This study evaluates the effectiveness of Indonesia’s defense industry policy from 2018 to 2023, focusing on PT Pindad, a pivotal state-owned defense enterprise. Using a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) framework, the study assesses PT Pindad’s performance across financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth perspectives. The findings reveal strengths in financial stability (Current Ratio at 115.57% in 2023) and customer satisfaction, but challenges in Return on Investment (ROI), which fell from 6% in 2022 to 5.46% in 2023, signaling a need for further internal improvements. A mediation analysis using Shape-Restricted Regression indicates that Research and Development (R&D) serves as a crucial mediator, enhancing the impact of strategic alliances and technology transfer on PT Pindad’s self-reliance, with R&D showing a positive coefficient of β = 0.53 (p < 0.01). The systematic literature review complements these findings, underscoring the role of technology transfer, human capital development, and strategic partnerships as essential components for strengthening PT Pindad’s self-reliance and global competitiveness. Recommendations are made to enhance policy effectiveness by fostering robust technology transfer mechanisms, increasing investment in human capital, and expanding strategic partnerships. This research contributes to the literature on defense industry policies by providing a comprehensive evaluation framework that informs future policy decisions.

The fast-growing field of nanotheranostics is revolutionizing cancer treatment by allowing for precise diagnosis and targeted therapy at the cellular and molecular levels. These nanoscale platforms provide considerable benefits in oncology, including improved disease and therapy specificity, lower systemic toxicity, and real-time monitoring of therapeutic outcomes. However, nanoparticles' complicated interactions with biological systems, notably the immune system, present significant obstacles for clinical translation. While certain nanoparticles can elicit favorable anti-tumor immune responses, others cause immunotoxicity, including complement activation-related pseudoallergy (CARPA), cytokine storms, chronic inflammation, and organ damage. Traditional toxicity evaluation approaches are frequently time-consuming, expensive, and insufficient to capture these intricate nanoparticle-biological interactions. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have emerged as transformational solutions to these problems. This paper summarizes current achievements in nanotheranostics for cancer, delves into the causes of nanoparticle-induced immunotoxicity, and demonstrates how AI/ML may help anticipate and create safer nanoparticles. Integrating AI/ML with modern computational approaches allows for the detection of potentially dangerous nanoparticle qualities, guides the optimization of physicochemical features, and speeds up the development of immune-compatible nanotheranostics suited to individual patients. The combination of nanotechnology with AI/ML has the potential to completely realize the therapeutic promise of nanotheranostics while assuring patient safety in the age of precision medicine.

The rise of internet-based pharmacies has transformed the healthcare sector, giving patients access to medications, information, and direct interaction with pharmacists. While online pharmacies have become popular around the world, there are challenges hindering their widespread use in developing countries due to a limited understanding of the factors affecting their acceptance and usage. To bridge this knowledge gap, a study utilized a model combining the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT 2) with the technology acceptance model (TAM) to explore the drivers behind online pharmacy usage in Oman. Through this framework, twelve hypotheses were. A survey involving 378 individuals familiar with online pharmacies was conducted. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to analyze the data and test these hypotheses. The results indicate that factors such as perceived expectancy effort expectancy and facilitating conditions hedonic motivation, habit perceived risk, technology trust, and technology awareness play roles in influencing the adoption of online pharmacies in Oman. The findings suggest that personal innovation plays a moderating role in the connection between perceived risk and behavioral intention, while it has a negative moderating influence on the relationship between technology trust and behavioral intention. Word of mouth was identified as a moderator in enhancing the correlation between behavioral intention and online pharmacy adoption. This research emphasizes the moderating relationship of personal innovation and word of mouth on shaping consumer attitudes towards online pharmacies and their acceptance. In summary, these results add to the existing knowledge on pharmacy adoption and in developed areas such as provide practical insights for online pharmacy providers to improve their offerings and attract a larger customer base.

This study employs a transfer matrix, dynamic degree, stability index, and the PLUS model to analyze the spatiotemporal changes in forest land and their driving factors in Yibin City from 2000 to 2022. The results reveal the following: (1) The land use in Yibin City is predominantly characterized by cultivated land and forest land (accounting for over 95% of the total area). The area of cultivated land initially increased and then decreased, while forest land continued to decline and construction land expanded significantly. The rate of forest land loss has slowed (with the dynamic degree decreasing from −0.62% to −0.04%), and ecosystem stability has improved (the F-value increased from 2.27 to 2.9). The conversion of cultivated land to forest land is the primary driver of forest recovery, whereas the conversion of forest land to cultivated land is the main cause of reduction; (2) cultivated land is concentrated in the central and northeastern regions, while forest land is distributed in the western and southern mountainous areas. Construction land is predominantly located in urban areas and along transportation routes. Areas of forest land reduction are mainly found in the central and southern regions with rapid economic development, while areas of forest land increase are concentrated in high-altitude zones or key ecological protection areas. Stable forest land is distributed in the western and southern ecological conservation zones; (3) changes in forest land are primarily influenced by annual precipitation, elevation, and distance to rivers. Road accessibility and GDP have significant impacts, while slope, annual average temperature, and population density exert moderate influences. Distance to railways, aspect, and soil type have relatively minor effects. The findings of this study provide a scientific basis for the sustainable management of forest resources and ecological conservation in Yibin City.

The food supply chain in South Africa faces significant challenges related to transparency, traceability, and consumer trust. As concerns about food safety, quality, and sustainability grow, there is an increasing need for innovative solutions to address these issues. Blockchain technology has emerged as a promising tool to enhance transparency and accountability across various industries, including the food sector. This study sought to explore the potential of blockchain technology in revolutionizing through promoting transparency that enable the achievement of sustainable food supply chain infrastructure in South Africa. The study found that blockchain technology used in food supply chain creates an immutable and decentralized ledger of transactions that has the capacity to provide real-time, end-to-end visibility of food products from farm to table. This increased transparency can help mitigate risks associated with food fraud, contamination, and inefficiencies in the supply chain. The study found that blockchain technology can be leveraged to enhance supply chain efficiency and trust among stakeholders. This technology used and/or applied in South Africa can reshape the agricultural sector by improving production and distribution processes. Its integration in the food supply chain infrastructure can equally improve data management and increase transparency between farmers and food suppliers.There is need for policy-makers and scholars in the fields of service delivery and food security to conduct more research in blockchain technology and its roles in creating a more transparent, efficient, and trustworthy food supply chain infractructure that address food supply problems in South Africa. The paper adopted a qualitative methodology to collect data, and document and content analysis techniques were used to interpret collected data. 

This study explores the impact of online assessments on students’ academic performance and learning outcomes at the University of Technology in South Africa. The research problem addresses the effectiveness and challenges of digital assessment platforms in higher education (HE), particularly their influence on student engagement, feedback quality, and academic integrity. A qualitative case study approach was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with ten undergraduate and postgraduate students from diverse academic backgrounds. The findings reveal that while online assessments provide flexibility and immediate feedback, they also pose challenges related to technical issues, feedback delays, and concerns about long-term knowledge retention. The study highlights the necessity of aligning assessment strategies with constructivist learning principles to enhance critical thinking and student-centered learning. Implications for theory include strengthening the application of constructivist learning in digital environments, while practical recommendations focus on improving assessment design, institutional support, and feedback mechanisms. Policy adjustments should consider inclusive and equitable access to online assessments. Future research should further investigate the long-term impact of digital assessments on professional readiness. This study contributes to ongoing discussions on online education by offering a nuanced understanding of digital assessment challenges and opportunities in higher education.