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The current work aimed to formulate a novel chitosan-based finasteride nanosystem (FNS-NS) for skin delivery to optimize the drug availability in skin for a longer time and enhance ex vivo performance of finasteride against androgenic alopecia. Both undecorated and chitosan decorated FNS-NSs were synthesized by a high energy emulsification technique. All the prepared nanosystems were further subjected to physicochemical characterizations like pH, viscosity, encapsulation efficiency, surface morphology and in vitro drug release behavior. The influence of the nanosystem on the drug permeation and retention in rat skin was examined using Franz diffusion cell apparatus. The droplet size of developed nanosystems ranged from 41 to 864 nm with a low polydispersity index. The zeta potential of the nanosystems was between -10 mV and +56 mV. This chitosan decorated nanosystem exhibited controlled drug release, ie about 78-97% in 24 h. Among all the nanosystems, our chitosan decorated formulation (F5) had low drug permeation (16.35 µg/cm ) and higher drug retention (10.81 µg/cm ). The abovementioned results demonstrate satisfactory in vitro drug release, skin retention profiles and ex vivo performance with chitosan decorated FNS-NS (F5). This optimized formulation could increase drug availability in skin and could become a promising carrier for topical delivery to treat androgenic alopecia.

This study aimed at developing the microwave-treated, physically cross-linked polymer blend film, optimizing the microwave treatment time, and testing for physicochemical attributes and wound healing potential in diabetic animals. Microwave-treated and untreated films were prepared by the solution casting method and characterized for various attributes required by a wound healing platform. The optimized formulation was tested for skin regeneration potential in the diabetes-induced open-incision animal model. The results indicated that the optimized polymer film formulation (MB-3) has significantly enhanced physicochemical properties such as high moisture adsorption (154.6 ± 4.23%), decreased the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) value of (53.0 ± 2.8 g/m2/h) and water vapor permeability (WVP) value (1.74 ± 0.08 g mm/h/m2), delayed erosion (18.69 ± 4.74%), high water uptake, smooth and homogenous surface morphology, higher tensile strength (56.84 ± 1.19 MPa), and increased glass transition temperature and enthalpy (through polymer hydrophilic functional groups depicting efficient cross-linking). The in vivo data on day 16 of post-wounding indicated that the wound healing occurred faster with significantly increased percent re-epithelialization and enhanced collagen deposition with optimized MB-3 film application compared with the untreated group. The study concluded that the microwave-treated polymer blend films have sufficiently enhanced physical properties, making them an effective candidate for ameliorating the diabetic wound healing process and hastening skin tissue regeneration.

This study is aimed at microwave-assisted synthesis of sodium carboxymethylcellulose and Eudragit L100 composite film and its physicochemical characterization. The film was developed with varying quantities of each polymer and treated with microwave at a fixed frequency of 2450 MHz with a power of 350 Watts for 60 and 120 s. All formulations were characterized for thickness/weight uniformity, moisture adsorption, erosion and water uptake, tensile strength, and vibrational, thermal, and surface morphological analysis in comparison with untreated film samples. Results indicated that microwave treatment for 60 s significantly improved the tensile strength, reduced the water adsorption, delayed erosion, and reduced the water uptake in comparison with the untreated and 120 s treated film formulations. The vibrational analysis revealed rigidification of hydrophilic domains at OH/NH moiety and fluidization of hydrophobic domains at asymmetric and symmetric CH moieties, which is envisaged to be due to the formation of new linkages between the two polymers. These were later confirmed by thermal analysis where a significant rise in transition temperature, as well as enthalpy of the system, was recorded. The microwave treatment for 60 s is thus advocated to be the best treatment condition for developing sodium carboxymethylcellulose and Eudragit L100 composite polymeric films.

