Transformational leadership and employee voice for product and process innovation in SMEs

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the impact of transformational leadership on the innovation ofsmall and medium enterprises (SMEs) through employee voice behaviors. Drawing from the upper echelontheory, it is hypothesized that employee voice is the mediating mechanism through which transformationalleadership affects the process and product innovation in SMEs.Design/methodology/approach – Data was collected from 169 SMEs of Pakistan through an onlineself-administered questionnaire. The proposed hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structuralequation modeling (PLS-SEM).Findings – Findings confirm that transformational leadership positively affects both process and productinnovation in SMEs and employee voice behavior mediates between these relationships.Originality/value – This research contributes to both theoretical and practical domains by providingevidence that encouraging employees to raise their voice positively impacts product and process innovationand transformational leadership is a potential organizational factor to shape employee voice and process andproduct innovation. To the best knowledge, this is the first study that investigates the mediating role ofemployee voice between transformational leadership and process and product innovation in SMEs anddeveloping country’s context

Unpacking the relationship between high-performance work systems and innovation performance in SMEs

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the black box between high-performance work systems (HPWS) and innovation performance in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Through application of the ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) framework, the study examines the mediating roles of innovation-specific ability, motivation and voice behaviors between HPWS and SMEs’ innovation performance. Design/methodology/approach The hypotheses are tested on data collected through a self-administered questionnaire from 237 SMEs in Pakistan. Findings Findings indicate that human capital, motivation and employee voice fully mediate the relationship between HPWS and innovation performance in SMEs. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional research design and self-reported measures warrant caution for the interpretation of findings. Future research may consider a longitudinal research design and objective measures. Practical implications SMEs need to invest in the adoption and implementation of HPWS that will develop innovation-specific abilities, motivation and voice behaviors simultaneously among employees that will lead to higher innovation performance. Originality/value This is the first study of its kind utilizing an AMO framework to investigate the underlying mechanism through which HPWS affect innovation performance in SMEs

Evaluation of Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke on Computed Tomography

The stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death in Pakistan, wherein back in 2009, stroke used to be the 4th leading cause of death in Pakistan, a 19.2% increase is alarming (IHME, 2019). Ischemic stroke occurs 75-80 percent of the time, while hemorrhagic stroke occurs 8-20 percent of the time. The objective of our study is to evaluate the frequency and ratio of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke on computed tomography. A Descriptive study was performed using non-probability convenient sampling technique. The study was conducted in Lahore General Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. The data was collected from November 15, 2020 to February 15, 2021. Informed consent was taken from all the participants. In our study patients with provisional diagnose of clot or thrombosis, History of Ischemic Stroke, History of Hemorrhagic Stroke, patients who came with clinical manifestation of stroke, traumatic or Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) patients, patients with cerebral Transient Ischemic Stroke. Arterial Puncture in Last 7 days, patients with Active bleeding, peroneal nerve injuryand patients who have been injected Botulinum Toxic Injection in last 3 months were included in our study. Patients who had a previous history of Parkinson disease, patients not having any apparent cause or chronic or acute symptoms of stroke, no history of internal bleeding, patients with chronic cerebral disease and patients with other neurological defects were excluded.A total of 85 patients with Stroke were included in our study. Most of the patients were 40 to 65 years of age. The average age of the patients was 59.5 ± 11.1 years. Out of 85 there were 38.8% (P=33) positive with H/O Infarction females (P=11) and males (P=22 ) 55 (62.5%) were males and 33 (37.5%) were females with 1.62: 1 male to female ratio as shown in Fig 5.2. Ischemic stroke was observed in 33 (36.2%) patients and 40 (47.3%) were suffered hemorrhagic stroke and 12 (14.4%) patients were affected with TIA.The conclusion to this study is that to assess early stroke with extreme clarity, computed tomography is the safest modality for evaluating stroke patients and allows radiologists to more accurately assess these patients on CT in terms of prognosis, frequency, morbidity, and legitimacy. Keywords: Stroke, Hemorrhagic Stroke, Ischemic Stroke, Cerebral Infarction, Computed Tomography DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/90-06 Publication date:June 30th 202

Mitigating negative impact of salinity on berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) by foliar application of salicylic acid

