Founder\u27s birth order and triple bottom line in B2B SMEs

Leveraging upper-echelon and post-traumatic childhood experience theories, this study analyses the influence of CEOs\u27 birth order in the family on firms\u27 triple bottom line management. Conducting our study in the B2B market and SME context during the COVID-19 pandemic, we assert that the eldest sibling tends to adopt more prosocial behavior than younger siblings. When first-born individuals become entrepreneurs, their values get reflected in the firm\u27s organizational culture and the strategic choices they make as CEOs. We further suggest a mediating mechanism of a sustainable marketing orientation for sibling birth order and triple bottom line management and a moderating role of CEO childhood trauma experience. Childhood trauma experience moderates the mediating effect of sustainable marketing orientation, i.e., a moderated mediating mechanism. Heeding calls for research in marketing to become more interdisciplinary, we leverage the family science and upper echelon theories to expand the B2B marketing literature

Quantum information and precision measurement

We describe some applications of quantum information theory to the analysis of quantum limits on measurement sensitivity. A measurement of a weak force acting on a quantum system is a determination of a classical parameter appearing in the master equation that governs the evolution of the system; limitations on measurement accuracy arise because it is not possible to distinguish perfectly among the different possible values of this parameter. Tools developed in the study of quantum information and computation can be exploited to improve the precision of physics experiments; examples include superdense coding, fast database search, and the quantum Fourier transform.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure, proof of conjecture adde

Simple model of adsorption on external surface of carbon nanotubes: a new analytical approach basing on molecular simulation data

Nitrogen adsorption on carbon nanotubes is wide- ly studied because nitrogen adsorption isotherm measurement is a standard method applied for porosity characterization. A further reason is that carbon nanotubes are potential adsorbents for separation of nitrogen from oxygen in air. The study presented here describes the results of GCMC simulations of nitrogen (three site model) adsorption on single and multi walled closed nanotubes. The results obtained are described by a new adsorption isotherm model proposed in this study. The model can be treated as the tube analogue of the GAB isotherm taking into account the lateral adsorbate-adsorbate interactions. We show that the model describes the simulated data satisfactorily. Next this new approach is applied for a description of experimental data measured on different commercially available (and characterized using HRTEM) carbon nanotubes. We show that generally a quite good fit is observed and therefore it is suggested that the observed mechanism of adsorption in the studied materials is mainly determined by adsorption on tubes separated at large distances, so the tubes behave almost independently

Screening for host plant resistance to Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) in chickpea using novel techniques

Insights of antibiosis resistance in various chickpea cultivars against pod borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) under laboratory condtions. The present study was carried out in order to investigate the level of resistance against H. armigera on different cultivars by adopting detach leaf and pod assay. In leaf detach assay, pooled mean of 2012 and 2013, significantly lower and maximum weight gain and percent gain recorded was 101.9 mg (88.5%); 382.3mg (317.4%), respectively for ICCV 097105 and ICCV 07306. During podding stage, lowest pod damage (%) was recorded 55 % (ICCV 92944) and highest pod damage recorded by ICC 3137, LL 550 and ICCV07306 (95 %).Highest pupal weight of one day old pupae was recorded on LL 550 (405.2 mg) and lower pupal weight in ICCV 097105 (202.4 mg). The present result gave clue for future in depth studies on weeds for developing either specific pheromone compound or repellant compound for the ecofriendly management of H. armigera

Screening of Short Duration Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] Genotypes against Major Insect Pests

Ten promising short duration genotypes of pigeonpea were screened under field conditions for two years (2013-15) to identify sources of resistance against pod borers. On the basis of per cent pod damage and Pest Susceptibility Rating (PSR) index, genotypes PUSA-2012-1, PA 409, PA 406, AL1747 were found to be least susceptible (PSR= 4 to 5) while two genotypes, AL 1790 and AL 1770 were ascertained highly susceptible against pod borers having damage rating of 8 over the susceptible check cultivar (Manak). Phenol and flavonoid content present in the pod wall of all the test genotypes/cultivars were also estimated. Highest phenol and flavonoid content was recorded from PUSA-2012-1 while the lowest content was obtained from the genotype AL 1790. Correlation studies made with these biochemical constituents revealed a significant and negative association of pod damage (%) with phenol (r = -0.896**) and flavonoid (r = -0.872**) content in pod walls. Thus the genotypes having higher content of phenols and flavonoids in their pod walls offered resistance against pod borer complex

Population Dynamics of Lobster Moth, Neostauropus alternus Walker on Pigeonpea in Relation to Abiotic Factors of Pantnagar Region

Field experiments were carried out to study the population dynamics of Lobster moth (Neostauropus alternus Walker) on pigeonpea and its relation with different weather variables during kharif season of 2013-14 and 2014-15 under unprotected conditions at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India. The results revealed that the incidence of this insect commenced from the 34th standard week and it remained active up to 41st standard week of both the years. The insect showed one peak of its population during both the years. The maximum number of N. alternus was recorded on 37th standard week (5.6 larvae per plant) in 2013-14 while in 2014-15, population of N. alternus was highest in 38th standard week (4.8 larvae per plant). Correlation studies indicated that larval population of N. alternus exhibited a significant positive correlation with temperature whereas a significant negative correlation was established with relative humidity. Other abiotic factors had no significant effect on this insect pest population

Screening of chickpea cultivars against pod borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) under unprotected conditions