PurposeKnowledge acquisition is a pivotal concern for the students and many sources help them to obtain knowledge. In this paper, the authors theoretically examine three engagements such as social media, peer and academic engagement by the theoretical foundation of engagement theory which tells that students interact and collaborate, sharing information for the acquisition of knowledge that enhances their academic performance. But due to the abundance of information, knowledge and resources available to students for the acquisition of knowledge, it becomes difficult for them to comprehend the most relevant information. In this vein, this study examined the impact of information overload on the relationship between social media, peer and academic engagement and knowledge acquisition of students.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed model and structural relationships were validated using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique through AMOS, version 24.0. To empirically test the hypothesized model, data are collected from the universities of the Sahiwal region (Sahiwal, Okara, Pakpattan) using structured questionnaires.FindingsThe findings revealed that social media engagement and academic engagement are positively associated with knowledge acquisition, whereas peer engagement is negatively associated with knowledge acquisition. Moreover, the results of the study further suggested that information overload dampens the positive relationship between social media, peer and academic engagement and knowledge acquisition, which causes negative consequences on students' knowledge acquisition and learning outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsResearchers can use this study as the literature as many of the previous studies focused on the positive side of social networking sites and technologies for knowledge purposes, but this study extends the research and focused on the other side of the picture which has been ignored earlier by researchers. The authors theoretically explained the adverse effects of information overload on students' academic progress caused by social media and the abundance of irrelevant information these advanced technologies offer daily. The current research focused on identifying the critical role of social media, peer and academic institutions providing a lot of information to students which caused stress, anxiety and other psychological issues in them. So, this study adds to the literature by highlighting the adverse effects of unnecessary information provided by multiple resources to students.Practical implicationsEducationalists can adopt this study as a tool in academic institutions for promoting learning and to actively engage students in collaborative learning activities. As the findings of the study confirm that information overload is caused by the imbalanced use of information technology (IT) and social media sites, so teachers can help students in developing creativity and maintaining the balance between using technology and innovation in their studies pattern. Universities and institutions can play a vital role by exploring further opportunities for students and by making such policies that can help students in their learning progress. For this purpose, the authors developed a model based on the literature and theories that could change the academic system of Pakistan and enhance students’ practical knowledge by motivating students in taking part in learning activities by making the higher education system of Pakistan more engaging.Social implicationsThe authors are presenting simulation games-based learning as an alternate approach to learning and teaching that can positively influence students' engagement with learning activities in Pakistan. By adopting this model, the education system of Pakistan could improve as it can lead to better academic performance of students, which ultimately leads to a better education system. Thus, games if correctly designed and implemented in the education system of Pakistan, it can make a great difference in students' value of learning experience. The enjoyment, interactive and realistic nature of the simulation games appears to produce this value, and students tend to engage more toward these types of games rather than traditional learning methods. Simulation games provide students with an opportunity to engage in both hard (financial management, strategy making, decision-making) and soft skills (negotiation, collaboration) in business by challenging their thinking and decision-making power in a safe learning environment.Originality/valueThe phenomena of overload have become increasingly viable due to abundance of resources providing unnecessary information to students as they can get information from peers, teachers, social media platforms, blogs, wikis and many other platforms, which ultimately exhaust their capacity and leading them toward poor academic performance and other negative consequences (Yu, 2019; Bosch, 2016). This study focuses on students of higher education in Pakistan (Sahiwal region) and discusses the major challenges and opportunities that they had to face with the advancement of technology and the current social state of the knowledge in society.

Skin tissue regeneration scaffolds represent a promising field of research focused on formulation and optimization of cost-effective extracellular matrix based on natural polymers. Sodium carboxymethylcellulose is one of the most widely studied and least expensive natural polymers for fabricating film formulations aiding in skin tissue regeneration process the following damage, but its hydrophilicity contributes to its failure to prevent loss of excessive moisture from wound, low adsorb-ability, less mechanical strength, and rapid erosion. This study aims to develop a surfactant modified sodium carboxymethylcellulose-based films addressing the needs for skin wound healing applications. Sodium carboxymethylcellulose films were developed with varying concentrations of tween 80 in the range of 0.05 to 0.5% w /w and subjected to various physicochemical characterization tests like adsorption, moisture uptake, erosion, water vapor transmission, and water vapor permeability rate, vibrational, thermal and morphological analysis. The results indicated that the formulation containing 0.3% w /w of tween 80 was able to form films with a significant-good adsorb-ability, reduced percent erosion and high tensile strength with the formation of “folds” in the film surface. The vibrational and thermal analysis revealed fluidization of hydrophilic as well as hydrophobic domains which was attributed to the development of new “bonding” between the polymer and surfactant and/or plasticizer moieties in the formulation which though didn’t affect the transition temperature but significantly reduced the energy to induce transition which is envisaged to increase the elasticity of the film. This optimized combination of polymer and tween 80 may play an effective role in hastening skin regeneration process following damage. Sodium carboxymethylcellulose films with added 0.3% w /w tween 80 represent an ideal combination for the fabrication of sodium carboxymethylcellulose.

Objective. This project was aimed at formulating a novel nanoemulsion system and evaluating it for open incision wound healing in diabetic animals. Methods. The nanoemulsions were characterized for droplet size and surface charge, drug content, antioxidant and antimicrobial profiling, and wound healing potential in diabetic animals. The skin samples excised were also analyzed for histology, mechanical strength, and vibrational and thermal analysis. Results. The optimized nanoemulsion (CR-NE-II) exhibited droplet size of26.76±0.9 nm with negative surface charge (−10.86±1.06 mV), was homogenously dispersed with drug content of68.05±1.2%, released almost82.95±2.2%of the drug within first 2 h of experiment with synergistic antioxidant (95±2.1%) and synergistic antimicrobial activity against selected bacterial strains in comparison to blank nanoemulsion, and promoted significantly fast percent reepithelization (96.47%). The histological, vibrational, thermal, and strength analysis of selected skin samples depicted a uniform and even distribution of collagen fibers which translated into significant increase in strength of skin samples in comparison to the control group. Conclusions. The optimized nanoemulsion system significantly downregulated the oxidative stress, enhanced collagen deposition, and precluded bacterial contamination of wound, thus accelerating the skin tissue regeneration process.

