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Kinetic adsorption of application of carbon nanotubes for Pb(II) removal from aqueous solution

Kabbashi NA, Atieh MA, Al-Mamun A, Mirghami ME, Alam MD, Yahya N

J Environ Sci (China), 2009;21(4):539-44.
PMID: 19634432

The capability of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to adsorb lead (Pb) in aqueous solution was investigated. Batch mode adsorption experiment was conducted to determine the effects of pH, agitation speed, CNTs dosage and contact time. The removal of Pb(II) reached maximum value 85% or 83% at pH 5 or 40 mg/L of CNTs, respectively. Higher correlation coefficients from Langmuir isotherm model indicates the strong adsorptions of Pb(II) on the surface of CNTs (adsorption capacity Xm = 102.04 mg/g). The results indicates that the highest percentage removal of Pb (96.03%) can be achieved at pH 5, 40 mg/L of CNTs, contact time 80 min, and agitation speed 50 r/min.
Association of parental body mass index before pregnancy on infant growth and body composition: Evidence from a pregnancy cohort study in Malaysia

Zalbahar N, Jan Mohamed HJ, Loy SL, Najman J, McIntyre HD, Mamun A

Obes Res Clin Pract, 2016 09;10 Suppl 1:S35-S47.
PMID: 26321098 DOI: 10.1016/j.orcp.2015.08.002

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Parental body mass index (BMI) is strongly linked with the development of offspring overweight and obesity. However, there are a limited number of studies focusing on the association of parental body mass index before pregnancy on offspring growth and body composition in early life, particularly in developing countries.
METHODS: Data from the University Sains Malaysia (USM) Pregnancy Cohort which consists of 153 mother-offspring pairs were used. Data were collected using interview-administered questionnaires and anthropometric measurements were also obtained. Multiple linear regression and generalised equation estimation (GEE) were used to examine the direction and impact of the association between parental BMI and child growth and body composition (weight for age, height for age, body mass index for age, weight for height and fat mass at age 2m, 6m, and 12m). Potential confounders, including validated measures of maternal diets and physical activity during pregnancy, were considered.
RESULTS: Of 153 parents, one-quarter of the mothers and 42.2% of the fathers, respectively, were overweight or obese before pregnancy. A significant association was found between maternal BMI and child's weight for height z-score (WHZ) and body mass index for age z-score (BAZ).
CONCLUSIONS: Having high pre-pregnancy BMI may increase BMI and WAZ of offspring in early life. Findings from this study emphasise the importance of monitoring maternal weight status, particularly before and during pregnancy and early life of offspring among Malaysians.
Fulltext Prevalence and factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding among Bangladeshi mothers: A nationwide cross-sectional study

Islam MA, Mamun A, Hossain MM, Bharati P, Saw A, Lestrel PE, et al.

PLoS One, 2019;14(4):e0215733.
PMID: 31022237 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215733

BACKGROUND: Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) is associated with better health of the mothers and reduced risk of neonatal mortality. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of EIBF and associated factors among Bangladeshi mothers.
METHODS: The data was extracted from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS)-2014. A total of 4,092 married non-pregnant Bangladeshi mothers who had at least one child aged 2 years or younger were included in this study. A two-level logistic regression model was used to remove the clustering effect for finding the impact of socio-economic and demographic factors on EIBF.
RESULTS: The prevalence of EIBF among Bangladeshi mothers was 51.4% (urban: 47.1% and rural: 53.4%). A two -level logistic regression model showed that mothers living in the Sylhet division (p<0.01) and rural environment (p<0.05) were more likely to practice EIBF. Mothers who were obese or overweight (p<0.01), had secondary (p<0.05) or higher education (p<0.01) were less likely to provide early breastfeeding to their newborn babies compared to their counterparts. Those who delivered by caesarian-section (p<0.01) were less likely to perform EIBF while those who attended an antenatal care clinic more than 3 times (p<0.05) were more likely to do so.
CONCLUSIONS: About half of the Bangladeshi mothers did not start breast-feeding within one hour after birth. This study identified several geographical and socio-demographic factors that were associated with EIBF, and hope that this information will help the government to focus their resources to promote early breastfeeding.
Fulltext Genetic Variability, Heritability, and Clustering Pattern Exploration of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc) Accessions for the Perfection of Yield and Yield-Related Traits