Screening of elite twenty chickpea cultivars of along with two desi checks PG 186 and L 550 was carried out to evaluate for resistance to major pest Helicoverpa armigera. During the course of present investigation H. armigera was found to be major significance pest, which was mainly associated with leaves, flower and pod of chickpea. Present study revealed that, maximum mean egg and larval population were registered during 13th & 15th standard week respectively. The maximal and minimal number of mean egg population recorded of 12.86, 8.33 on ICC3137, D059 and 5.43, 3.60 on ICCV92944, respectively for 2012-13, 2013-14 seasons from selected five plants. The lowest larval population recorded of 23.33, 12.50 in ICCV07306, ICCV92944 and highest of 32.52, 22.39 in ICC3137, ICCV08107 in respective years. Per cent mean pod damage were ranged from 53.56 to 85.32 and 68.49 to 100 in respective years. The minimum grain yield of chickpea was recorded of 86.11, 158.33 kg/ha in ICCV07306, ICCV3137 and maximum grain yield of 1491.67, 972.42 kg/ha was found in ICCV 097105, ICCV92944 for respective years. Based on damaged rating scale of H. armigera, the moderately susceptible and consistent yield observed in PG-186, ICCV92944, ICCV10 and ICCV97105. This accession can be used for future in IPM programme against H. armigera in large farm level

Genetically encoded intrabody sensors report the interaction and trafficking of β-arrestin 1 upon activation of G protein-coupled receptors

Agonist stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) typically leads to phosphorylation of GPCRs and binding to multifunctional proteins called β-arrestins (βarrs). The GPCR-βarr interaction critically contributes to GPCR desensitization, endocytosis, and downstream signaling, and GPCR-βarr complex formation can be used as a generic readout of GPCR and βarr activation. Although several methods are currently available to monitor GPCR-βarr interactions, additional sensors to visualize them may expand the toolbox and complement existing methods. We have previously described antibody fragments (FABs) that recognize activated βarr1 upon its interaction with the vasopressin V2 receptor C-terminal phosphopeptide (V2Rpp). Here, we demonstrate that these FABs efficiently report the formation of a GPCR-βarr1 complex for a broad set of chimeric GPCRs harboring the V2R C terminus. We adapted these FABs to an intrabody format by converting them to single-chain variable fragments (ScFvs) and used them to monitor the localization and trafficking of βarr1 in live cells. We observed that upon agonist simulation of cells expressing chimeric GPCRs, these intrabodies first translocate to the cell surface, followed by trafficking into intracellular vesicles. The translocation pattern of intrabodies mirrored that of βarr1, and the intrabodies co-localized with βarr1 at the cell surface and in intracellular vesicles. Interestingly, we discovered that intrabody sensors can also report βarr1 recruitment and trafficking for several unmodified GPCRs. Our characterization of intrabody sensors for βarr1 recruitment and trafficking expands currently available approaches to visualize GPCR-βarr1 binding, which may help decipher additional aspects of GPCR signaling and regulation

Periodontal Status amongst Substance Abusers in Indian Population

Background. In India there have been limited number of studies on periodontal status among drug addicts, and thus this study aims to assess the Oral hygiene and periodontal status in substance abusers and compare it with non-substance abusers. Methods. A comparative study was conducted to assess the periodontal status in substance abusers. Non-substance abusers were procured from the general population of Bangalore. From the control group 250 non-substance abusers were age and sex matched with the study population of substance abusers. The oral hygiene and periodontal condition of all subjects was assessed using Oral hygiene index- simplified (OHI-S), Russell's periodontal indices and Gingival bleeding index. Results. The mean of OHI-S and Periodontal Index (Russell's Index) scores were higher (2.70 and 3.68, resp.) in substance abusers than the control group (2.45 and 2.59, resp.). The mean Gingival bleeding score was lower (9.69) in substance abusers than the control group (22.7) and found to be statistically significant. A positive correlation found between OHI-S and Russell's periodontal index whereas negative correlation was found between OHI-S and Gingival bleeding in substance abusers. Conclusions. Though the oral hygiene was fair, more periodontal destruction and less of gingival bleeding were observed in substance abusers as compared to control group

Structure-Activity Relationships in Toll-like Receptor 2-Agonists Leading to Simplified Monoacyl Lipopeptides

Toll-like receptor 2-agonistic lipopeptides typified by S-[2,3-bis(palmitoyloxy)-(2RS)-propyl]-R-cysteinyl-S-serine (PAM2CS) compounds are potential vaccine adjuvants. In continuation of previously reported structure-activity relationships on this chemotype, we have determined that at least one acyl group of optimal length (C16) and an appropriately orientated ester carbonyl group is essential for TLR2-agonistic activity. The spacing between one of the palmitoyl ester carbonyl and the thioether is crucial to allow for an important H-bond, which observed in the crystal structure of the lipopeptide:TLR2 complex; consequently, activity is lost in homologated compounds. Penicillamine-derived analogues are also inactive, likely due to unfavorable steric interactions with the carbonyl of Ser 12 in TLR2. The thioether in this chemotype can be replaced with a selenoether. Importantly, the thioglycerol motif can be dispensed with altogether, and can be replaced with a thioethanol bridge. These results have led to a structurally simpler, synthetically more accessible, and water-soluble analogue possessing strong TLR2-agonistic activities in human blood