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This paper aims to fill gap in the literature and explore policy options for resolving the problems of accountability by framing three research questions. The research questions are (i) whether certain elements of Scott’s (2014) institutional pillars attenuate (accentuate) corporate and public accountability; (ii) whether the presence of ruling party-affiliated enterprises (RPAEs) create an increase (decrease) in the degree of corporate (public) accountability; and (iii) whether there is a particular form of ownership change that transforms RPAEs into public investment companies.

Using a qualitative research methodology that involves term frequency and thematic analysis of publicly available textual information, the paper examines Mechkova et al.’s (2019 forms of government accountability. The paper analyzes the gaps between the de jure and de facto accountability using the institutional pillars framework.

The findings of the paper are three. First, there are gaps between de jure and de facto in all three (vertical, horizontal and diagonal) forms of government (public) accountability. Second, the study finds that more than three fourth of the parties that contested the June 2021 election did have regional focus. They did not advocate for accountability. Third, Ethiopia’s RPAEs are unique. They have regional focus and are characterized by severe forms of agency and information asymmetry problems.

The main limitation of the paper is its exploratory nature. Extending this research by using cross-country data could provide a more complete picture of the link between corporate (public) accountability and a country’s institutional pillars.

Academic research documents that instilling modern corporate (public) governance standards in the Sub Sahara Africa (SSA) region has shown mixed results. The analysis made in this paper is likely to inform researchers and policymakers about the type of change that leads to better corporate (and public) accountability outcomes.

The institutional change proposed in the paper is likely to advance the public interest by mitigating agency and information asymmetry problems and enhancing government accountability. The changes make the enterprises investable, save scarce jobs, enhance diversity and put the assets in RPAEs to better use.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper that uses the institutional pillars analytical framework to examine an SSA country's corporate (public) accountability problem. It demonstrates that accountability is a domestic and a (novel) traveling theory. The paper identifies the complexity of resolving the interlock between political institutions and business enterprises. It theorizes that it is impossible to instill modern corporate (public) accountability standards without changing regulatory, normative and cultural cognitive pillars of institutions. The paper contributes to the change management and public interest literature.

This paper tests public budgeting as a long-run and short-run process; political decision makers strive to head toward budgetary balance over the long run but are constrained in the short run and follow incremental decision-making. First, the budget equilibrium theory is stated and is used to explain the relationship between revenues and expenditures. Second, the interaction between expenditures and revenues is tested with a vector error correction model for Canada, UK and the US, using annual time series data between 1948 and 2000. The results show that, in the long-run, revenues are the driving force behind the budget in Canada; in the UK expenditures force the budget toward balance. In the short-run, incrementalism occurs in both of these countries. The most interesting finding is for the United States where on-budget revenues and expenditures both push the budget toward balance over the longrun but there is no incrementalism in the process in the short-run. This, of course, is contrary to much of the existing literature.

Miniaturized smart sensors that can perform sensitive and selective real-time monitoring of target analytes are tremendously valuable for various sensing applications. So, the purpose of this paper is to provide details of sensors based on selective nanocoatings by combining trinitrotoluene (TNT) receptors bound to conjugated polydiacetylene (PDA) polymers with single-walled carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNTFETs) for detecting explosives TNT.

Following an introduction, this paper describes the way of creating an FET with CNTs, which are functionalized by the peptide based on TNT molecule recognition elements and PDA, to offer a system which has the capability of answering the presence of related target molecules (TNT). Finally, brief conclusions are drawn.

Single-wall nanotubes and reduced graphene oxide are interesting materials for creating biosensors of FETs at nanoscale because of unique electrical, mechanical, geometrical and biocompatible properties. Therefore, this sensor is designed and manufactured, and the results of applying TNT to sensor show good sensitivity and selectivity response.

In this timeframe of history, sensors based on CNTFET are required for different uses, including clinical diagnosis technologies, environmental tests and bioterrorism recognition technologies, that correspond to the military conflicts and terrorism. So, CNTFET sensor design provides real-time detection of TNT explosives.

Iodine deficiency has several adverse effects on human growth and development and it is categorized collectively as iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs). Recent estimations showed that 29.8 per cent of school-age children have insufficient iodine intake. Salt iodization is widely accepted as the best method for increasing iodine intake. In 1995, Morocco adopted the universal salt iodization strategy to reduce iodine deficiency and consequently prevent and control IDDs. This study aims to determine the benefit of this strategy on schoolchildren and adolescent by assessing iodine intake and evaluating iodine deficiency.

This transversal study was conducted on 131 children and adolescents. Iodine intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Iodine status was evaluated on 24-h urine samples and the creatinine excretion was used to validate completeness of urine collection.

