In this paper, a type of Zika virus model with immigration is considered. Additionally based on the risk of infected immigrants, we propose a control measure of screening for immigrants and a three-measure control model of combined mosquito prevention and killing. The existence and stability of the equilibrium in the Zika virus model are analyzed. The necessary conditions for the existence of the optimal solution are given using Pontryagins maximum principle. We focused on testing screening of the immigrating population to ensure a reduction in the transmission of the virus. Models have demonstrated that in combination with routine mosquito control measures and the appropriate use of mosquitoicides, the transmission of Zika virus in the population can be effectively reduced. 2023 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press...

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In common practice of al-Quran memorization, Tahfiz students spend up to eight hours daily to memorize al-Quran. Many things can happen within those eight hours, affecting their learning experience and performance. This research paper was conducted to investigate the design factors and to suggest a model of potential assistive technology for memorizing al-Quran among Tahfiz students. Qualitative method of case study was used. Two well-experienced teachers were interviewed through focus group discussion. Verbatim transcript of the interview was transcribed and keywords were identified. To analyse the data, the researchers identified themes for further exploration. The results were validated by two experienced inter-raters. The findings indicated nine themes that were classified into three categories: (1) Factors before memorizing al-Quran, (2) Factors during memorizing al-Quran, and (3) Factors after memorizing al-Quran. The research finding suggests the assistive technology that can be.....

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In accordance with the theory of informal institutions, culture exerts a crucial influence on the enactment of corporate social responsibility. Based on the two core variables of Chinese traditional culture and corporate environmental responsibility, we designed a panel data model to investigate the impact of Chinese traditional culture on corporate environmental responsibility and its heterogeneity. The findings indicate the following: 1) Chinese traditional culture can promote the performance of corporate environmental responsibility. 2) Chinese traditional culture has a heterogeneous influence on the environmental responsibility of enterprises that depends on the ownership difference of enterprises; that is, the influence of traditional culture on the environmental responsibility of state-owned enterprises is stronger than that of non-state-owned enterprises. 3) Chinese traditional culture has a heterogeneous influence on the environmental responsibility of enterprises according to .....

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The genus Piper is among the most important genera in the Piperaceae family, consisting of over 2000 species and widely distributed globally, mainly in the Southeast Asian region. It is known for several medicinally and economically important species that have been used throughout their native range. Piper species have great diversity in the worlds tropical regions and are represented mainly by aromatic shrubs and trees with significant production of essential oils. Essential oils are largely consumed as they are beneficial to humans as natural remedies and have been known for years to find usefulness in foods, drugs, and cosmetics. In recent years, studies on the essential oils of the Malaysian Piper species have been progressing, and many of them have reported interesting pharmacological activities. This review attempts to summarize information on the essential oils from Malaysian Piper species concerning their medicinal uses, chemical composition, and bioactivities. Information on t.....

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This study investigates predictive causality between stock prices and exchange rates over the period of January 2005 to May 2020 in Malaysia, Singapore, China, and USA. The methodology applied in this study allows for structural changes during the global financial crisis, as past studies have shown that tests can be biased towards non-rejection if structural breaks are not accounted for. Thence, Gregory and Hansen cointegration and Granger causality tests are implemented in this study. Results revealed that unidirectional Granger causality relations are established in Malaysia, the US, and Singapore. However, signs for causal effects differ even though two markets have the same unidirectional Granger causality relation. Additionally, stock prices and exchange rates are found to be cointegrated in the US and Singapore. Meanwhile, there is no causal effect between stock prices and the exchange rate in China, for both the short-run and long-run periods. Copyright 2023 Inderscience Enterpr.....

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The peer tutoring approach is a student-cantered teaching method in which students learn in pairs with teacher supervision. The study discussed in this paper is a systematic literature review related to the effectiveness of peer tutoring approaches which has been published within the last 5 years. A complete text analysis was conducted using 20 research papers stating the impact of the peer mentoring approach for this writing. Among the things obtained from previous studies are the variety of ways to implement peer tutoring approach, the impact on 3 aspects in students which are mathematical achievement, social skills and cognitive skills and the teaching theories used. The findings of the study indicate that most past studies used quantitative research methods with the concept of age peer approach. Then, constructivism theory was the most frequently applied with a sample of high school students. In conclusion, this systematic literature review shows that the peer tutoring approach in .....

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Crustaceans exhibit discontinuous growth as they shed hard shells periodically. Fundamentally, the growth of crustaceans is typically assessed through two key components, length increase after molting (LI) and time intervals between consecutive molts (TI). In this article, we propose a unified likelihood approach that combines a generalized additive model and a Cox proportional hazard model to estimate the parameters of LI and TI separately in crustaceans. This approach captures the observed discontinuity in individuals, providing a comprehensive understanding of crustacean growth patterns. Our study focuses on 75 ornate rock lobsters (Panulirus ornatus) off the Torres Strait in northeastern Australia. Through a simulation study, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed models in characterizing the discontinuity with a continuous growth curve at the population level. 2023 American Institute of Mathematical Sciences. All rights reserved...

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Increasing developments on the application of copper complexes as dyes are due to their dual function in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as redox mediators and dye sensitizers. The economical (abundance, low cost) and environmentally friendly properties of copper motivate researchers on the use of copper complexes for replacement of ruthenium-based dyes in solar cells. A novel [Cu(I)(2,9-dmp)(phen-dione)]PF6 (A2) bearing polypyridyl ligands, 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (phen-dione), 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dmp) was prepared by metal complexation reaction. The photofunctionality of A2 as a promising photosensitizer in DSSCs was studied. Interestingly, A2 exhibited two absorption peaks, one is detected in the ultraviolet region due to p-p* transition and the other is a metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) band at 405nm in the visible region. A2 was compared to the same complex with Cu(II) ion as the metal centre which only absorbed light in the ultraviolet region thereby.....

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The expenses associated with software maintenance and evolution constitute a significant portion, surpassing more than 80% of the overall costs involved in software development. Refactoring, a widely embraced technique, plays a crucial role in streamlining and minimizing maintenance activities and expenses. However, the effect of refactoring techniques on quality attributes presents inconsistent and conflicting findings, making it challenging for software developers to enhance software quality effectively. Additionally, the absence of a comprehensive framework further complicates the decision-making process for developers when selecting appropriate refactoring techniques aligned with specific design objectives. In light of these considerations, this research aims to introduce a novel framework for classifying refactoring techniques based on their measurable influence on internal quality attributes. Initially, an exploratory study was conducted to identify commonly employed refactoring .....

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Paper-capillary micropumps are advantageous as they are small in size, cost-effective, and easily disposable. However, capillary-based micropumps fabricated using the photolithography technique prevent exchanging of the pumping element. The liquid movement in paper-based micropumps is also difficult to control and manipulate as compared to non-paper-based micropumps. Therefore, in this study, the performance of a multi-angle paper-based capillary micropump that utilizes both hydrostatic and paper-capillary effects with a detachable paper matrix is presented. The design offers enhanced and controllable flow rates based on paper matrix types and platform inclination angles. In addition, the paper matrix pumping element does not involve in the analytical processes but rather only for fluid driving. Standalone operation shows a working range of flow rate comparable to some purely capillary- and hydrostatic-based micropumps reported in the literature. The proposed micropump shows that the f.....

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