Networking, Resource Acquisition, and the Performance of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: An Empirical Study of Three Major Cities in China

Previously, resource-based view (RBV) research has focused on the characteristics of resources, paying less attention to the relationship between resource acquisition and the acquisition method. In addition, entrepreneurship research has focused a lot on the firm’s entrepreneurial network to explain performance. This network is critical not only to resource acquisition but also to overall firm performance. The results of a study of small and medium-sized firms in three major Chinese cities support these notions. The results differ when dividing the sample into two groups (young vs. old).resource acquisition, networking, performance, SMEs, entrepreneurship

Experimental investigation of kinetic instabilities driven by runaway electrons in the EXL-50 spherical torus

In this study, the first observation of high-frequency instabilities driven by runaway electrons has been reported in the EXL-50 spherical torus using a high-frequency magnetic pickup coil. The central frequency of these instabilities is found to be exponentially dependent on the plasma density, similar to the dispersion relation of the whistler wave. The instability frequency displays chirping characteristics consistent with the Berk-Breizman model of beam instability. Theoretically, the excitation threshold of the instability driven by runaway electrons is related to the ratio of the runaway electron density to the background plasma density, and such a relationship is first demonstrated experimentally in this study. The instability can be stabilized by increasing the plasma density, consistent with the wave-particle resonance mechanism. This investigation demonstrates the controlled excitation of chirping instabilities in a tokamak plasma and reveals new features of these instabilities, thereby advancing the understanding of the mechanisms for controlling and mitigating runaway electrons

Nano-La\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eO\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e Induces Honeybee (\u3cem\u3eApis mellifera\u3c/em\u3e) Death and Enriches for Pathogens in Honeybee Gut Bacterial Communities

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) can be exposed via numerous potential pathways to ambient nanoparticles (NPs), including rare earth oxide (REO) NPs that are increasingly used and released into the environment. Gut microorganisms are pivotal in mediating honeybee health, but how REO NPs may affect honeybee health and gut microbiota remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, honeybees were fed pollen and sucrose syrup containing 0, 1, 10, 100, and 1000mgkg−1 of nano-La2O3 for 12days. Nano-La2O3 exerted detrimental effects on honeybee physiology, as reflected by dose-dependent adverse effects of nano-La2O3 on survival, pollen consumption, and body weight (p\u3c0.05). Nano-La2O3 caused the dysbiosis of honeybee gut bacterial communities, as evidenced by the change of gut bacterial community composition, the enrichment of pathogenic Serratia and Frischella, and the alteration of digestion-related taxa Bombella (p\u3c0.05). There were significant correlations between honeybee physiological parameters and the relative abundances of pathogenic Serratia and Frischella (p\u3c0.05), underscoring linkages between honeybee health and gut bacterial communities. Taken together, this study demonstrates that nano-La2O3 can cause detrimental effects on honeybee health, potentially by disordering gut bacterial communities. This study thus reveals a previously overlooked effect of nano-La2O3 on the ecologically and economically important honeybee species Apis mellifera

Observation of whistler wave instability driven by temperature anisotropy of energetic electrons on EXL-50 spherical torus

Electromagnetic modes in the frequency range of 30-120MHz were observed in electron cyclotron wave (ECW) steady state plasmas on the ENN XuanLong-50 (EXL-50) spherical torus. These modes were found to have multiple bands of frequencies proportional to the Alfv\'en velocity. This indicates that the observed mode frequencies satisfy the dispersion relation of whistler waves. In addition, suppression of the whistler waves by the synergistic effect of Lower Hybrid Wave (LHW) and ECW was also observed. This suggests that the whistler waves were driven by temperature anisotropy of energetic electrons. These are the first such observations (not runaway discharge) made in magnetically confined toroidal plasmas and may have important implications for studying wave-particle interactions, RF wave current driver, and runaway electron control in future fusion devices

An Empirical Study on Green Innovation Strategy and Sustainable Competitive Advantages: Path and Boundary

Although green innovation strategy (GIS) is the driving force for the sustainable development of enterprises, while the strategy is implemented, an increased cost and a change in organizational routines will cause an organization to become fragile, and even affect the sustainable competitive advantages. So, the purpose of this paper is to explore the impact path of GIS on sustainable competitive advantages and the implementation boundary of GIS. To explain the impact path, we consider the concept of dynamic capabilities to be the mediator variable. To explain the implementation boundary of GIS, we systematically explore the relationships among GIS, dynamic capabilities and sustainable competitive advantages under different levels of environmental uncertainty. Based on 241 new Chinese green firms, the empirical results find that GIS helps enterprises to gain sustainable competitive advantages. However, in the process of strategy implementation, enterprises should choose appropriate methods according to different degrees of environmental uncertainty. In a low environmental uncertainty, dynamic capabilities play a full intermediary role between GIS and sustainable competitive advantages. However, in a high environmental uncertainty, dynamic capabilities have no mediating effect between GIS and sustainable competitive advantages. This study not only integrates green management theory and strategic management theory but also makes up for the deficiencies in research on these theories and has important reference value for enterprises that seek to carry out green innovation activities

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0001658 Inhibits Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Development by Regulating hsa-miR-181c-5p/FAS

Abstract Background and purpose: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the main cause of low back pain, but its pathogenesis has not been studied clearly. Circular RNA is a type of non-coding RNA (ncRNA). In this study, we aim to study the potential role of circular RNA in the pathogenesis of IDD. Methods: We obtained microarray data (GSE116726, GSE67566) from Gene Expression Omnibus database, and differentially analyzed ncRNA in nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues of IDD patients. The potential circRNAs-miRNAs-mRNAs regulatory network was analyzed by starBase. The effect of the interaction between hsa_circ_0001658, hsa-miR-181c-5p and FAS on the proliferation and apoptosis of human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) were studied. Results:Hsa_circ_0001658 was significantly up-regulated (logFC&gt;2.0 and adj.P.Val&lt;0.01) in the NP tissues of IDD patients, and hsa-miR-181c-5p expression was down-regulated (logFC&lt;-2.0 and adj.P.Val&lt;0.01). Silencing of hsa-miR-181c-5p or overexpression of hsa_circ_0001658 inhibited the proliferation of hNPCs and promoted their apoptosis. Hsa_circ_0001658 acted as a sponge of hsa-miR-181c-5p. Hsa-miR-181c-5p down-regulated the expression of FAS, promoted the proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis of hNPCs. Hsa_circ_0001658 functioned in hNPCs through targeting hsa-miR-181c-5p/FAS.Conclusion:Circular RNA hsa_circ_0001658 inhibits intervertebral disc degeneration development by regulating hsa-miR-181c-5p/FAS. It is expected to be a potential target for the therapy of IDD.</jats:p