This study reports microwave assisted physically cross-linked sodium alginate and pectin film and their testing in combination with modified chitosan-curcumin nanoparticles for skin tissue regeneration following 2nd degree burn wound. Film was formulated by solution casting method and physically cross-linked using microwave irradiation at frequency of 2450 MHz, power 750 Watt for different time intervals for optimization. The optimized formulation was analyzed for various physiochemical attributes. Afterwards, the optimized film and optimized modified chitosan-curcumin nanoparticles were tested in combination for skin regeneration potential following burn wound in vivo and skin samples extracted and tested for different attributes. The results indicated that the optimized film formulation (5 min microwave treatment) physicochemical attributes significantly enhanced addressing the properties required of a wound healing platform. The vibrational analysis indicated that the optimized film experienced significant rigidification of hydrophilic domains while the hydrophobic domains underwent significant fluidization which also resulted in significant increase in the transition temperatures and system enthalpies of both polymer moieties with microwave treatment. The combined film and nanoparticles application significantly increased protein content in the wounds which were evident from higher absorbance ratios of amide-I and amide-II (2.15 ± 0.001), significantly higher melting transition temperature and enthalpy (∆T = 167.2 ± 15.4 °C, ∆H = 510.7 ± 20.1 J/g) and higher tensile strength (14.65 ± 0.8 MPa) with significantly enhanced percent re-epithelization (99.9934 ± 2.56) in comparison to other treatments. The combined application of film and nanoparticles may prove to be a new novel treatment strategy for 2nd degree burn wound healing.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a very important topic of discussion for the last couple of decades and several types of research have been conducted on this topic. Many of the previous studies discuss the impact of CSR on organizational outcomes. But this study expanded the CSR concept by investigating the positive effect of employees' perceived CSR on their behavior through moderating effect of responsible leadership (RL). This study is based on a sample gathered from Moroccan hotels which include 422 employees and 109 department managers. For the analysis of our data, we used the structured equation modeling (SEM) technique. The findings of the study reveal that CSR positively affects employee commitment, employee engagement, and employee organizational citizenship behavior respectively. Moreover, the proposed relationships between CSR and employee commitment (EC), employee engagement (EE), and employee organizational citizenship behavior (EOCB) were found to be positively moderated by responsible leadership (RL). So, the findings suggest that under strong responsible leadership, employees are more committed, engaged and show better organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). At the end of this study, implications and recommendations for future research are given.

COVID-19 has disrupted educational institutes across the world. Teachers and students are now forced to teach and study online for an unidentified period, which severely hampers the learning capacity as well the student’s intention toward entrepreneurship. This study compared the impact of traditional teaching and teaching through online management simulation games on student learning performance and further leads to entrepreneurial intention. To further understand the desirability of business simulation games, we used the technology acceptance model (TAM) and extended it by employing knowledge sharing, knowledge application, learnability, perceived pleasure, and self-efficacy as exogenous variables. For this purpose, time-lagged data were collected from 277 students enrolled in entrepreneurship courses in public sector universities. To deal with homogeneity and generalizability issues, students from different collaborative universities were asked to participate in the study. Structural equation modeling was employed for analysis, where the results depict that the students learning performance was enhanced after using simulation games compared to regular theoretical online lectures, which further encouraged them to be entrepreneurs. We also concluded that simulation games are novel and effective online teaching methodology for students during a time of crisis. The study concludes with its theoretical, practical implications, and directions for future researchers.

Improved physicochemical properties of chitosan-curcumin nanoparticulate carriers using microwave technology for skin burn wound application are reported. The microwave modified low molecular weight chitosan variant was used for nanoparticle formulation by ionic gelation method nanoparticles analyzed for their physicochemical properties. The antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultures, cytotoxicity and cell migration using human dermal fibroblasts—an adult cell line—were studied. The microwave modified chitosan variant had significantly reduced molecular weight, increased degree of deacetylation and decreased specific viscosity. The nanoparticles were nano-sized with high positive charge and good dispersibility with entrapment efficiency and drug content in between 99% and 100%, demonstrating almost no drug loss. Drug release was found to be sustained following Fickian the diffusion mechanism for drug release with higher cumulative drug release observed for formulation (F)2. The microwave treatment does not render a destructive effect on the chitosan molecule with the drug embedded in the core of nanoparticles. The optimized formulation precluded selected bacterial strain colonization, exerted no cytotoxic effect, and promoted cell migration within 24 h post application in comparison to blank and/or control application. Microwave modified low molecular weight chitosan-curcumin nanoparticles hold potential in delivery of curcumin into the skin to effectively treat skin manifestations.