Salicylic acid (SA) is a plant growth regulator known to take part in defense responses against different types of stresses, including salt stress. In this study, the role of foliar applied SA in improving the growth of berseem variety ‘Anmol’ under salt stress was examined. Plants were sown in plastic pots in the sand. Plants were treated with different concentrations of salinity (0, 60 mM and 120 mM NaCl) and salicylic acid (0, 100 mg L-1 and 150 mg L-1) was applied as a foliar spray. Salinity stress significantly reduced root and shoot fresh and dry weight, root and shoot length, photosynthetic pigments including Chl. a, b, a/b, total soluble proteins, total amino acids and uptake of K+ and Ca2+ ions in root and shoot tissues. Exogenous application of salicylic acid improved growth traits including shoot length, shoot fresh weight, root length, root fresh and weight, shoot dry weight, pigments contents (Chl. a, a/b and carotenoids). Total soluble protein and amino acid contents, activities of antioxidants peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were also enhanced by the foliar spray of SA under saline and non-saline conditions. SA played a crucial role in lowering Na+ and Cl− ions content in shoot and root tissues while enhancing the uptake of K+ and Ca2+ ions. The study revealed that 100 mg L-1 SA treatment significantly influenced several plant parameters, including shoot length (8 cm), root length 6.7 cm, chlorophyll (1.2 mg/g FW), total soluble proteins (0.8 mg/g FW) and total amino acids (2.5 mg/g FW), SOD (1.22 U/mg protein), CAT (1.75 U/mg FW), potassium ions (29 mg/g DW), and calcium ions (43 mg/g DW) during salinity stress. Therefore, field use of SA (100 mg L-1) is recommended to enhance the growth of berseem and other fodder crops in saline soils

Battling arid adversity: unveiling the resilience of cotton in the face of drought and innovative mitigation approaches

Climate change has had significant impacts on agriculture, particularly on cotton production, where drought has emerged as a major threat worldwide. Long and intense dry periods in cotton-growing regions have become more frequent and severe. Drought stress severely affects various aspects of cotton plants, including chlorophyll pigments, carbohydrate metabolism, and enzyme activities related to fiber development, such as vacuolar invertase and sucrose synthase. Furthermore, drought stress disrupts the movement of nutrients toward the reproductive tissues in cotton, resulting in compromised pollen function, propagative failure, and fiber characteristics. To tackle these issues, scientists have made advancements in creating drought-resistant cotton varieties through transgenic methods or molecular breeding techniques, genome editing, CRISPR/Cas9, utilizing quantitative trait loci (QTL). Moreover, the application of plant growth regulators and mineral elements has displayed the potential to improve cotton’s ability to endure drought stress while also enhancing fiber yield and quality. These approaches activate stress-responsive signaling pathways, which could contribute to mitigating reproductive failure and improving fiber characteristics. While the impact of drought stress on cotton plants has been extensively studied, the variations in fiber quality resulting from drought stress are not yet completely understood. Current research has been focused on unraveling the mechanisms underlying these changes, including the physiological, biochemical, and molecular alterations during the multiplicative growth phase that contribute to poor fiber development. Understanding these mechanisms will facilitate the development of novel strategies to alleviate the adverse impact of worldwide weather changes on cotton growth and fiber quality. This research focuses on the drought stress in cotton cultivation and explores its different effects on cotton morphology, physiology, crop yield, and fiber characteristics as well as mechanisms by which cotton exhibits drought tolerance and highlights innovative strategies to mitigate drought stress

Global disparities in surgeons’ workloads, academic engagement and rest periods: the on-calL shIft fOr geNEral SurgeonS (LIONESS) study

: The workload of general surgeons is multifaceted, encompassing not only surgical procedures but also a myriad of other responsibilities. From April to May 2023, we conducted a CHERRIES-compliant internet-based survey analyzing clinical practice, academic engagement, and post-on-call rest. The questionnaire featured six sections with 35 questions. Statistical analysis used Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression (SPSS® v. 28). The survey received a total of 1.046 responses (65.4%). Over 78.0% of responders came from Europe, 65.1% came from a general surgery unit; 92.8% of European and 87.5% of North American respondents were involved in research, compared to 71.7% in Africa. Europe led in publishing research studies (6.6 ± 8.6 yearly). Teaching involvement was high in North America (100%) and Africa (91.7%). Surgeons reported an average of 6.7 ± 4.9 on-call shifts per month, with European and North American surgeons experiencing 6.5 ± 4.9 and 7.8 ± 4.1 on-calls monthly, respectively. African surgeons had the highest on-call frequency (8.7 ± 6.1). Post-on-call, only 35.1% of respondents received a day off. Europeans were most likely (40%) to have a day off, while African surgeons were least likely (6.7%). On the adjusted multivariable analysis HDI (Human Development Index) (aOR 1.993) hospital capacity > 400 beds (aOR 2.423), working in a specialty surgery unit (aOR 2.087), and making the on-call in-house (aOR 5.446), significantly predicted the likelihood of having a day off after an on-call shift. Our study revealed critical insights into the disparities in workload, access to research, and professional opportunities for surgeons across different continents, underscored by the HDI

