Innovation strategies and organisational performance: The moderating role of company size among small- and medium-sized companies

Purpose: Not all innovative ideas or approaches commonly implemented by larger companies apply to smaller firms in all regions. Innovation that does not imply company achievements might exhaust their limited resources and cause the market to be uncompetitive. This paper aims to answer two research questions: (1) Do innovation strategies, such as process, marketing and social innovation, affect the performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)? (2) Does company size moderate the relationship between social and marketing innovations with SMEs' performance? Design/methodology/approach; This paper proposed three innovation strategies (i.e. social, marketing and process innovations) influencing Malaysian SMEs' performance. There were 123 valid respondents from SMEs, and the data were analysed using a structural equation modelling partial least square (SEM-PLS) technique. Findings; The research findings advocate that process innovation directly impacts SMEs' performance, not marketing innovation. Interestingly, the influence of social innovation on organisation performance is only significant when the company size becomes more prominent. Companies can provide consistent and continuous social enhancement that arouses public trust and reputation with more resources and capabilities. Also, smaller companies might concentrate their scarce resources on process innovation with instant beneficial potential instead of a sophisticated marketing strategy. Originality/value; There is limited empirical research examining how different innovation strategies, especially social innovation, affect SMEs' performance in developing countries. Furthermore, the second-generation analysis (PLS-SEM) technique provides more systematic and comprehensive results

Effect of synthetic emulsifier and natural biosurfactant on feed process and quality of pelletized feed in broiler diet

A feed production trial was conducted to study the effect of synthetic emulsifier and natural biosurfactant the process and quality of pelletized broiler feed. A corn-soy based broiler diet was formulated with fixed ratio 2:1 of oil-to-water with two types of emulsifiers, namely glyceryl polyethylene glycol ricinoleate synthetic emulsifier and lysophosphatidylcholine natural biosurfactant. T1: Basal diet with no water and no emulsifier; T2: Basal diet with water and no emulsifier; T3: Basal diet with water and synthetic emulsifier glyceryl polyethylene glycol ricinoleate; T4: Basal diet with water and a natural biosurfactant lysophosphatidylcholine as comparative treatment. The treatment diets were manufactured by a commercial feed mill. The electricity cost and meal temperature were measured during the process of milling. Composite samples were collected from different processed points, tested for physical properties, chemical stability and biostability of pelletized feed. Pellet quality of emulsifier supplemented diets was significantly (p<0.05) improved in crumble and pellet intact form. Correlation between emulsifier and pelletize processed cost was not observed in this present study. No deteriorate effect was observed in hydrolytic rancidity (AV), oxidation rancidity (PV), mold count, moisture content and water activity. However, percentage of starch gelatinization on pelletized feed was significantly (p< 0.0001) improved in both types of emulsifier treated diets. These results demonstrated that the addition of emulsifier to broiler diet improved pellet quality to some extent although significant difference between synthetic emulsifier and natural biosurfactant was not observed

Comparison of feeding practices, eating behaviors and dietary intake between children with Autism Spectrum Disorder of different body weight status in Sarawak

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are a nutritionally vulnerable population. To date, information on nutritional status and dietary intake of Malaysian children with ASD is scarce. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare parental feeding practices, child eating behaviors, and dietary intake between children with ASD of different body weight status from 16 autism intervention centers in Sarawak. A total of 124 children (83.9% males and 16.1% females) aged 2 to 11 years and their mothers were recruited using convenience sampling. Mothers were interviewed to obtain information on parental feeding practices and child eating behaviors. Anthropometric measurements including weight and height were measured by the researcher. Dietary intake was assessed using food diary and nutrient intakes were compared with the Malaysian Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNI). The prevalence of at risk of overweight (4.8%), overweight (16.9%), and obesity (20.2%) was higher than that of thinness (3.2%). Inadequate intake of energy (33.9%), calcium (90.3%), vitamin C (37.9%), vitamin A (52.4%), and vitamin D (93.5%) was reported among children with ASD. Mothers with overweight/obese children reported higher scores in perceived child weight (p<0.001), concern about child weight (p=0.003), food responsiveness (p=0.001), emotional over-eating (p=0.035), and enjoyment of food (p=0.038) subscales as compared to their counterparts with normal weight. Overweight/obese children with ASD consumed more energy, fat, and iron than normal weight children with ASD (p<0.05). Children with ASD in this study were prone to overnutrition and nutritional deficiencies. Dietary interventions and trainings on parental feeding practices should be included in the intervention programmes by the autism intervention centers to improve feeding practices, eating behaviors, and nutrient intakes of children with ASD

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) inhibitory activity screening of Momordica charantia, Taraxacum officinale and Trigonella foenum-graecumextracts in vitro

