A Transaction Governance Perspective on Business Entertainment: A General Model and Evidence From China

Despite the prevalence of business entertainment in economic life, nearly all studies on the phenomenon have explored it from a social perspective by labeling it as a social vice. Although a few scholarly works have identified the role of business entertainment in facilitating exchange relationships; none of them has offered a systematic explanation of how business entertainment plays such a role. Meanwhile, despite some scholars’ recognition of the role of social sanctions in regulating economic activities, virtually none of them has explored the relationship between social sanctions and business entertainment. This dissertation aims to bridge these gaps by arguing that business entertainment plays a governance role by reinforcing social sanctions to regulate economic transactions. Drawing on theories from the literatures on economics, business management, anthropology, sociology, and psychology, I start with the proposition that each society during its evolution forms a transaction governance structure (TGS) featuring a unique combination of market, social, and legal sanctions in regulating economic relationships. Depending on their social and cultural heritages, some societies rely more on social sanctions, and others more on legal sanctions, to compensate for the failure of market sanctions. I further argue that underdeveloped market and legal infrastructures are associated with prevalent practice of business entertainment because the latter plays a role in reinforcing social sanctions that supplement market sanctions. These arguments set up a theoretical framework for systematically explaining the social practice of entertainment in business settings from a perspective of economic transaction governance. To verify the above arguments, I derived two sets of hypotheses and conducted two empirical tests within the Chinese context: one to predict the pervasiveness of business entertainment at the firm level, using secondary data collected from firms listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in China; the other to test the effectiveness of business entertainment at the transaction level, with primary survey data collected from a sample of Chinese corporate client sales managers. Statistical results from both tests provide support for my transaction governance approach to business entertainment

Response of Stomatal Density and Bound Gas Exchange in Leaves of Maize to Soil Water Deficit

Stomatal behavior in response to drought has been the focus of intensive research, but less attention has been paid to stomatal density. In this study, 5-week-old maize seedlings were exposed to different soil water contents. Stomatal density and size as well as leaf gas exchange were investigated after 2-, 4- and 6-weeks of treatment, which corresponded to the jointing, trumpeting, and filling stages of maize development. Results showed that new stomata were generated continually during leaf growth. Reduced soil water content significantly stimulated stomatal generation, resulting in a significant increase in stomatal density but a decrease in stomatal size and aperture. Independent of soil water conditions, stomatal density and length in the trumpeting and filling stages were greater than in the jointing stage. Irrespective of growth stage, severe water deficit significantly reduced stomatal conductance (Gs), decreasing the leaf transpiration rate (Tr) and net photosynthetic rate (Pn). Stomatal density was significantly negatively correlated with both Pn and Tr but more strongly with Tr, so the leaf instantaneous water use efficiency (WUEi) correlated positively with stomatal density. In conclusion, drought led to a significant increase in stomatal density and a reduction in stomatal size and aperture, resulting in decreased Pn and Tr. Because the negative correlation of stomatal density to Tr was stronger than that to Pn, leaf WUEi tended to increase

Modification and validation of the COVID-19 stigma instrument in nurses: A cross-sectional survey

BackgroundNurses taking care of patients with infectious diseases have suffered from noticeable societal stigma, however currently, there is no validated scale to measure such stigma. This study aimed to revise and validate the COVID-19 Stigma Instrument-Nurse-Version 3 (CSI-N-3) by using item response theory (IRT) as well as classical test theory analysis.MethodsIn phase I, the Chinese CSI-N-3 was modified from the English version of HIV/AIDS Stigma Instrument-Nurse based on standard cross-cultural procedures, including modifications, translation/back translations, pilot testing, and psychometric testing with classical test theory and Rasch analysis. In phase II, a cross-sectional study using cluster sampling was conducted among 249 eligible nurses who worked in a COVID-19-designed hospital in Shanghai, China. The influencing factors of COVID-19-associated stigma were analyzed through regression analysis.ResultsIn phase I, the two-factor structure was verified by confirmatory factor analysis, which indicated a good model fit. The 15-item CSI-N-3 achieved Cronbach’s α of 0.71–0.84, and composite reliability of 0.83–0.91. The concurrent validity was established by significant association with self-reported physical, psychological, and social support levels (r = −0.18, −0.20, and −0.21, p < 0.01). In IRT analysis, the CSI-N-3 has ordered response thresholds, with the Item Reliability and Separation Index of 0.95 and 4.15, respectively, and the Person Reliability and Separation Index of 0.20 and 0.50, respectively. The infit and outfit mean squares for each item ranged from 0.39 to 1.57. In phase II, the mean score for the CSI-N-3 in Chinese nurses was 2.80 ± 3.73. Regression analysis showed that social support was the only factor affecting nurses’ COVID-19-associated stigma (standardized coefficients β = −0.21, 95% confidence interval: −0.73 ~ −0.19).ConclusionThe instrument CSI-N-3 is equipped with rigorous psychometric properties that can be used to measure COVID-19-associated stigma during and after the COVID-19 pandemic among nurses. The use of this instrument may facilitate the evaluation of tailored stigma-reduction interventions

