted to collect primary data. Secondary data are also utilized in this study to theoretically define various concepts relating to entrepreneurial sustainability. The application of thematic analysis revealed various risks associated with sustainability. The interviews reveal the ground realities and tell us about the hardships being faced by the entrepreneurs due to ongoing crises. The participants of the study also shed light on the role of Islamic financial institutions during the pandemic.

The study results revealed that it may look impossible for women entrepreneurs to halt or avoid the adverse consequences of the pandemic; however, a few female entrepreneurs strived to guard their existing portfolios with the help of Islamic microfinance institutions. Whereas, several women, especially those running home-based businesses, lost their income streams. Despite these rapid challenges, most female entrepreneurs are working on inventive online systems to sustain their business activities during the crisis. Finally, guidelines are suggested which can help achieve sustainability of the entrepreneurial startups.

The outcomes of this study are expedient for funding agencies, government authorities and Islamic financial institutions as well as for non-government institutions to establish sustainable and broader policies for women to become successful entrepreneurs during severe disasters like COVID-19. Moreover, the study is a helpful tool for women entrepreneurs to avert the worst impact of the pandemic with the help of Islamic microfinance institutions. The themes of this study help generate realistic information to appraise the strategies to create facilitating business environments that drive the women to carry out the entrepreneurial activity during any crisis like the COVID-19.

The results of this study provide evidence that crisis can be anticipated up to some extent if entrepreneurs become able to take proactive decisions in case of expected or identifiable threats. The study may also help the women entrepreneurs to comprehend the serious consequences of the pandemic by shifting their mode of financing to Islamic finance. Although this pandemic is a cause of physical discomfort instead this research may encourage the female entrepreneurs not to lose heart, just find the potential opportunities for their home-based and small businesses and manage funding from the Islamic microfinance institutions.

The study adds to the existing literature on entrepreneurial sustainability with a particular focus on the role of Islamic microfinance institutions for women entrepreneurs' sustainability in Pakistan. Secondly, the study employs the entrepreneurial sustainability model (ESM) that, according to the best of our knowledge, has not been used by the researchers earlier to study the given research phenomenon. Thirdly, the study findings are expedient for funding agencies, government authorities and financial institutions as well as for non-government institutions to establish sustainable and broader policies for women to become successful entrepreneurs during disasters like COVID-19.

Cilia serves numerous biological functions in the human body. Malfunctioning of nonmotile or motile cilia will have different kinds of consequences for human health. More specifically, the directed and rhythmic beat of motile cilia facilitates the unidirectional flow of fluids that are crucial in both homeostasis and the development of ciliated tissues. In cilia-dependent hydrodynamic flows, tapering geometries look a lot like the structure of biological pathways and vessels, like airways and lymphatic vessels. In this paper, the Carreau fluid model through the cilia-assisted tapered channel (asymmetric) under the influence of induced magnetic field and convective heat transfer is investigated.

Lubrication theory is a key player in the mathematical formulation of momentum, magnetic field and energy equations. The formulated nonlinear and coupled differential equations are solved with the aid of the homotopy perturbation method (HPM). The graphical results are illustrated with the help of the computational software “Mathematica.”

The impact of diverse emerging physical parameters on velocity, induced magnetic field, pressure rise, current density and temperature profiles is presented graphically. It is observed that the cilia length parameter supported the velocity and current density profiles, while the Hartman number and Weissenberg number were opposed. A promising effect of emerging parameters on streamlines is also perceived.

The study provides novel aspects of cilia-driven induced magnetohydrodynamics flow of Carreau fluid under the influence of induced magnetic field and convective heat transfer through the asymmetric tapered channel.

This study examines the relationship between entrepreneurial passion, entrepreneurial support programs and entrepreneurial intention, and the moderating role of entrepreneurial support programs in the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial intention, among students with physical disabilities in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

This study used a closed-ended questionnaire survey, composed of previously validated scales, to sample 209 students with physical disabilities at tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Hierarchal regression was performed to assess the relationships between the variables and test the hypotheses.