Khan MMH, Rafii MY, Ramlee SI, Jusoh M, Mamun A

Biomed Res Int, 2020;2020:2195797.
PMID: 33415143 DOI: 10.1155/2020/2195797

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc.) is considered an emerging crop for the future and known as a crop for the new millennium. The core intention of this research work was to estimate the variation of landraces of Bambara groundnut considering their 14 qualitative and 27 numerical traits, to discover the best genotype fitted in Malaysia. The findings of the ANOVA observed a highly significant variation (p ≤ 0.01) for all the traits evaluated. There was a substantial variation (7.27 to 41.21%) coefficient value, and 14 out of the 27 numerical traits noted coefficient of variation (CV) ≥ 20%. Yield (kg/ha) disclosed positively strong to perfect high significant correlation (r = 0.75 to 1.00; p ≤ 0.001) with traits like fresh pod weight, dry pod weight, and dry seed weight. The topmost PCV and GCV values were estimated for biomass dry (41.09%) and fresh (40.53%) weight with high heritability (Hb) and genetic advance (GA) Hb = 95.19%, GA = 80.57% and Hb = 98.52%, GA = 82.86%, respectively. The topmost heritability was recorded for fresh pod weight (99.89%) followed by yield (99.75%) with genetic advance 67.95% and 62.03%, respectively. The traits with Hb ≥ 60% and GA ≥ 20% suggested the least influenced by the environment as well as governed by the additive genes and direct selection for improvement of such traits can be beneficial. To estimate the genetic variability among accessions, the valuation of variance components, coefficients of variation, heritability, and genetic advance were calculated. To authenticate the genetic inequality, an unweighted pair group produced with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) and principal component analysis was executed based on their measurable traits that could be a steadfast method for judging the degree of diversity. Based on the UPGMA cluster analysis, constructed five distinct clusters and 44 accessions from clusters II and IV consider an elite type of genotypes that produce more than one ton yield per hectare land with desirable traits. This study exposed an extensive disparity among the landraces and the evidence on genetic relatives will be imperative in using the existing germplasm for Bambara groundnut varietal improvement. Moreover, this finding will be beneficial for breeders to choose the desirable numerical traits of V. subterranea in their future breeding program.
MULTILEVEL LINEAR REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF FACTORS INFLUENCING BODY MASS INDEX AMONG BANGLADESHI MARRIED NON-PREGNANT WOMEN

Kamruzzaman M, Mamun ASMA, Bakar SMA, Saw A, Kamarul T, Islam MN, et al.

J Biosoc Sci, 2017 Jul;49(4):498-508.
PMID: 27866490 DOI: 10.1017/S0021932016000572

The aim of this study was to investigate the socioeconomic and demographic factors influencing the body mass index (BMI) of non-pregnant married Bangladeshi women of reproductive age. Secondary (Hierarchy) data from the 2011 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, collected using two-stage stratified cluster sampling, were used. Two-level linear regression analysis was performed to remove the cluster effect of the variables. The mean BMI of married non-pregnant Bangladeshi women was 21.60±3.86 kg/m2, and the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity was 22.8%, 14.9% and 3.2%, respectively. After removing the cluster effect, age and age at first marriage were found to be positively (p<0.01) related with BMI. Number of children was negatively related with women's BMI. Lower BMI was especially found among women from rural areas and poor families, with an uneducated husband, with no television at home and who were currently breast-feeding. Age, total children ever born, age at first marriage, type of residence, education level, level of husband's education, wealth index, having a television at home and practising breast-feeding were found to be important predictors for the BMI of married Bangladeshi non-pregnant women of reproductive age. This information could be used to identify sections of the Bangladeshi population that require special attention, and to develop more effective strategies to resolve the problem of malnutrition.
Energy recovery and carbon/nitrogen removal from sewage and contaminated groundwater in a coupled hydrolytic-acidogenic sequencing batch reactor and denitrifying biocathode microbial fuel cell

Al-Mamun A, Jafary T, Baawain MS, Rahman S, Choudhury MR, Tabatabaei M, et al.

