The problem of the current study is to study the moderating role of Blockchain technology on the impact of the use of financial technology (FinTech) on the competitive advantage of Jordanian banks. Quantitative analysis is appropriate. The study population consists of (600) employees in three banks at Jordan (Arab Bank, Islamic Bank, Ahli Bank) with its branches in various governorates. A questionnaire was developed to collect study data and distributed electronically. The number of participants was (240) respondents. The study confirms that there is an impact of the mediating role of Blockchain technology in the impact of the use of financial technology (FinTech) on competitive advantage. The study recommends increasing spending on financial technology applications to improve banking services provided to customers, especially through electronic applications and technologies. The study also recommends rebuilding current banking systems using Blockchain technology, which will remove the central database structure and replace it with a decentralized data environment via the blockchain, thus reducing the risk of database hacking. Since transactions via blockchain technology are verified by every node of the chain, it will make transactions more secure which will make the world’s banking systems faster and more secure.

As the complexity and scale of software applications increase, the challenges associated with testing these systems grow correspondingly, necessitating innovative and sustainable testing strategies. This paper explores a multifaceted approach aimed at addressing the intricate challenges inherent in testing large-scale software applications. Through a comprehensive examination of current industry practices and emerging trends, this study introduces a novel framework that integrates advanced testing techniques with state-of-the-art tools. This framework not only mitigates the challenges posed by the complexity and size of modern applications but also enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the testing process. Key aspects of this research include a detailed exploration of test methodologies suited for large-scale applications, an evaluation of advanced tools designed for complex test scenarios, and an analysis of the impact of the test environment on sustainability. The findings offer valuable insights and actionable strategies for software development and testing professionals aiming to optimize testing processes and improve the quality and sustainability of their software in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Although the problems created by exceeding Earth’s carrying capacity are real, a too-small population also creates problems. The convergence of a nation’s population into small areas (i.e., cities) via processes such as urbanization can accelerate the evolution of a more advanced economy by promoting new divisions of labor and the evolution of new industries. The degree to which population density contributes to this evolution remains unclear. To provide insights into whether an optimal “threshold” population exists, we quantified the relationships between population density and economic development using threshold regression model based on the panel data for 295 Chinese cities from 2007 to 2019. We found that when the population density of the whole city (urban and rural areas combined) exceeded 866 km⁻², the impact of industrial upgrading on the economy decreased; however, when the population density exceeded 15,131 km⁻² in the urban part of the cities, the impact of industrial upgrading increased. Moreover, it appears that different regions in China may have different population density thresholds. Our results provide important insights into urban economic evolution, while also supporting the development of more effective population policies.

Background: Traditional education in neurosurgery primarily relies on observation, giving residents and interns limited opportunities for clinical practice. However, the development of 3D printing has the potential to improve this situation. Based on bibliometrics, we analyze the application of 3D printing technology in neurosurgery medical education and surgical training. Methods: We searched the publications in this field in Web of Science core collection database from September 2000 to September 2023. VOS viewer, Citespace and Microsoft Office Excel were used to visually analyze and draw knowledge graphs. Results: A total of 231 articles and reviews were included. The United States is the country with the largest volume of articles and Mayo Clinic is the leading organization in this field. Partnership between countries, authors and institutions is also presented. World Neurosurgery is the journal with the highest number of publications. The top three key words by occurrence rate are “3D printing”, “surgery” and “simulation”. Conclusions: In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the research in this field. According to bibliometric analysis, “accuracy” and “surgery simulation” are the research focuses in this field, while “augment reality” is the potential research target.

Smallholder cocoa producers often experience low productivity levels, partly due to their weak collaborative advantage (CA). CA enables businesses to optimize outcomes through effective collaboration within value chains. This paper aims at examining the effect of CA pillars (trust building, resource investment, and decision synchronization) on the productivity. This paper uses primary data of 406 samples from smallholder cocoa producers in Indonesia. The data is analyzed by using CDM (Crepon Duguet Mairesse) model that divides the CA process into three stages: effort, output, and productivity. In the first stage, our model shows that having motivation to collaborate positively affects collaborative effort expenditure to develop a CA. In the second stage, the study finds that the three pillars of CA have to some degree contributes to achieving a better access to finance, superior cocoa seeds, and cocoa processing technology for smallholder cocoa producers. In the third stage, acquiring the outputs of CA leads to productivity improvement. The findings underscore the significance of intangible factors in shaping robust Collaborative Advantage (CA) and influencing productivity. This enriches CA theory, which has traditionally focused primarily on tangible factors.