14129 research outputs found
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Female Entrepreneurship: Call for Evidence
Full text linkWhat are the barriers facing women, including specific group of women such as those from an ethnic minority background, seeking to start and grow successful business in the UK? Female entrepreneurs in the UK face significant challenges in starting and growing businesses, with financial barriers and limited access to capital being particularly pronounced. Female-led businesses, especially those run by ethnic minority women, struggle to secure funding due to gendered risk perceptions and discriminatory lending practices. These challenges are compounded by cultural expectations, societal norms, and the "double burden" of balancing business ownership with family responsibilities, which often restrict women's full participation in entrepreneurship. The barriers extend beyond financial constraints, encompassing limited access to professional networks, male-oriented business support services, and institutional obstacles. Women entrepreneurs, particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds, encounter complex regulatory requirements, lack of tailored mentorship, and insufficient institutional support. The impact of economic uncertainties, such as Brexit, further exacerbates these challenges, disproportionately affecting women-led businesses...Publishe
Numerical Simulation of Shrubland-Fire Spread: A Parametric Study
No full textUnderstanding wildfire propagation is essential for improving prediction capabilities and
informing effective fire-management strategies. This work synthesizes two
complementary parametric studies conducted with FireStar3D, a physics-based CFD
wildfire model, to investigate how the rate of spread (ROS) and other fire behavior
characteristics relate to Byram’s convective number (a non-dimensional number
characterizing fire behavior) across both wind-driven and plume-dominated shrubland
fire regimes. A total of 184 simulations were performed, covering a broad range of wind
speeds, fuel-bed heights, fuel volume-fractions, and fuel moisture contents, enabling a
systematic evaluation of key physical drivers of fire dynamics.
Results consistently show that the ROS scales with wind speed in the wind-driven
regime, in line with established empirical rules of thumb. Across both regimes, Byram’s
convective number was found to inherently capture the integrated effects of wind, fuel
moisture, and fuel height on fire behavior. However, fuel volume-fraction emerged as an
additional and significant parameter influencing ROS due to its strong impact on heat
transfer, demonstrating that Byram’s number alone is insufficient to fully describe spread
dynamics without explicit consideration of fuel type. The study also confirmed that
certain fire properties, such as the thermal-plume angle in the plume-dominated regime,
scale solely with Byram’s number. The fire-establishment phase was examined in detail,
revealing contrasting behavior between regimes: in wind-driven conditions, the fire
spreads slightly faster during establishment than at steady state, whereas in plumedominated
fires, spread is slightly slower. In both regimes, the duration of this transient is
strongly influenced by fuel volume-fraction in wind-driven fires and predominantly by
Byram’s number in plume-dominated ones.
Collectively, these findings improve the physical understanding of how ROS and firestructure
characteristics link to Byram’s convective number, while highlighting the
independent role of fuel volume-fraction. The combined insights contribute to more
robust fire-spread modeling frameworks and support the development of enhanced
predictive tools for wildfire management.xiii, 72 leaves ; col. ill. (tables, graphs
Questionable Authorship Practices or Questionable Methodology? A Critique of “Using Bibliometrics to Detect Questionable Authorship and Affiliation Practices and Their Impact on Global Research Metrics: A Case Study of 14 Universities”
Full text linkThis letter critically examines the methodology and conclusions of “Using Bibliometrics to Detect Questionable Authorship and Affiliation Practices and Their Impact on Global Research Metrics: A Case Study of 14 Universities”. We argue that the paper's methodology is fundamentally flawed. While the study highlights significant concerns regarding research integrity, its methodological shortcomings undermine the reliability of its findings. Key issues include sampling biases introduced by arbitrary thresholds, the questionable selection of a crucial control group, and the lack of causal analysis linking bibliometric trends to unethical practices. The study’s reliance on out-of-context definitions of questionable authorship practices and failure to consider legitimate alternative explanations further limit its validity. This letter argues for more rigorous methodological approaches when examining research metrics and their impacts on university rankings, emphasizing the need for representative sampling, appropriate control groups, nuanced disciplinary analysis, and robust causal investigations. By adopting this approach, future studies can enhance understanding of authorship and affiliation practices, thereby upholding academic integrity.Preprin
Which corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach optimizes customer engagement behavior? The role of customer-brand identification, brand love, and social communication