Environ Res, 2020 04;183:109273.
PMID: 32105886 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109273

Developing cost-effective technology for treatment of sewage and nitrogen-containing groundwater is one of the crucial challenges of global water industries. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) oxidize organics from sewage by exoelectrogens on anode to produce electricity while denitrifiers on cathode utilize the generated electricity to reduce nitrogen from contaminated groundwater. As the exoelectrogens are incapable of oxidizing insoluble, polymeric, and complex organics, a novel integration of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) prior to the MFC simultaneously achieve hydrolytic-acidogenic conversion of complex organics, boost power recovery, and remove Carbon/Nitrogen (C/N) from the sewage and groundwater. The results obtained revealed increases in the fractions of soluble organics and volatile fatty acids in pretreated sewage by 52 ± 19% and 120 ± 40%, respectively. The optimum power and current generation with the pretreated sewage were 7.1 W m-3 and 45.88 A m-3, respectively, corresponding to 8% and 10% improvements compared to untreated sewage. Moreover, the integration of the ASBR with the biocathode MFC led to 217% higher carbon and 136% higher nitrogen removal efficiencies compared to the similar system without ASBR. The outcomes of the present study represent the promising prospects of using ASBR pretreatment and successive utilization of solubilized organics in denitrifying biocathode MFCs for simultaneous energy recovery and C/N removal from both sewage and nitrate nitrogen-contaminated groundwater.
Fulltext Trends of Stunting Prevalence and Its Associated Factors among Nigerian Children Aged 0-59 Months Residing in the Northern Nigeria, 2008-2018

Ezeh OK, Abir T, Zainol NR, Al Mamun A, Milton AH, Haque MR, et al.

Nutrients, 2021 Nov 29;13(12).
PMID: 34959864 DOI: 10.3390/nu13124312

Every year in Nigeria, malnutrition contributes to more than 33% of the deaths of children below 5 years, and these deaths mostly occur in the northern geopolitical zones (NGZs), where nearly 50% of all children below 5 years are stunted. This study examined the trends in the prevalence of stunting and its associated factors among children aged 0-23 months, 24-59 months and 0-59 months in the NGZs. The data of 33,682 recent live births in the NGZs, extracted from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys from 2008 to 2018, were used to investigate the factors associated with stunting using multilevel logistic regression. Children aged 24-59 months reported the highest prevalence of stunting, with 53.3% (95% confidence interval: 52.0-54.6%). Multivariable analyses revealed four common factors that increased the odds of a child's stunting across all age subgroups: poor households, geopolitical zone (northwest or northeast), being a male and maternal height (<145 cm). Interventional strategies focused on poverty mitigation through cash transfer and educating low socioeconomic mothers on the benefits of gender-neutral supplementary feeding and the timely monitoring of the offspring of short mothers would substantially reduce stunting across all age subgroups in the NGZs.
Early life secondhand smoke exposure assessed by hair nicotine biomarker may reduce children's neurodevelopment at 2years of age

Mohamed NN, Loy SL, Lim PY, Al Mamun A, Jan Mohamed HJ

Sci Total Environ, 2018 Jan 01;610-611:147-153.
PMID: 28803192 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.030

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) can affect fetal brain development as well as subsequent neurodevelopment. This study aimed to determine the association between prenatal and postnatal SHS exposure with children's neurodevelopment at 2years of age. Among 107 mother-child pairs from a Malaysia prospective cohort, prenatal and postnatal SHS exposure was determined based on maternal and child hair nicotine concentrations. Multiple linear regressions were used to determine the association between prenatal and postnatal levels of nicotine in maternal and children's' hair with children's neurodevelopment. After adjustment for confounders, prenatal nicotine concentration levels were negatively associated with communication (β=-2.059; p=0.015) and fine motor skills (β=-2.120; p=0.002) while postnatal nicotine concentration levels were inversely associated with fine motors (β=-0.124; p=0.004) and problem solving skills (β=-0.117; p=0.013). In conclusion, this study suggests that early life exposure to SHS may affect children's neurodevelopment.
Fulltext A deep learning approach for lane marking detection applying encode-decode instant segmentation network

Al Mamun A, Em PP, Hossen MJ, Jahan B, Tahabilder A

Heliyon, 2023 Mar;9(3):e14212.
PMID: 36942238 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14212