The medians of urinary iodine excretion and concentration were 77 µg/day and 96 µg/L, respectively. Overall, 72.5 per cent are deficient, so mild and moderate iodine deficiencies were reported in 58 per cent and 14.5 per cent, respectively, and no child exhibited severe deficiency. A significant difference was reported between iodine deficiency and, sex and age; iodine deficiency was more pronounced in boys and children under eight years. In this study, iodine status in deficient children does not change with the consumption pattern of dairy products and eggs, and results showed no significant association (p > 0.05). However, fish consumption was significantly associated to urinary iodine concentration = 100 µg/L (p = 0.044). Average UIC in school-aged children is still inadequate and consumption of foods high in iodine remains very insufficient. Therefore, additional efforts must focus on nutritional education of Moroccan school-aged children.

In the author’s knowledge, this is the first study evaluating schoolchildren iodine status by 24-h iodine collection; the study reported association of iodine deficiency with dietary habit concerning sources of food rich on iodine.

Smart sensors based on graphene field effect transistor (GFET) and biological receptors are regarded as a promising nanomaterial that could be the basis for future generation of low-power, faster, selective real-time monitoring of target analytes and smaller electronics. So, the purpose of this paper is to provide details of sensors based on selective nanocoatings by combining trinitrotoluene (TNT) receptors (Trp-His-Trp) bound to conjugated polydiacetylene polymers on a graphene channel in GFET for detecting explosives TNT.

Following an introduction, this paper describes the way of manufacturing of the GFET sensor by using investigation methods for transferring graphene sheet from Cu foil to target substrates, which is functionalized by the TNT peptide receptors, to offer a system which has the capability of answering the presence of related target molecules (TNT). Finally, brief conclusions are drawn.

In a word, shortly after graphene discovery, it has been explored with a variety of methods gradually. Because of its exceptional electrical properties (e.g. extremely high carrier mobility and capacity), electrochemical properties such as high electron transfer rate and structural properties, graphene has already showed great potential and success in chemical and biological sensing fields. Therefore, the authors used a biological receptor with a field effect transistor (FET) based on graphene to fabricate sensor for achieving high sensitivity and selectivity that can detect explosive substances such as TNT. The transport property changed compared to that of the FET made by intrinsic graphene, that is, the Dirac point position moved from positive Vg to negative Vg, indicating the transition of graphene from p-type to n-type after annealing in TNT, and the results show the bipolar property change of GFET with the TNT concentration and the possibility to develop a robust, easy-to-use and low-cost TNT detection method for performing a sensitive, reliable and semi-quantitative detection in a wide detection range.

In this timeframe of history, TNT is a common explosive used in both military and industrial settings. Its convenient handling properties and explosive strength make it a common choice in military operations and bioterrorism. TNT and other conventional explosives are the mainstays of terrorist bombs and the anti-personnel mines that kill or injure more than 15,000 people annually in war-torn countries. In large, open-air environments, such as airports, train stations and minefields, concentrations of these explosives can be vanishingly small – a few parts of TNT, for instance, per trillion parts of air. That can make it impossible for conventional bomb and mine detectors to detect the explosives and save lives. So, in this paper, the authors report a potential solution with design and manufacture of a GFET sensor based on a biological receptor for real-time detection of TNT explosives specifically.

Smart biosensors that can perform sensitive and selective monitoring of target analytes are tremendously valuable for trinitrotoluene (TNT) explosive detection. In this research, the pre-developed sensor was integrated with biological receptors in which they enhanced the sensitivity of the sensor. This is due to conjugated polydiacetylene onto a peptide-based molecular recognition element (Trp-His-Trp) for TNT molecules in graphene field-effect transistors (GR-FETs) as biosensor that is capable of responding to the presence of a TNT target with a colorimetric response. The authors confirmed the efficacy of the receptor while being attached to polydiacetylene (PDA) by observing the binding ability between the Trp-His-Trp and TNT to alter the electronic band structure of the PDA conjugated backbones. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a modular system capable of transducing small-molecule TNT binding into a detectable signal. The details of the real-time and selective TNT biosensor have been reported.

Following an introduction, this paper describes the way of fabrication GR-FETs with conventional photolithography techniques and the other processes, which is functionalized by the TNT peptide receptors. The authors first determined the essential TNT recognition elements from UV-visible spectrophotometry spectroscopy for PDA sensor unit fabrication. In particular, the blue percentage and the chromic response were used to characterize the polymerization parameter of the conjugated p backbone. A continuous-flow trace vapor source of nitroaromatics (two, four, six-TNT) was designed and evaluated in terms of temperature dependence. The TNT concentration was measured by liquid/gas extraction in acetonitrile using bubbling sequence. The sensor test is performed using a four-point probe and semiconductor analyzer. Finally, brief conclusions are drawn.