No full textWhile the CSR literature proliferates, understanding the effects of chiefly proactive (vs. chiefly reactive) CSR activities on customers' brand identification and brand love lags, leaving managers in the dark. To illuminate these issues, three studies were conducted. First, study 1 deployed an experimental design to test the effect of chiefly proactive/reactive social CSR activities on customer-brand relationships, as measured by brand identification and -love, and their respective impact on customer engagement. To ensure the validity and generalizability of the results, a second study was conducted, which replicated the previous study's design, albeit focusing on environmental CSR activities. Using survey data, study 3 tested the moderating role of social CSR communication on the association of chiefly proactive/reactive CSR activities on customer-brand identification and brand love. The findings suggest chiefly proactive (vs. -reactive) CSR's particular effectiveness in driving customer-brand identification, -love, and engagement. The study uncovered social CSR communication's key role in building customer-brand relationships, particularly for chiefly proactive CSR activities. Moreover, it shows that the effectiveness of CSR activities improves when social CSR communication is used to communicate the firm's CSR efforts on social media. This study offers theoretical insights and practical suggestions.Publishe
Development, Characterization and In Vitro Evaluation of Cannabidiol Loaded Zeolite Nanoparticles
No full textCannabidiol (CBD) has garnered significant attention for its medicinal potential, yet its oral bioavailability remains a challenge due to its high lipophilicity and extensive first pass metabolism. To overcome these limitations, innovative drug delivery systems are being explored, with zeolite-based nanocarriers emerging as a promising solution. Zeolites offer several advantages in drug delivery, including a high surface area for efficient drug loading, tunable pore sizes optimal for accommodating larger biomolecules, and admirable biocompatibility, making them ideal candidates for encapsulating sensitive compounds. This study investigates the development of an MCM-41 zeolite-based drug delivery system, with comprehensive characterization of the zeolite particles using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET), and Direct Light Scattering (DLS), before and after CBD loading. The study further examines CBD encapsulation efficiency, its release profile from the zeolite matrix, in vitro dissolution behavior in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. Additionally, the study evaluates the in vitro cellular uptake and cytocompatibility of the loaded zeolite particles in Caco-2 cells. The results showed that the CBD-loaded zeolite particles exhibited a high encapsulation efficiency of 78.7%. BET and DLS analysis confirmed that the zeolite particles were successfully loaded with CBD. The in vitro dissolution of the MCM-41 zeolite loaded CBD particles showed significant difference when compared to CBD containing particles in a commercialized capsule after 15 min in both Simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.8) and Simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) with 51.8 % versus 25.8 % and 48.7 % vs 29.5 % respectively. In addition, Cell Uptake studies demonstrated an increase in CBD internalization and retention by 2.4 folds for the USY loaded zeolite and 1.9 folds for the MCM-41 loaded zeolite when compared to CBD in its free form. Furthermore, cytotoxicity results showed that the concentrations used in the experiment were non-toxic to cells. Our findings support the potential of zeolites as an effective oral drug delivery system for enhancing the bioavailability of challenging drugs like CBD
Peace and Violence in the Lebanese Educational System: A Macro-level Analysis of Structures and Policy Implications
No full textIn the turbulent realm of the twenty-first century, understanding the multifaceted nature of peace and conflict is imperative. This study draws upon Johan Galtung's typologies of peace and violence to underscore the need for transcending the mere absence of direct violence towards promoting non-violent structures. Peace education emerges as a critical component in this endeavor. However, the effectiveness of peace education relies on both classroom-level initiatives and macro-level considerations within the education sector. This study aims to examine the role of the Lebanese education sector in perpetuating or mitigating violence and fostering sustainable peace. By scrutinizing education policy documents through the lens of peacebuilding, the study seeks to uncover the extent to which peace is articulated and prioritized within post-war and recent educational policies, its significance compared to other values, and its potential impact on Lebanon’s sustainable peace. The methodology employed is qualitative content analysis using the deductive coding approach, applying Galtung’s framework for peace and violence to relevant policy documents. Findings revealed key themes such as reactive decision-making, centralization, transparency and accountability, accessibility, inclusivity, socio-economic disparities, and democracy and modernization. While stated goals and objectives often reflect elements of positive peace, underlying structures and implementations tend to reinforce negative peace. Implications include the need to address policy vagueness and discontinuity, replace outdated policies, establish a clear vision of peace and resilience for education at the macro level, and take effective steps toward decentralization. The study seeks to influence policy discussions and reshape educational practices to support sustainable peace in Lebanon
The Moderating Role of Artificial Intelligence on the Relationship Between Knowledge Management and Employees' Innovative Work Behavior
No full textPurpose - This study examines how effective knowledge management (KM) practices drive employee innovative work behavior (EIWB) across the dimensions of idea generation (IG), idea promotion (IP), and idea realization (IR). It investigates the moderating role of artificial intelligence (AI) within this relationship.