A lot of people suffer from disability and death due to unintentional road accidents, which also result in the loss of a significant amount of financial assets. Several essential features of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are being incorporated into vehicles by researchers to prevent road accidents. Lane marking detection (LMD) is a fundamental ADAS technology that helps the vehicle to keep its position in the lane. The current study employs Deep Learning (DL) methodologies and has several research constraints due to various problems. Researchers sometimes encounter difficulties in LMD due to environmental factors such as the variation of lights, obstacles, shadows, and curve lanes. To address these limitations, this study presents the Encode-Decode Instant Segmentation Network (EDIS-Net) as a DL methodology for detecting lane marking under various environmental situations with reliable accuracy. The framework is based on the E-Net architecture and incorporates combined cross-entropy and discriminative losses. The encoding segment was split into binary and instant segmentation to extract information about the lane pixels and the pixel position. DenselyBased Spatial Clustering of Application with Noise (DBSCAN) is employed to connect the predicted lane pixels and to get the final output. The system was trained with augmented data from the Tusimple dataset and then tested on three datasets: Tusimple, CalTech, and a local dataset. On the Tusimple dataset, the model achieved 97.39% accuracy. Furthermore, it has an average accuracy of 97.07% and 96.23% on the CalTech and local datasets, respectively. On the testing dataset, the EDIS-Net exhibited promising results compared to existing LMD approaches. Since the proposed framework performs better on the testing datasets, it can be argued that the model can recognize lane marking confidently in various scenarios. This study presents a novel EDIS-Net technique for efficient lane marking detection. It also includes the model's performance verification by testing in three different public datasets.
Modeling the significance of green orientation and culture on green innovation performance: moderating effect of firm size and green implementation

Bhatti SM, Al Mamun A, Wu M, Naznen F, Kanwal S, Makhbul ZKM

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2023 Sep;30(44):99855-99874.
PMID: 37615918 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29353-4

The current global trend in sustainable business practices is to optimize green innovation performance. To protect the environment and maintain their own survival, organizations must strengthen their green innovation capabilities. Drawing on the recourse-based view and ecology modernization theory (EMT), this study examines the direct effect of green strategic orientations, green entrepreneurial orientation, green market orientation, green innovation orientation, and green organizational culture on the firm's green innovation capability, as well as the mediating effect of green innovation capability on the relationship of these four factors and green innovation performance. Besides, this study also explored the moderating effects of green management system implementation and firm size on the association between green innovation capability and green innovation performance. To test the hypothesized model, a questionnaire survey was administered to gather responses from 293 medium-sized and large manufacturing firms operating in Pakistan. The partial least squares method was used for data analysis. The results revealed that green entrepreneurial orientation, green market orientation, green innovation orientation, and green organizational culture positively impacted green innovation capability, which subsequently positively influenced green innovation performance. Moreover, effective implementation of green management systems can bolster the effect of green innovation capability on green innovation performance, and the mediating effect of green innovation capability has also been confirmed. These indicated that the management of medium and large manufacturing firms operating in Pakistan should focus on encouraging green innovation and training employees regarding the latest eco-friendly technologies to attain performance and sustainable development goals. Policymakers should implement green business development programs and offer rewards or penalties for promoting compliance. The present study contributes greatly to the literature by applying EMT as an alternative to address the mediating role of green innovation capability and the moderating effect of green management system implementation in enhancing firms' green innovation performance.
Fulltext Modeling the significance of dynamic capability on the performance of microfinance institutions

The HV, Yang M, Fazal SA, Maran, Gao J, Yang Q, et al.

PLoS One, 2023;18(5):e0285814.
PMID: 37220166 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285814

According to strategic management theory, dynamic capability plays a significant role in enhancing organizational performance. Using a cross-sectional research design, the current study quantitatively assesses the mediating effect of dynamic capability on the relationships of total quality management, customer intellectual capital, and human resource management practice with the performance of microfinance institutions. An online survey involving 120 members of Induk Koperasi Kredit, a credit union association in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, is conducted. All the data are subjected to variance-based partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis. The obtained results demonstrate the significant and positive influence of total quality management and human resource management practice on dynamic capability. Furthermore, dynamic capability is found to mediate the relationship between total quality management and human resource management practice on the performance of microfinance institutions. However, this study is unable to conclude that total quality management and human resource management practice have any significant impact on the performance of microfinance institutions. Nonetheless, this study demonstrates the crucial need for microfinance institutions to enhance their management activities via dynamic capability to enhance performance. This is one of the earliest studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to examine the capabilities and performance of microfinance institutions in Indonesia. Notably, the performance of microfinance institutions can be further sustained by improving customers' intellectual and dynamic capabilities.
Fulltext Modelling the significance of celebrity endorsement and consumer interest on attitude, purchase intention, and willingness to pay a premium price for green skincare products

