We investigated the cytotoxic potential of three different commercially available absorbent feminine hygiene products and one transdermal patch using direct contact and extract exposure methods. Two different cell lines were used – mouse fibroblast L929 and normal human skin fibroblast CCD-986sk cell lines. The test samples were extracted using three different methods in accordance to International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Viability of cells was analyzed using MTT assay and morphology of the cells were also observed using phase contrast microscopy. Overall, the direct contact method using L929 cells showed that all the test samples had no toxic effect when exposed to extracts for 1 h. For the exposure method, no toxic effect was observed in both L929 and CCD986sk cells incubated with all the test samples regardless of the extraction methods used.

This research aims to assess the current status of online trade relations between Kuwait and Portugal. To do so, we examine how firm managers from Portugal and Kuwait use online platforms to engage customers to enhance firm performance. A set of existing constructs was chosen (Online Experience, Customer Inspiration, Online Customer Engagement, Firm Performance, National Culture), which were included in a proposed model of structural equations, in order to assess the contribution of Online Experience and Customer inspiration to the current status of online trade relations (through Online Customer Engagement), and how these can be improved to the further development of e-commerce between the two countries.

This paper analyses the determinants of schoolchildren’s food preferences, paying attention to the relative importance of child/parent, school and locality factors, using multilevel modelling. Urbanisation, location in a poorer neighbourhood, having a school lunch and some specific parental practices positively affect the range of foods and vegetables liked by children.

This research seeks to unveil how YouTube influencers and digital interaction can contribute to the process of customer-brand relationship and engagement. Based on in-depth interviews of female Youtubers devoted to the lifestyle categories, we aim to comprehend the engagement factors that influencers should rely on to promote engagement between their followers and the brands they advocate.

The study builds and tests a framework investigating the determinants of customer engagement with luxury brands on social media platforms.

The study builds and tests a framework investigating the determinants of customer engagement with luxury brands on social media platforms.

The retailing industry is experiencing a significant transformation driven by e-commerce adoption and tech-innovations; being under pressure to provide exciting and memorable shopping experiences that lead to customer acquisition and brand loyalty. This paper depicts three innovative retail solutions from Australia for business growth through strategic implementation of technology, in-store design and customer engagement.

Usage-based approaches to language acquisition explain language development as a gradual process of generalizing constructions through language experience. This study investigated second language learners’ development of constructional knowledge from the perspective of usage-based language development. A total of 169 Korean EFL students at five grade levels completed a sentence-sorting and a translation task. Results of the sorting task showed stronger constructional sorting as the learners’ grade level increased. Additionally, the sorting of intermediate-level learners was influenced by verb semantics such that the sentences including light verbs were more strongly clustered according to constructions than the sentences with heavy verbs, suggesting learners’ reliance on light verbs in the early stages of constructional development. Results of the translation task demonstrated a higher translation accuracy with increasing proficiency, but with a significant amount of variation across individual constructions contingent on the constructions’ syntactic and semantic complexity. Overall, our findings confirm the usage-based development of L2 learning.

We studied trichloroethylene (TCE) adsorption from aqueous solutions in equilibrium conditions by activated carbons (AC). They differ in raw materials, porous structure characteristics and chemical state of the surface. TCE adsorption isotherms were found to have a concave shape, which is characteristic of a sorbent—sorbate weak interaction. It can be a result from electrostatic repulsion of organic matter molecule from polar groups on carbon surface and adsorbed water molecules. The basic parameters of adsorption were calculated by the Dubinin–Radushkevich equation. We determined that for AG-OV-1 and SKD-515 in the coordinates of the Dubinin–Radushkevich equation, there are two linear plots suggesting adsorption in pores of different sizes or reorientation of adsorbate molecules on the activated carbon surface. The efficiency of TCE removal by the activated carbons was evaluated. To reduce the TCE to the maximum allowable, the lowest sorbent consumption was observed for AC with the highest values of surface area and micropore volume. However, the high cost and hydrophobicity of these adsorbents make it impractical to use them in adsorption columns with a fixed layer. We offered an adsorbent that reasonably combines extraction efficiency, ease of operation and economic feasibility.

The effects of the number of frozen-thawed ram sperm per single and double intra-cervical artificial insemination (AI) on fertility in ewes were studied. A total of 89 non-pregnant ewes were synchronized for oestrus with two doses of 100 μg PGF2α (Cloprostenol) 9 days apart. The ewes were randomly assigned to one of four groups; D200 (n = 23; double AI with 200 × 106 sperm), S200 (n = 24; single AI with 200 × 106 sperm), D100 (n = 24; double AI with 100 × 106 sperm) and S100 (n = 18; single AI with 100 × 106 sperm). Ewes were inseminated within 12 to 18 h for single AI and, within 10 to 12 h and 16 to 18 h for double AI after the onset of oestrus. The onset of oestrus ranged from 28 to 76 h (54.33 ± 1.28 h). The high percentage (29.2%) of ewes showed oestrus between 51 to 60 h. The non-return rates were highest in group D200 (56.5%) and differed significantly (p < 0.05) from group S100 (11.1%). No ewes were pregnant in group S100, and the pregnancy rates among the remaining groups did not differ. The mean gestation period was 152.8 ± 0.5 days and no difference was observed among the groups. The lambing and multiple birth rates were 100% in group D200. The single and twin lambing was highest in group D100 (33.3%) and group D200 (83.3%), respectively. Only one triplet lambing and the highest lambing size (2.2 ± 0.2) was recorded in group D200. In conclusion, double AI with 200 × 106 sperm showed comparatively most practical for achieving high pregnancy rates and lambing performances in Bangladeshi ewes under field conditions.