Because of their unique optical and stimuli-response properties, the polydiacetylene and peptide-based platforms have been explored as an alternative to complex mechanical and electrical sensing systems. Therefore, the authors have used GR-FETs with biological receptor-PDAs as a biosensor for achieving high sensitivity and selectivity that can detect explosive substances such as TNT. The transport property changed compared to that of the field-effect transistors made by intrinsic graphene, that is, the Dirac point position moved from positive Vg to negative Vg, indicating the transition of graphene from p-type to n-type after annealing in TNT, and when the device was tested from RT, the response of the device was found to increase linearly with increasing concentrations. Average shifting rate of the Dirac peak was obtained as 0.1-0.3 V/ppm. The resulting sensors exhibited at the limit ppm sensitivity toward TNT in real-time, with excellent selectivity over various similar aromatic compounds. The biological receptor coating may be useful for the development of sensitive and selective micro and nanoelectronic sensor devices for various other target analytes.

The detection of illegally transported explosives has become important as the global rise in terrorism subsequent to the events of September 11, 2001, and is at the forefront of current analytical problems. It is essential that a detection method has the selectivity to distinguish among compounds in a mixture of explosives. So, the authors are reporting a potential solution with the designing and manufacturing of electrochemical biosensor using polydiacetylene conjugated with peptide receptors coated on GR-FETs with the colorimetric response for real-time detection of TNT explosives specifically.

The purpose of the study is to quantitatively evaluate the role of landscape values and factors in urban parks experimentally based on neuroscience.

In the first step, ten major parks were selected out of 59 regional and trans-regional parks in Tehran for field study analysis. Next, considering the diversity and abundance of landscape elements in the selected parks, Mellat Park was chosen for the case study.

The fixation duration of the factors has an average correlation coefficient of 0.5865, −0.5035 and −0.5125 for the overall sketch map, quality and accuracy, respectively. The results indicated that the “quality of people's cognitive maps” has a direct relation to fixation duration on “human-made factors” and an inverse relation to fixation duration on “natural factors” and “human activities and behavioral factors” in the park.

The results can pave the way for further research in the interdisciplinary fields of landscape architecture and neuroscience.

Legibility is a superior quality of urban spaces that profoundly affect how people perceive and behave.

Nowadays, universities increasingly consider reputation as a key component for improving quality and rankings. A positive reputation opens doors to added value and diverse opportunities. This paper aims to explore Middle Eastern higher education managers' perceptions of university reputation components.

Given the significance of this concept in Middle Eastern universities, a descriptive phenomenological qualitative approach is adopted to identify these key components. The study includes interviews with university managers, and data are collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically.

The findings reveal that, from the perspective of higher education managers, university reputation is influenced by four main components: university management and leadership, quality and performance, identity and image and social responsibility. These components are tailored to the context of Middle Eastern countries.

Practical implications are clearly laid out in the form of four key themes for higher education managers in Middle Eastern countries to manage reputation.

The study’s outcomes can be used as a guide for university managers in developing countries to change the situation in their favor and achieve great success in the competitive condition of universities by planning and making policies in this direction. Also, the managers of higher education in the Middle Eastern countries can take advantage of the components of this study to improve the quality and quantity of their universities and take an important step towards increasing the university’s reputation at the international level.

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of monetary policies on Islamic mutual fund flows in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In this study, a panel regression model was used to test the research hypotheses. The sample consists of 4,760 seasonality data and 119 Islamic mutual funds over ten-year period between 2011 and 2020. The dependent variable of the study is the cash flow of Islamic mutual funds and the independent variable of monetary policies includes the money growth rate, the liquidity growth rate, interest rate and inflation rate.

Based on the results of the hypothesis test, all research variables including money growth rate, liquidity growth rate, interest rate and inflation rate have a negative and significant impact on Islamic mutual fund flows. These findings are consistent with the efficient market hypothesis and signaling theory.

This study has implication for policymakers, regulators and fund managers. The results show that the negative impact of monetary policies on Islamic mutual fund flows has a direct effect on the allocation decisions and investment strategies of Islamic mutual fund investors and managers. Also, the results of the research can reduce policymakers’ concerns about monetary policies and provide them forward-looking guidance policy.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to empirically examine the impact of monetary policies on Islamic mutual fund flows in an emerging economy and provides a significant contribution to the literature of mutual funds.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of complex boundary conditions on natural convection of a yield stress fluid in a square enclosure heated from below (uniformly and non-uniformly) and symmetrically cooled from the sides.

The governing equations are solved numerically subject to continuous and discontinuous Dirichlet boundary conditions by Galerkin’s weighted residuals scheme of finite element method and using a non-uniform unstructured triangular grid.

Results show that the overall heat transfer from the heated wall decreases in the case of non-uniform heating for both Newtonian and yield stress fluids. It is found that the effect of yield stress on heat transfer is almost similar in both uniform and non-uniform heating cases. The yield stress has a stabilizing effect, reducing the convection intensity in both cases. Above a certain value of yield number Y, heat transfer is only due to conduction. It is found that a transition of different modes of stability may occur as Rayleigh number changes; this fact gives rise to a discontinuity in the variation of critical yield number.

Besides the new numerical method based on the finite element and using a non-uniform unstructured grid for analyzing natural convection of viscoplastic materials with complex boundary conditions, the originality of the present work concerns the treatment of the yield stress fluids under the influence of complex boundary conditions.