Both entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial support programs were found to be significantly positively related to entrepreneurial intention, and entrepreneurial support programs also moderated the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial intention.

This research paper identifies that developing entrepreneurial passion and providing accessible and inclusive entrepreneurial support programs are valuable in supporting and facilitating a passage into entrepreneurship for those with disabilities.

This research paper addresses calls for further understanding of how those with disabilities can be supported into entrepreneurship, by identifying supporting factors. The research paper provides further understanding of the entrepreneurial passion and intention nexus by exploring the relationship within those with a physical disability, where significant barriers exist and within a developing country context where entrepreneurship might be a necessity rather than driven by passion.

Academic scholars have tested students’ entrepreneurial intention (SEI) through the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Still, the link between entrepreneurial intention and career is missing in previous studies. An extensive literature review developed the rationale that existing theories in the entrepreneurial discipline have limitations in linking entrepreneurial intention with career. This research is conducted to develop a comprehensive model for the relationship between entrepreneurial university support, student entrepreneurial intention, behavior and career. Stimulus-Organism-Behavior-Consequence (SOBC) paradigm from organizational behavior research is borrowed to entrepreneurship literature.

The cross-sectional data was collected from Pakistani university students enrolled in business incubators. A sample of 100 responses was tested with a partial least square–structural equation modelling approach.

The study established that by the underpinning of SOBC, entrepreneurial university support influences students’ entrepreneurial intention. It is also found that the students’ entrepreneurial intention strongly influences their entrepreneurial behavior, leading them to entrepreneurship careers.

The policies influencing students’ entrepreneurial intention and behavior can be developed using the SOBC paradigm. Higher education institutions can improve students’ entrepreneurial intentions and behavior to lead them to entrepreneurship careers.

This research introduced the SOBC paradigm in entrepreneurial intention and behavior literature. SOBC underpinning explored a new dimension of entrepreneurial intention and behavior literature.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between knowledge-hiding behaviors (evasive hiding, playing dumb and rationalized hiding) and employees’ silence (defensive silence, relational silence and ineffectual silence). Besides, this paper investigates the relation mediated by psychological contract breach.

The data were collected with three-time lags (40 days each) through a structured questionnaire from 389 employees of registered software houses in Pakistan. The structural equation modeling (partial least squares) approach is used for data analysis.

The findings of this study confirm that knowledge-hiding behaviors have a significant and positive relationship with employees’ silence, and psychological contract breach significantly mediates the relationship between knowledge-hiding behaviors and employees’ silence.

The implications of this study are very supportive to the knowledge-intensive organizations, i.e. software houses. The management should increase the knowledge sharing and trust culture among employees to discourage the knowledge-hiding behaviors among employees. Moreover, supervisors should develop trust among employees, motivate them to avoid knowledge hiding and encourage the employees to raise their voices against their problems in a formal way.

The present study highlights the impact of different dimensions of knowledge hiding on employees’ silence and the role of psychological contract breach as a mediator in this scenario.

One of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals is to ensure the availability of improved drinking water for everyone. In this study, we examine the association between access to improved drinking water at the district level and child nutritional outcomes in Pakistan.

We employ district-level unbalanced panel data from Pakistan from various rounds of Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Surveys and Multiple Indicators Cluster Surveys compiled by the Data4Pakistan, Pakistan District Development Portal. We examine the impact of the percentage of the population in a given district with access to clean drinking water on the percentage of stunted, underweight and wasted children in the district. The analysis proceeds in two steps. In the first step, we explore the spatial distribution of improved drinking water coverage and child development outcomes across districts. In the second step, we study their relationship by employing standard panel estimation methods and controlling for district characteristics.

The spatial analysis reveals the large disparity among districts and provinces in terms of improved drinking water coverage and child nutrition. The estimation results indicate that there is a significant association between the accessibility of improved drinking water and child development outcomes. The effect is significant for child stunting and underweight but not for child wasting. The impact appears to be stronger in rural districts. These findings are robust to alternate empirical strategies.

This is the first such study to examine the provision of improved drinking water at the district level in relation to child developmental outcomes in a developing country context.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-09-2023-0739