Management Strategies to Mitigate N2O Emissions in Agriculture

The concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere has been increasing since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is one of the mightiest GHGs, and agriculture is one of the main sources of N2O emissions. In this paper, we reviewed the mechanisms triggering N2O emissions and the role of agricultural practices in their mitigation. The amount of N2O produced from the soil through the combined processes of nitrification and denitrification is profoundly influenced by temperature, moisture, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen contents. These factors can be manipulated to a significant extent through field management practices, influencing N2O emission. The relationships between N2O occurrence and factors regulating it are an important premise for devising mitigation strategies. Here, we evaluated various options in the literature and found that N2O emissions can be effectively reduced by intervening on time and through the method of N supply (30–40%, with peaks up to 80%), tillage and irrigation practices (both in non-univocal way), use of amendments, such as biochar and lime (up to 80%), use of slow-release fertilizers and/or nitrification inhibitors (up to 50%), plant treatment with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (up to 75%), appropriate crop rotations and schemes (up to 50%), and integrated nutrient management (in a non-univocal way). In conclusion, acting on N supply (fertilizer type, dose, time, method, etc.) is the most straightforward way to achieve significant N2O reductions without compromising crop yields. However, tuning the rest of crop management (tillage, irrigation, rotation, etc.) to principles of good agricultural practices is also advisable, as it can fetch significant N2O abatement vs. the risk of unexpected rise, which can be incurred by unwary management

Molecular Tools and Their Applications in Developing Salt-Tolerant Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> L.) Cultivars

Abiotic stresses are one of the significant threats to soybean (Glycine max L.) growth and yields worldwide. Soybean has a crucial role in the global food supply chain and food security and contributes the main protein share compared to other crops. Hence, there is a vast scientific saddle on soybean researchers to develop tolerant genotypes to meet the growing need of food for the huge population. A large portion of cultivated land is damaged by salinity stress, and the situation worsens yearly. In past years, many attempts have increased soybean resilience to salinity stress. Different molecular techniques such as quantitative trait loci mapping (QTL), genetic engineering, transcriptome, transcription factor analysis (TFs), CRISPR/Cas9, as well as other conventional methods are used for the breeding of salt-tolerant cultivars of soybean to safeguard its yield under changing environments. These powerful genetic tools ensure sustainable soybean yields, preserving genetic variability for future use. Only a few reports about a detailed overview of soybean salinity tolerance have been published. Therefore, this review focuses on a detailed overview of several molecular techniques for soybean salinity tolerance and draws a future research direction. Thus, the updated review will provide complete guidelines for researchers working on the genetic mechanism of salinity tolerance in soybean

Role of Molecular Breeding Tools in Enhancing the Breeding of Drought-Resilient Cotton Genotypes: An Updated Review

Drought stress is an inevitable factor that disturbs the production of plants by altering morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular functions. Breeding for drought tolerance requires a complete understanding of the molecular factors controlling stress-responsive pathways. The plant responds to drought stress by adopting four mechanisms: avoidance, escape, tolerance, and recovery. Traditional plant-breeding tools have been employed to increase tolerance in cotton, but the complexity of drought tolerance has limited the use of these breeding methods. The plant adopts several key strategies against drought stress, such as activating the signaling network and activating molecular factors. Cotton breeders have been engaged in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance in cotton using significant molecular tools such as quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, transcription factor (TFs) analysis, transcriptome analysis, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), genetic engineering, and CRISPR/Cas9. Breeders have studied the functional description of genes and the interacting pathways accountable for controlling drought tolerance in cotton. Hundreds of genes/QTL have been identified, and many have been cloned for drought tolerance in cotton; however, a complete understanding of these traits still needs more study. This review presents a detailed overview of molecular tools, their application for improving drought tolerance in cotton, and their prospects. This review will help future researchers to conduct further studies to develop drought-tolerant cotton genotypes that can thrive under conditions of water scarcity