Herb-Drug Interaction: Effects of Relinqing® Granule on the Pharmacokinetics of Ciprofloxacin, Sulfamethoxazole, and Trimethoprim in Rats

Relinqing granule (RLQ) is the best-selling Chinese patent drug for treatment of urinary system diseases. In this study, the effects of RLQ on the pharmacokinetics of ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim in SD rats were investigated. Rats were randomly divided into control group 1, control group 2, RLQ group 1, and RLQ group 2. RLQ group 1 and RLQ group 2 were treated orally with RLQ for 7 days, and rats were treated with the same volume of water in control group 1 and control group 2. Then, RLQ group 1 and control group 1 were given intragastrically ciprofloxacin on day 8, while RLQ group 2 and control group 2 were given intragastrically sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim on day 8. Blood samples were collected and determined. There was no significant influence of pharmacokinetic parameters of trimethoprim on two groups. But some pharmacokinetic parameters of ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole in RLQ pretreated rats were evidently altered (P < 0.05), which indicated that absorption of ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole in RLQ pretreated rats was significantly affected. It indicated the coadministration of RLQ would have an influence on the efficacy of ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole, and the doses of ciprofloxacin tablet and compound sulfamethoxazole tablet need adjustment

Identification of sugar transporter genes and their roles in the pathogenicity of Verticillium dahliae on cotton

IntroductionVerticillium wilt (VW) caused by Verticillium dahliae is a soil-borne vascular fungal disease that severely affects cotton yield and fiber quality. Sugar metabolism plays an important role in the growth and pathogenicity of V. dahliae. However, limited information is known about the sugar transporter genes and their roles in the growth and pathogenicity of V. dahliae.MethodIn this study, genome-wide identification of sugar transporter genes in V. dahliae was conducted and the expression profiles of these genes in response to root exudates from cotton varieties susceptible or resistant to V. dahliae were investigated based on RNA-seq data. Tobacco Rattle Virus-based host-induced gene silencing (TRV-based HIGS) and artificial small interfering RNAs (asiRNAs) were applied to investigate the function of candidate genes involved in the growth and pathogenic process of V. dahliae.ResultsA total of 65 putative sugar transporter genes were identified and clustered into 8 Clades. Of the 65 sugar transporter genes, 9 were found to be induced only by root exudates from the susceptible variety, including VdST3 and VdST12 that were selected for further functional study. Silencing of VdST3 or VdST12 in host plants by TRV-based HIGS reduced fungal biomass and enhanced cotton resistance against V. dahliae. Additionally, silencing of VdST12 and VdST3 by feeding asiRNAs targeting VdST12 (asiR815 or asiR1436) and VdST3 (asiR201 or asiR1238) inhibited fungal growth, exhibiting significant reduction in hyphae and colony diameter, with a more significant effect observed for the asiRNAs targeting VdST12. The inhibitory effect of asiRNAs on the growth of V. dahliae was enhanced with the increasing concentration of asiRNAs. Silencing of VdST12 by feeding asiR815+asiR1436 significantly decreased the pathogenicity of V. dahliae.DiscussionThe results suggest that VdST3 and VdST12 are sugar transporter genes required for growth and pathogenicity of V. dahliae and that asiRNA is a valuable tool for functional characterization of V. dahliae genes

Liver-resident NK cells confer adaptive immunity in skin-contact inflammation

Liver natural killer (NK) cells were recently reported to possess memory-like properties in contact hypersensitivity (CHS) models. However, the phenotype and origin of these “memory” NK cells cannot be distinguished from other NK cell subpopulations. Here, we define the transcriptional, phenotypic, and functional features of liver NK cell subsets and their roles in mediating CHS. Liver NK cells can be divided into two distinct subsets: CD49a(+)DX5(–) and CD49a(–)DX5(+). Substantial transcriptional and phenotypic differences existed between liver CD49a(+)DX5(–) NK cells and other NK cell subsets. CD49a(+)DX5(–) NK cells possessed memory potential and conferred hapten-specific CHS responses upon hapten challenge. Importantly, CD49a(+)DX5(–) NK cells were liver resident and were present in the liver sinusoidal blood, but not the afferent and efferent blood of the liver. Moreover, they appeared to originate from hepatic hematopoietic progenitor/stem cells (HPCs/HSCs) but not from the bone marrow, and maintained their phenotypes in the steady state. Our findings of liver-resident NK cells shed new light on the acquisition of memory-like properties of NK cells