Design/ Methodology/ Approach - Utilizing a quantitative research design, data was collected via an online survey using convenience sampling among employees across various industries in Lebanon and the GCC region. The study analyzed responses from 160 participants using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS software to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings - The results demonstrate that robust KM practices significantly enhance EIWB across all innovation dimensions. However, the moderating effects of AI are weak and inconsistent, suggesting that current AI applications contribute minimally to augmenting the knowledge-sharing processes critical for fostering innovation.
Research limitation/ implication - The study is limited by its cross-sectional design and the use of convenience sampling, which may restrict the generalizability of the findings. Future research should consider longitudinal designs and more diverse geographic samples to validate and extend these insights. Originality/value – This research uniquely integrates the fields of KM, AI, and EIWB by exploring the nuanced interplay between human-centric knowledge sharing and emerging AI technologies. The study provides valuable theoretical and practical insights for organizations seeking to balance technological advancements with human innovation to maintain a competitive edge in a knowledge-driven economy
Comparative Metagenomics of Cedar Forest Soils in Lebanon: Uncovering Microbial Diversity and Ecological Patterns
No full textLebanon, a biodiversity hotspot in the Mediterranean basin, hosts a wide array of endemic taxa and plant species with distinct biogeographical origins. Among its most iconic ecosystems are cedar forests dominated by Cedrus libani, which support distinct microbial communities vital for forest health and ecosystem resilience. Traditional cultivation-based methods are inadequate for capturing the extent of soil microbial diversity. Given these limitations, metagenomic approaches offer a more comprehensive and culture-independent means of exploring microbial diversity and assessing ecological roles within cedar forest soils.
This study employed a metagenomic approach to assess the differences in soil microbial community composition across six major Lebanese cedar forests: Ain Zhalta, Barouk, Bchare, Ehden,Maaser,and Tannourine cedars forests. A total of 36 soil samples were collected, followed by DNA extraction, whole-genome sequencing, and in silico analysis. Taxonomic profiling using KrakenUniq revealed distinct community structures highlighted the dominance of key bacterial phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria along with the genera Streptomyces and Bradyrhizobium.
Alpha diversity analysis using Shannon and Simpson indices demonstrated significant variation in microbial richness and evenness among the forests, with Tannourine exhibiting the highest diversity. Beta diversity analysis using principal coordinate analysis (PcoA) further confirmed the significant difference in microbial composition between forests, with Tannourine’s samples grouped to the right forming a well-separated cluster, while other forests showed distinct shifts, likely due to local environmental factors.
These findings provide new insights into the spatial variation of soil microbial communities across Cedrus libani forests in Lebanon and highlight the ecological importance of microbiomes in sustaining forest health. Understanding these microbial patterns is critical for developing informed conservation strategies and guiding ecosystem management practices in biodiversity-rich forest habitats
Who uses solar water heaters? Evidence from the Palestinian Territories
No full textIn many developing countries, households' adoption of renewable energy systems constitutes an off-grid solution and an autonomous response to energy constraints. Within this context, it is important for policymakers to consider household-related characteristics when promoting the adoption of residential solar energy systems. In this paper, we focus on the water heating aspect of energy poverty and tackle the case of Palestinian households who are impacted by this issue. Specifically, using 2020 survey data from 3122 households and Probit regression analysis, we examine the determinants of domestic solar water heater (SWH) adoption. Our main findings on socioeconomic characteristics are that families with more females are more likely to adopt SWHs, whereas families with more children of all genders are less likely to do so. The installation of SWHs is also positively correlated with the households' main income and their heads' educational attainment and age. We also control for dwelling characteristics and find that households in urban areas and those living in a house, owning the dwelling, and having a bathroom are more likely to adopt SWHs. These findings help policymakers design and implement more tailored measures in regions characterized by both energy poverty and high potential for solar energy, such as the Palestinian Territories.Publishe
Exploring students’ understanding of the second derivative within the context of a differential equations course
No full textMuch research has been conducted on the conceptual understanding of the derivative with a focus on the first derivative. Also, a considerable amount of research work has investigated student’s understanding of the qualitative approach to solving first-order ordinary differential equations (ODEs). This paper explores the role of the second derivative in further understanding the qualitative properties of solutions to a first-order ODE. This exploratory research was conducted in fall of 2022 at an average size university in Lebanon. The participants were students enrolled in an introductory differential equations course. The teaching of this course emphasizes a qualitative approach and therefore a solid understanding of the first and second derivatives is critical to determine the increase/decrease of solutions as well as their rate of increase/decrease. Results show that students’ knowledge of the second derivative is not thorough, but that an exploration of the first derivative can help students expand their understanding, consequently improving their skills to plot solutions to ODEs.Publishe