Al Mamun A, Naznen F, Yang Q, Ali MH, Hashim NMHN

Heliyon, 2023 Jun;9(6):e16765.
PMID: 37292299 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16765

Due to the major shift in online purchasing during the COVID-19 lockdown, celebrity endorsement marketing has gained traction. Concurrently, COVID-19 has also transformed consumers' attitudes toward using eco-friendly products, such as green skincare products, to ensure a healthier lifestyle. This study developed a comprehensive framework based on the stimuli-organism-response theory and the parasocial interaction theory to empirically evaluate the impact of celebrities' credibility attributes and consumers' interests in celebrities on their attitudes towards advertisements for endorsed green skincare products, their intentions to make a purchase, and their willingness to pay a premium price for these products. 778 Malaysian consumers participated in the online survey, and their responses were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results showed the positive effects of credibility traits (trustworthiness - β = 0.100, p-value = 0.026; exquisite personality - β = 0.075, p-value = 0.028; dignified image - β = 0.152, p-value = 0.001; expertise - β = 0.221, p-value <0.001), and customer attention to celebrities (β = 0.184, p-value <0.001) on their attitudes toward endorsed advertisements. Likewise, credibility features (exquisite personality - β = 0.116, p-value = 0.002; dignified image - β = 0.112, p-value = 0.017; expertise - β = 0.207, p-value <0.001) and customers' companionship with celebrities (β = 0.142, p-value = 0.001) also have a significant positive impact on attitudes towards brands. Finally, consumers' purchasing intentions and willingness to pay premium prices for green skincare products were strongly influenced by their attitude toward advertising (β = 0.484, p-value <0.001) and brands (β = 0.326, p-value <0.001). Evidently, the findings of this study may help players in the cosmetics industry enhance their marketing and promotion tactics for eco-friendly beauty and personal care products.
Fulltext Envisaging the job satisfaction and turnover intention among the young workforce: Evidence from an emerging economy

Chen X, Al Mamun A, Hussain WMHW, Jingzu G, Yang Q, Shami SSAA

PLoS One, 2023;18(6):e0287284.
PMID: 37327240 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287284

As the economy evolves and markets change after Covid-19, demand and competition in the labor market increase in China, and employees become increasingly concerned about their career opportunities, pay, and organizational commitment. This category of factors is often considered a key predictor of turnover intentions and job satisfaction, and it is important that companies and management have a good understanding of the factors that contribute to job satisfaction and turnover intentions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that influence employees' job satisfaction and turnover intention and to examine the moderating role of employees' job autonomy. This cross-sectional study aimed to quantitatively assess the influence of perceived career development opportunity, perceived pay for performance, and affective organisational commitment on job satisfaction and turnover intention, as well as the moderating effect of job autonomy. An online survey, which involved 532 young workforce in China, was conducted. All data were subjected to partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The obtained results demonstrated the direct influence of perceived career development, perceived pay for performance, and affective organisational commitment on turnover intention. These three constructs were also found to have indirect influence on turnover intention through job satisfaction. Meanwhile, the moderating effect of job autonomy on the hypothesised relationships was not statistically significant. This study presented significant theoretical contributions on turnover intention in relation to the unique attributes of young workforce. The obtained findings may also benefit managers in their efforts of understanding the turnover intention of the workforce and promoting empowerment practices.
Fulltext Modeling the intention and donation of second-hand clothing in the context of an emerging economy

Wu M, Al Mamun A, Yang Q, Gao J, Rahman MK, Al Shami SSA

Sci Rep, 2023 Sep 13;13(1):15106.
PMID: 37704693 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42437-y

The culture of fast fashion accelerates the consumption rate of individuals but at the expense of significant environmental stress. With a large amount of discarded clothing accumulating in landfills, it is crucial to encourage people to dispose of second-hand clothing (SHC) as sustainably as possible, especially in an emerging economy with large volume consumption. Through a survey of 619 respondents from China, this study explored the factors affecting people's intentions and actual donation behaviors toward SHC. It extends the theory of interpersonal behavior (TIB) with environmental factors to construct a research framework, which included cognitive factors (attitude towards sustainable consumption), social factors (sense of community) and personal factors (perceived hedonic benefit) under TIB and the environment factors refers to problem awareness and ascription responsibility. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that attitudes toward sustainable consumption, problem awareness, ascription of responsibility, sense of community, and perceived hedonic benefit significantly and positively influenced people's intentions and practices of SHC donation. This study will aid governments and relevant green environmental protection organizations in formulating more precise strategies for sustainable development, and promote relevant research on the sustainable disposal of SHC.
Fulltext Predicting the intention and adoption of wearable payment devices using hybrid SEM-neural network analysis

