Andalas University (Indonesian: Universitas Andalas, abbreviated Unand) is a public research university in Padang, West Sumatra. Andalas is one of the major public institution of higher learning in Indonesia, and the oldest outside the island of Java. The university is known for its excellence in social sciences and medical program, and has produced numerous distinguished alumni in public and private service. In November 2019, Andalas was ranked fourth best Indonesian research university from a nationwide evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Research and Technology.
This article aims to investigate determinants of university students to start a new business, which was preceded by intention to be an entrepreneur. The antecedents of a student's intention to be an entrepreneur can be viewed from attitude toward entrepreneurship, perceived relational support, and perceived structural support. The data were obtained using a self-report questionnaire from 296 university students in West Sumatera Province, Indonesia. The participants came from students who obtained competitive funding from the university to build a microbusiness. Testing the proposed theoretical model was conducted using the SmartPLS application. The results supported that attitude toward entrepreneurship, perceived structural support, and perceived relational support had a positively significant effect on a student's entrepreneurial intention. The intention then resulted in the decision to begin a new business. The findings implied that attempts to encourage students building a new business would be contingent on their intention toward an entrepreneurship career.
Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) scaffolds were prepared through the granule casting method. The variables considered in the manufacturing of the scaffolds were the wet process, dry process, granule size (mesh), and sintering temperature. The novelty of this study: In the first stage, a solid cylindrical commercial PMMA was reduced in size using the Hot Cutting method (HCm) at different temperature variations. The products were then sieved with diversified mesh sizes, namely M 40-50, M 50-60, M 60-70, M 70-80, and M 80-100, to be treated with the granule casting method in aluminium moulds under the wet and the dry processes. The sintering process was established with a temperature of 130 degrees C, a holding time of 60 min, and a heating rate of 5 degrees C & centerdot;min-1. The best products were recommended to be treated in the next stage. In the second stage, PMMA scaffolds were made from the recommended products, namely the M 80-100 PMMA granules treated in the wet process. The sintering temperature was the variable that determined the scaffolds'physical and mechanical properties. The resulting PMMA scaffold was proven thus satisfying the quality criteria at the sintering temperatures of 125, 130, and 135 degrees C. The SEM images showed good interconnections between the pores in the PMMA scaffolds.
Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is a major pest in soybean, causing both direct feeding damage and acting as a vector for several plant viruses. The emergence of resistant B. tabaci biotypes to synthetic insecticides underscores the need for effective and sustainable alternatives. This study evaluated the efficacy of an indigenous isolate of the entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Aschersonia aleyrodis (TMP-Dc3) for managing B. tabaci populations under laboratory and field conditions between February and October 2024. Treatments included varying conidial concentrations of A. aleyrodis (105, 106, 107, and 108 conidia ml−1) and a synthetic insecticide (thiamethoxam) as a chemical control. The 107 conidia ml−1 treatment significantly suppressed B. tabaci populations in the field compared to other fungal densities and thiamethoxam. Notably, B. tabaci densities were higher in the thiamethoxam treatment, likely due to reduction in natural enemy abundance. Although thiamethoxam-treated plants produced slightly higher seed yields (14.26 g plant−1), plants treated with 107 conidia ml−1 of A. aleyrodis achieved a comparable yield (14.03 g plant−1). A significant negative correlation was observed between the number of empty pods and total seed weight (r = –0.697), while a positive correlation existed between whitefly populations at 56 days after planting and empty pods (r = 0.476). The TMP-Dc3 isolate exhibited strong chitinase and protease activities, highlighting its potential as a promising biopesticide and sustainable alternative to chemical insecticides for managing B. tabaci in soybeans crops.
