Direct Linkage Research Articles

Impact of Ethnicity Match on Athlete Endorsement

Although direct linkages between sponsor brands and sports viewers were widely investigated in the context of athlete endorsement, few studies examined the effect of parasocial identification (PSI) on how sports viewers would perceive brands endorsed by athletes of color. A two (Black vs Asian athletes) by two (Black vs Asian viewers) mixed factorial experiment was designed to examine the role of viewers’ PSI with athletes of color in interaction effects between viewers’ ethnicities and athletes’ ethnicities on their perceptions of athlete-endorsed brands. Results found that athletes’ ethnicities generated a main effect on viewers’ perceptions of athlete-endorsed brands. Although viewers’ ethnicities did not yield any significant impact, an interaction between viewers’ ethnicities and athletes’ ethnicities affected viewers’ perceptions of athlete-endorsed brands. Moreover, viewers’ PSI with athletes intervened this interaction effect on their perceptions of athlete-endorsed brands. The practical application of ethnic similarities was also discussed in response to athlete endorsement.

Genetic and immune determinants of E. coli liver abscess formation.

Systemic infections can yield distinct outcomes in different tissues. In mice, intravenous inoculation of Escherichia coli leads to bacterial replication within liver abscesses, while other organs such as the spleen clear the pathogen. Abscesses are macroscopic necrotic regions that comprise the vast majority of the bacterial burden in the animal, yet little is known about the processes underlying their formation. Here, we characterize E. coli liver abscesses and identify host determinants of abscess susceptibility. Spatial transcriptomics revealed that liver abscesses are associated with heterogenous immune cell clusters comprised of macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells, innate lymphoid cells, and T-cells that surround necrotic regions of the liver. Abscess susceptibility is heightened in the C57BL lineage, particularly in C57BL/6N females. Backcross analyses demonstrated that abscess susceptibility is a polygenic trait inherited in a sex-dependent manner without direct linkage to sex chromosomes. As early as 1 d post infection, the magnitude of E. coli replication in the liver distinguishes abscess-susceptible and abscess-resistant strains of mice, suggesting that the immune pathways that regulate abscess formation are induced within hours. We characterized the early hepatic response with single-cell RNA sequencing and found that mice with reduced activation of early inflammatory responses, such as those lacking the LPS receptor TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4), are resistant to abscess formation. Experiments with barcoded E. coli revealed that TLR4 mediates a tradeoff between abscess formation and bacterial clearance. Together, our findings define hallmarks of E. coli liver abscess formation and suggest that hyperactivation of the hepatic innate immune response drives liver abscess susceptibility.

Propositions for a counter-economy of assessment: Adventures in the assessment of creative arts in higher education

This article considers assessment practices within the neoliberal conditions of higher education by posing questions to conceptions of value. As a motivating thrust, this article asks: might there be generative potential that remains unexplored, due to assessment’s direct linkage to the production of human capital? With its central emphasis on value, this article turns towards Brian Massumi’s Postcapitalist Manifesto: 99 Theses on the Revaluation of Value (2018). Guided by Massumi, I compose speculative propositions with which to explore the potential for a postcapitalist reworking of value within the context of assessment. The propositions offered in this paper by no means exhaust the emergent potential of re-thinking assessment, yet my aim is to sow but a few generative seeds that might expand on the potential of what (else) assessment might do. In engaging assessment otherwise, this article foregrounds assessment practices that are pertinent to the creative arts (with particular interest in the pedagogical convention of the studio crit), not as a means to suggest that arts-based disciplines have a superior and well-resolved approach to assessment, but rather to leverage the already tenuous relationship between arts education and assessment. As its objectives, this article aims to (1) contribute to the underrepresented discourse on the assessment of creative arts in higher education and to (2) explore the potential for re-imaginings of arts-based assessment practices to leak into the wider discourse of assessment as a whole. The intention is not to deliver fully formed methodological formulae but to think through assessment with propositions that might be expanded upon through speculative experimentation and future inquiries.

