A problem in post-harvest of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is the heterogeneity in fruit ripening, due to differences in the time of fruit set and the inability to ripen on the tree, a situation that causes inconsistencies in quality and differences in the response to preservation and processing technologies. In postharvest, the application of ethylene gas in hermetic chambers has been used to advance ripening; however, the use of ethylene releasers in liquid form (ethephon) has been proposed as an alternative, mainly for the treatment of low volumes of fruit. The present work was carried out in the production zone of Salvador Escalante (Michoacán, Mexico) with the objective of evaluating the effect of the application of two concentrations of ethephon on the time and homogenization of fruit ripening of avocado cultivars (cv.) Hass and Méndez. Fruits with 23.4% (cv. Hass) and 24% (cv. Méndez) of dry matter were harvested; one group was immersed in a solution of ethephon 500 mg/L and the other in 1,000 mg/L, both for 5 minutes; the treated fruits plus a control were stored at 20 °C for 11 days. Changes in respiration, ethylene production, weight loss, firmness, epicarp and pulp color, total phenol, chlorophyll and total carotenoid concentrations were evaluated. The results showed that ethephon doses of 1,000 mg/L in cv. Hass and 500 mg/L in cv. Méndez presented a ripening process 2 days earlier than the control.
This study examined the factors influencing online purchases among consumers in Bangladesh, employing a modified version of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Data from 353 individuals in Bangladesh revealed that perceived ease of use, social influence, security, convenience, trust, emotional experience, and functional experience significantly positively affect the intention to purchase online. Additionally, results show that the intention to purchase online significantly positively affects actual online purchases. Findings further highlighted that intention to make online purchases mediated the influence of perceived ease of use, social influence, security, convenience, trust, emotional experience, and functional experience over online purchases. The study provides significant practical recommendations to help businesses and consumers support online purchasing with diverse advantages.
Concession agreements (CAs) in the port sector are designed to establish mutually beneficial arrangements for involved parties. They serve as catalysts, enabling ports to attract adept private investors and secure requisite funding to enhance port infrastructure, superstructure, and service quality. Concurrently, the imperative to mitigate negative externalities and promote sustainable practices in port organization and development remains paramount. In this context, the paper explores the nuanced landscape of CAs, specifically focusing on the urgent need for an innovative framework that integrates sustainability within port organization, operations and development. Drawing from existing academic discourse and field evidence, it systematically identifies, examines, and analyzes fundamental requirements and key factors that should be considered in CAs, in line with sustainable development and proposes a reference framework for an ideal Concession Agreement model. Despite evident strengthening of sustainability implications in port concessions, significant room for improvement persists. Nevertheless, dynamics in the field create a certain optimism for the future.
This research aims to examine the role of learning leadership on teacher performance in elementary schools, analyze the influence of digital literacy on teacher performance, analyze the role of emotional intelligence on teacher performance and analyze the role of intellectual intelligence on teacher performance. In this digital era, digital literacy plays an important role in education. The application of digital literacy in education is still not optimal and there is no previous research that discusses the variables of instructional leadership, teacher performance, digital literacy, emotional intelligence and intellectual intelligence. The research method used is quantitative, the population of this research is all teachers who have used e-learning methods, and the analysis of this research uses structural equation modelling (SEM), the respondents for this research are 675 Indonesian teachers. The sampling method is simple random sampling. Research data was obtained from distributing online questionnaires designed using a 5-point Likert scale, namely scale 1 is strongly disagree, scale 2 is disagree, scale 3 is neutral, scale 4 is agree and scale 5 is strongly agree. Data processing uses SmartPLS 3.0 software tools. The SEM test stages in this research are the outer model test, namely convergent validity, discriminant validity and composite reliability, and then the inner model test, namely hypothesis testing. The results of the analysis using SEM are that the Instructional leadership variable has a positive and significant relationship to teacher performance, the Digital literacy variable has a positive and significant relationship to teacher performance, the Emotional intelligence variable has a positive and significant relationship to teacher performance and Intellectual intelligence has a positive and significant relationship to teacher performance. The novelty of this research is the discovery of a model of the relationship between instructional leadership variables, digital literacy variables, emotional intelligence variables, and intellectual intelligence variables on teacher performance which did not exist in previous research studies. This research has a novelty, namely a model analyzed using SEM-PLS in the digital era. The principal must be able to determine and set learning objectives in his school, in his implementation the principal always involves teachers in developing and implementing learning goals and objectives and the principal also refers to the curriculum set by the government in developing learning. The dimensions of instructional leadership are defining school goals, managing learning programs, and creating a positive learning climate. In other words, the principal has implemented Instructional Leadership with indicators of setting learning goals, indicators of being a resource for staff, indicators of creating a school culture and climate that is conducive to learning, indicators of communicating the school’s vision and mission to staff, indicators of conditioning staff to achieve their goals.
This study aims to identify the risk factors causing the delay in the completion schedule and to determine an optimization strategy for more accurate completion schedule prediction. A validated questionnaire has been used to calculate a risk rating using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method, and a Monte Carlo simulation on @RISK 8.2 software was employed to obtain a more accurate prediction of project completion schedules. The study revealed that the dominant risk factors causing project delays are coordination with stakeholders and changes in the scope of work/design review. In addition, the project completion date was determined with a confidence level of 95%. All data used in this study were obtained directly from the case study of the Double-Double Track Development Project (Package A). The key result of this study is the optimization of a risk-based schedule forecast with a 95% confidence level, applicable directly to the scheduling of the Double-Double Track Development Project (Package A). This paper demonstrates the application of Monte Carlo Simulation using @RISK 8.2 software as a project management tool for predicting risk-based-project completion schedules.
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