LOL: A Highly Flexible Framework for Designing Stream Ciphers

In this paper, we propose LOL, a general framework for designing blockwise stream ciphers, to achieve ultrafast software implementations for the ubiquitous virtual networks in 5G/6G environments and high-security level for post-quantum cryptography. The LOL framework is structurally strong, and all its components as well as the LOL framework itself enjoy high flexibility with various extensions. Following the LOL framework, we propose new stream cipher designs named LOL-MINI and LOL-DOUBLE with the support of the AES-NI and SIMD instructions: the former applies the basic LOL single mode while the latter uses the extended parallel-dual mode. Both LOL-MINI and LOL-DOUBLE support 256-bit key length and, according to our thorough evaluations, have 256-bit security margins against all existing cryptanalysis methods including differential, linear, integral, etc. The software performances of LOL-MINI and LOL-DOUBLE can reach 89 Gbps and 135 Gbps. In addition to pure encryptions, the LOL-MINI and LOL-DOUBLE stream ciphers can also be applied in a stream-cipher-then-MAC strategy to make an AEAD scheme

BMI1 fine-tunes gene repression and activation to safeguard undifferentiated spermatogonia fate

Introduction: Spermatogenesis is sustained by the homeostasis of self-renewal and differentiation of undifferentiated spermatogonia throughout life, which is regulated by transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. B cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (BMI1), one of spermatogonial stem cell markers, is a member of Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) and important to spermatogenesis. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of how BMI1 regulates spermatogonia fate remain elusive.Methods: We knocked down BMI1 by siRNA to investigate the role of BMI1 in undifferentiated spermatogonia. Differentially expressed genes were identified by RNA-seq and used for KEGG pathway analysis. We performed ChIP-seq analysis in wild type and BMI1 knockdown cells to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms exerted by BMI1. BMI1-associated alterations in repressive histone modifications were detected via Western blotting and ChIP-seq. Furthermore, we performed mass spectrometry and Co-immunoprecipitation assays to investigate BMI1 co-factors. Finally, we demonstrated the genomic regions occupied by both BMI1 and its co-factor.Results: BMI1 is required for undifferentiated spermatogonia maintenance by both repressing and activating target genes. BMI1 preserves PI3K-Akt signaling pathway for spermatogonia proliferation. Decrease of BMI1 affects the deposition of repressive histone modifications H2AK119ub1 and H3K27me3. BMI also positively regulates H3K27ac deposited genes which are associated with proliferation. Moreover, we demonstrate that BMI1 interacts with Sal-like 4 (SALL4), the transcription factor critical for spermatogonia function, to co-regulate gene expression.Discussion: Overall, our study reveals that BMI1 safeguards undifferentiated spermatogonia fate through multi-functional roles in regulating gene expression programs of undifferentiated spermatogonia

On the critical competition between singlet exciton decay and free charge generation in non-fullerene based organic solar cells with low energetic offsets

Reducing voltage losses while maintaining high photocurrents is the holy grail of current research on non-fullerene acceptor (NFA) based organic solar cell. Recent focus lies in understanding the various fundamental mechanisms in organic blends with minimal energy offsets - particularly the relationship between ionization energy offset (ΔIE) and free charge generation. Here, we quantitatively probe this relationship in multiple NFA-based blends by mixing Y-series NFAs with PM6 of different molecular weights, covering a broad power conversion efficiency (PCE) range: from 15% down to 1%. Spectroelectrochemistry reveals that a ΔIE of more than 0.3 eV is necessary for efficient photocurrent generation. Bias-dependent time-delayed collection experiments reveal a very pronounced field-dependence of free charge generation for small ΔIE blends, which is mirrored by a strong and simultaneous field-dependence of the quantified photoluminescence from the NFA local singlet exciton (LE). We find that the decay of singlet excitons is the primary competition to free charge generation in low-offset NFA-based organic solar cells, with neither noticeable losses from charge-transfer (CT) decay nor evidence for LE–CT hybridization. In agreement with this conclusion, transient absorption spectroscopy consistently reveals that a smaller ΔIE slows the NFA exciton dissociation into free charges, albeit restorable by an electric field. Our experimental data align with Marcus theory calculations, supported by density functional theory simulations, for zero-field free charge generation and exciton decay efficiencies. We conclude that efficient photocurrent generation generally requires that the CT state is located below the LE, but that this restriction is lifted in systems with a small reorganization energy for charge transfer.A quantitative study, supported by Marcus theory and DFT, showing why the fate of singlet excitons is the pivot to free charge generation in low-energy offset organic solar cells.Fonds Wetenschappelijk OnderzoekEuropean Research CouncilDeutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftChina Scholarship Counci