Al Mamun A, Naznen F, Yang M, Yang Q, Wu M, Masukujjaman M

Sci Rep, 2023 Jul 11;13(1):11217.
PMID: 37433838 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38333-0

This study aims to examine the mediating effect of the intention to use wearable payment devices (WPD) between perceived ease of use (PE), perceived usefulness (PU), social influence (SI), perceived trust (TR), and lifestyle compatibility (CM) on the adoption of WPD. Examination was made on the moderating effect of age and gender to improve the understanding of the adoption of WPD as a new payment system. Empirical data was collected through an online survey from 1094 respondents in Malaysia. Furthermore, this study employed dual-stage data analysis through partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the causal and moderating effects, including artificial neural network (ANN) to examine the predictive power of the selected model. As a result, it was found that PE, PU, TR, and CM had a significant positive influence on the intention to use WPD. Furthermore, facilitating conditions and the intention to use WPD exhibited strong positive impacts on the adoption of WPD among Malaysian youth. The intention to use WPD positively and significantly mediated all predictors of adoption of WPD. Following that, ANN analysis confirmed high prediction accuracy of the data fitness. Overall, the findings for ANN highlighted the importance of PE, CM, and TR on the intention to adopt WPD and the impact of facilitating conditions on the adoption of WPD among Malaysian youth. Theoretically, the study extended UTAUT with two additional determinants (e.g., perceived trust and lifestyle compatibility), which were found to have significant influences on the intention to use WPD. The study results would be able to help payment service providers and the smart wearable device industry offer an innovative spectrum of products and present effective marketing tactics to encourage the prospective consumers of Wearable Payment Devices in Malaysia.
Fulltext Modelling the significance of health values, beliefs and norms on the intention to consume and the consumption of organic foods

Yang Q, Al Mamun A, Naznen F, Siyu L, Mohamed Makhbul ZK

Heliyon, 2023 Jun;9(6):e17487.
PMID: 37416654 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17487

The present research aims to extend the value-belief-norm model by including health values, health consciousness, healthy eating beliefs, and trust in organic food as the impelling factors. This study empirically tested the holistic framework to understand the important factors in consumers' decision-making processes concerning organic food consumption. A web-based survey was performed to collect data from a convenience sample of 571 organic food consuming university students in China. The hypotheses were tested using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Based on the findings, health values and health consciousness had substantial impacts on healthy eating beliefs, which in turn positively affected personal norms and awareness of consequences. Additionally, awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility had major effects on personal norms. Likewise, personal norms and trust in organic food had a profound influence on the intention to consume organic foods, which in turn significantly induced actual consumption. The findings not only provide novel insights for researchers to understand the aspects of organic food consumption but present a guideline for marketers to develop appropriate marketing tactics to grow the organic food business. This study recommends that policymakers should focus on increasing the awareness and knowledge of organic food, encouraging organic food production, and prioritising campaigns showcasing the unique health benefits of organic food to stimulate increased consumption.
Fulltext Modelling the significance of psychological, social, and situational factors on work efficiency and the preference for working from home in Southeast Asia

Yee WM, Al Mamun A, Xueyun Z, Hussain WMHW, Yang Q

Heliyon, 2023 Jun;9(6):e17561.
PMID: 37389086 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17561

The shift in work paradigm owing to the implementation of new policies in the developing countries of Southeast Asia to reduce the spread of COVID-19 has created new challenges for both employers and employees. The study aimed to address the lack of extensive research on the effects of psychological, social, and situational factors on the work-from-home shift in Southeast Asia. This study incorporates the job characteristic theory, emphasizing how specific job characteristics influence motivation and performance. The study emphasizes the importance of creating an innovative and supportive work environment, improving digital capabilities, and promoting sustainable development through high-skill jobs to enhance remote employees' productivity. Valid responses from 288 full-time employees who have the option to work remotely were collected through online survey. The findings indicate that self-discipline, digital capability, and perceived organizational support significantly influence the preference for remote work. Managers should focus on motivating employees, providing support, and establishing a digital infrastructure to maximize productivity. Training and recruitment strategies should adapt to the changing work culture, while social support is crucial for encouraging innovative problem-solving. Trusting employees with autonomy and providing appropriate technologies fosters collaboration, efficiency, and creativity in different work settings.
Fulltext Predicting the Mass Adoption of eDoctor Apps During COVID-19 in China Using Hybrid SEM-Neural Network Analysis