Diabetes, a globally popular disease which attracted the attention of many researches worldwide to discover a non-toxic and side effect free remedy for this disease. Inhibition of DPP IV enzymes has been adopted as one of the strategies in recent years in controlling diabetes. DPP IV inhibitor inhibits the dipeptidyl peptidase enzyme which degrades several incretin hormones that are vital in the production of insulin and managing the blood glucose level.Thus, the present study was designed to investigate the DPP IV inhibitory effects of plants having antidiabetic property. In vitro DPP IV inhibition was evaluated by the specific inhibitory activity of Momordica charantia (whole fruit), Taraxacum officinale (whole plant) and Trigonella foenum-graecum (seed) extracts prepared with heat treatment using petroleum ether, acetone, ethanol and water as solvents. Among the tested plants T. officinale and M. charantia acetone extracts exhibited strong DPP IV activity inhibition, with 78.88% and 54.13% respectively. The present study is the first report on screening of DPP IV inhibitory activity of T. officinale, M. charantiaand T. foenum-graecum extracts. This could provide a new insight into DPP IV inhibitors from plants that could be useful for treatment of type 2 diabetes

Exhaustion of nucleus pulposus progenitor cells with ageing and degeneration of the intervertebral disc

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Directed differentiation of notochord-like and nucleus pulposus-like cells using human pluripotent stem cells

Intervertebral disc degeneration might be amenable to stem cell therapy, but the required cells are scarce. Here, we report the development of a protocol for directed in vitro differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into notochord-like and nucleus pulposus (NP)-like cells of the disc. The first step combines enhancement of ACTIVIN/NODAL and WNT and inhibition of BMP pathways. By day 5 of differentiation, hPSC-derived cells express notochordal cell characteristic genes. After activating the TGF-beta pathway for an additional 15 days, qPCR, immunostaining, and transcriptome data show that a wide array of NP markers are expressed. Transcriptomically, the in vitro-derived cells become more like in vivo adolescent human NP cells, driven by a set of influential genes enriched with motifs bound by BRACHYURY and FOXA2, consistent with an NP cell-like identity. Transplantation of these NP-like cells attenuates fibrotic changes in a rat disc injury model of disc degeneration

Disordered eating in women with type 1 diabetes: Continuous glucose monitoring reveals the complex interactions of glycaemia, self-care behaviour and emotion

OBJECTIVES: Glycaemia in people with type 1 diabetes and disordered eating is not well characterised. We explored the glycaemia, self-care behaviour and emotional state of women with type 1 diabetes and disordered eating. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In all, 13 women with and 10 without disordered eating and type 1 diabetes participated in this case-control study. We used a mixed-methods approach with a 7-day blinded continuous glucose monitoring and real-time record of non-prompted capillary glucose (CG), emotion, activity and physical symptoms on a diabetes diary using a smartphone application (mySugr®). We compared groups using Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher's exact test. We conducted thematic analyses of free-text diary entries (NVivo®) and quantitative analysis of emotion/symptom tags. RESULTS: People with type 1 diabetes and disordered eating spent longer time above range in level 2 hyperglycaemia (>13.9 mmol/L, Median [interquartile range]: 21% [16,60] vs 5% [2,17], p = 0.015). They had lower time in range and similar time below range compared to those without disordered eating. The standard deviation of CG was significantly higher in the disordered eating group (4.7 mmol/L [4.5, 6.1] vs 3 [2.8, 3.2], p = 0.018). The median of the percentage of rising sensor glucose trends was three times higher in the disordered eating group. They also had higher negative emotional and physical symptoms associated with high blood glucose (>15 mmol/L). CONCLUSIONS: Disordered eating has a significant impact on the glycaemia and emotion of a person with type 1 diabetes

Spectroscopic investigation of quantum confinement effects in ion implanted silicon-on-sapphire films

Crystalline Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) films were implanted with boron (B$^+$) and phosphorous (P$^+$) ions. Different samples, prepared by varying the ion dose in the range $10^{14}$ to 5 x $10^{15}$ and ion energy in the range 150-350 keV, were investigated by the Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and glancing angle x-ray diffraction (GAXRD). The Raman results from dose dependent B$^+$ implanted samples show red-shifted and asymmetrically broadened Raman line-shape for B$^+$ dose greater than $10^{14}$ ions cm$^{-2}$. The asymmetry and red shift in the Raman line-shape is explained in terms of quantum confinement of phonons in silicon nanostructures formed as a result of ion implantation. PL spectra shows size dependent visible luminescence at $\sim$ 1.9 eV at room temperature, which confirms the presence of silicon nanostructures. Raman studies on P$^+$ implanted samples were also done as a function of ion energy. The Raman results show an amorphous top SOS surface for sample implanted with 150 keV P$^+$ ions of dose 5 x $10^{15}$ ions cm$^{-2}$. The nanostructures are formed when the P$^+$ energy is increased to 350 keV by keeping the ion dose fixed. The GAXRD results show consistency with the Raman results.Comment: 9 Pages, 6 Figures and 1 Table, \LaTex format To appear in SILICON(SPRINGER

CRISPR/Cas9 Genome-Editing System in Human Stem Cells: Current Status and Future Prospects

Genome-editing involves the insertion, deletion, or replacement of DNA in the genome of a living organism using “molecular scissors.” Traditional genome editing with engineered nucleases for human stem cells is limited by its low efficiency, high cost, and poor specificity. The CRISPR system has recently emerged as a powerful gene manipulation technique with advantages of high editing efficiency and low cost. Although this technique offers huge potential for gene manipulation in various organisms ranging from prokaryotes to higher mammals, there remain many challenges in human stem cell research. In this review, we highlight the basic biology and application of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in current human stem cell research, discuss its advantages and challenges, and debate the future prospects for human stem cells in regenerative medicine.published_or_final_versio