Yang Q, Al Mamun A, Hayat N, Md Salleh MF, Salameh AA, Makhbul ZKM

Front Public Health, 2022;10:889410.
PMID: 35570961 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.889410

Technology plays an increasingly important role in our daily lives. The use of technology-based healthcare apps facilitates and empowers users to use such apps and saves the burden on the public healthcare system during COVID-19. Through technology-based healthcare apps, patients can be virtually connected to doctors for medical services. This study explored users' intention and adoption of eDoctor apps in relation to their health behaviors and healthcare technology attributes among Chinese adults. Cross-sectional data were collected through social media, resulting in a total of 961 valid responses for analysis. The hybrid analysis technique of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) analysis was applied. The obtained results revealed the significant influence of eDoctor apps in terms of usefulness, compatibility, accuracy, and privacy on users' intention to use eDoctor apps. Intention and product value were also found to suggestively promote the adoption of eDoctor apps. This study offered practical recommendations for the suppliers and developers of eHealth apps to make every attempt of informing and building awareness to nurture users' intention and usage of healthcare technology. Users' weak health consciousness and motivation are notable barriers that restrict their intention and adoption of the apps. Mass adoption of eDoctor apps can also be achieved through the integration of the right technology features that build the product value and adoption of eDoctor apps. The limitations of the current study and recommendations for future research are presented at the end of this paper.
Fulltext Modelling the mass adoption potential of food waste composting among rural Chinese farmers

Al Mamun A, Yang Q, Naznen F, Aziz NA, Masud MM

Heliyon, 2023 Aug;9(8):e18998.
PMID: 37609413 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18998

As a safe alternative to hazardous agrochemicals, food waste compost could prevent human health hazards and environmental degradation. Food waste composting has not garnered much popularity among farmers given their sole dependence on synthetic fertilizers for high yields and commercial returns. Hence, this study aimed to identify the factors influencing farmers' adoption of food waste composting for regular use. Empirical data were collected from 399 farmers residing in different second-tier cities in China through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. The partial least squares-structural equation modelling was used to statistically examine the models and construct correlations. Based on the study outcomes, the perceived usefulness of food waste compost, awareness of the consequences, social influence, anticipated guilt, and attitude towards food waste composting substantially impacted food waste composting intention. Intriguingly, the perceived value of sustainability and ascription of responsibility did not have a significant impact on food waste composting intention, whereas food waste composting intention substantially influenced food waste composting behavior. The results of the multi-group analysis revealed differences in the relationship between awareness of consequences and food waste composting intention across genders and educational levels. This intriguing finding provides new avenues for future research and offers novel insights into the practical applications and promotion of food waste composting. These results will improve the relevant aspects among farmers for eco-friendly farming practices, innovate food waste management strategies, and mitigate environmental deterioration resulting from hazardous agrochemicals. This study expands the current body of literature by providing government regulators and other social enterprises with effective laws, policies, and strategy development guidelines for adopting natural composting on a large scale and enhancing the nutritional value of food to prevent unforeseen health risks caused by toxic chemicals.
Fulltext Modeling the workplace pro-environmental behavior through green human resource management and organizational culture: Evidence from an emerging economy

Ahmad J, Al Mamun A, Masukujjaman M, Mohamed Makhbul ZK, Mohd Ali KA

Heliyon, 2023 Sep;9(9):e19134.
PMID: 37681178 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19134

This quantitative study investigates the relationships of green human resource management (GHRM) practices (e.g., green training and involvement, green recruitment, green performance management and compensation, and green transformational leadership) on green organizational culture and pro-environmental behavior, and the moderating role of green social capital and green values. This study adopts a cross-sectional design and collects quantitative data from 232 respondents working in top-to middle-level managerial positions in medium and large enterprises using a questionnaire survey after obtaining a list of companies from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Multan in Pakistan, applying the snowball sampling technique. A combined approach including partial least squares structural equation modeling and necessary condition analysis is employed to unravel the underlying mechanism between GHRM practices, green organizational culture, and pro-environmental behavior using Smart PLS version 4. The findings reveal that green transformational leadership (β = 0.267, p

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