A MADS-Box Gene-Based InDel Marker Discriminating Sex in Actinidia arguta

Gene-based markers are valuable tools in breeding programs due to their direct linkage to traits of interest. In dioecious plants, such as kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.), sex-discriminating markers can shorten the breeding cycle by enabling the selection of preferred sexes at the juvenile stage. To develop a gene-based sex-discriminating marker, resequencing was conducted on female and male A. arguta accessions, and insertion and deletion (InDel) variations within sex-related genes were explored. A total of 203,116 InDels were detected between female and male A. arguta accessions, and 118,865 InDels were heterozygous between the two accessions. Sequence similarity between thirty-seven sex-related genes from seven dioecious species and the kiwifruit reference genome was investigated, revealing that ten genes exhibited similarities ranging from 59 to 79%. Among the 118,865 InDels, seven InDels were located on four sex-related genes encoding agamous-like MADS-box genes and hypothetical proteins. A 20 bp insertion in male A. arguta located in the agamous-like MADS-box gene was converted into an InDel marker, which clearly discriminates female and male A. arguta accessions and the interspecific hybrid cultivar. The InDel marker was designated CBk25id01 and produced approximately 350 bp amplicon only in the male A. arguta. The CBk25id01 linked to the agamous-like MADS-box gene involved in floral organ development may help understand sex differentiation and accelerate the breeding of kiwifruits.

An Insight into the Correlation between Phenolic Content and In vitro Antioxidant Activity of Calocybe Indica Extracts

Abstract: Calocybe indica has been considered an essential herb, exhibiting a strong antioxidant capability. To this point, the phenolic compounds could be the primary constituent inducing such high activity. However, the phenolic-antioxidant activity correlation still needs to be understood. This study attempted to shed light on the direct linkage between phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of the Vietnam-grown Calocybe indica for the first time. It turns out that the total amount of phenolic content is 97.67 μg/g, which is exceptionally high in the methanol extract. Gallic acid, quercetin, quercitrin, and hesperidin account for 49.02 ± 0.18 μg/g, 15.36 ± 0.24, 18.71 ± 0.32, and 14.58 ± 0.28 μg/g of such activity, respectively. Such antioxidants result in an extraordinary performance in DPPH and ABTS evaluations. Indeed, the total antioxidant capacity ranges from 59.67±0.78 to 91.26±1.57 mg GA/g or from 75.25±0.32 to 88.17±0.64 μmol AS/g, corresponding to the contents of phenolics from 24.92 ±0.24 to 35.28 ± 0.33 mg GAE/g. Furthermore, flavonoid compounds have been quantified to range from 14.63 ± 0.17 to 23.88 ± 0.10 mg QUE/g. These results imply the prominence of Calocybe indica for biomedical applications.

Regional Economic Environment: Insights from North Macedonia’s Agricultural Sector

Abstract The role of agriculture in the broader development process is extensively explored, but with no particular focus on the direct and indirect linkages among factors considering the influence of the business environment on the regional economy. This study explores the managerial perception of agricultural companies in North Macedonia regarding the status, prospects, and challenges for agriculture within the regional economy when having cooperation with Albania, Serbia, and Montenegro. A comprehensive five-stage methodology was applied to assess the factors of influence underlying the pros and cons of agricultural development. These stages encompassed a literature review, the construction of a theoretical model, data collection, principal component analysis, and the application of structural equation modeling. Three direct and two indirect linkages are hypothesized for constructing a model that quantifies the impacts of the business environment essential for the regional economy. The highest significant threshold is found for the direct path of COVID-19, followed by a strong negative direct connection to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, and a medium direct effect of governmental support. The latter indicated the Russia-Ukraine crisis and COVID-19 as having extremely strong indirect connections to the regional economy. So, supporting measures and activities of government is identified as the key issue for further growth and development of the agricultural sector in North Macedonia. The proposed model can be easily adopted and applied to other countries to screen and evaluate agricultural development. The study informs main policymakers on how to approach the challenges of the regional economy and to improve the country’s agricultural outlook.

Network interlinkages between artificial intelligence and green energy dynamics during the War in a Pandemic: An application of Bayesian vector heterogeneous autoregressions

We investigate time-varying network interlinkages between artificial intelligence development and green energy market dynamics during the War in a Pandemic. While regarding AI development, we use First Trust NASDAQ Artificial Intelligence and Robotics ETF, Global X Robotics and Artificial Intelligence and ishares Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, and the green energy market, including green bonds, clean energy, wind energy, solar energy, natural gas, and crude oil using seven Bayesian vector heterogeneous autoregression fashions. During the short, medium, and long run, this paper differentiates dynamically between network interlinkages between these markets. We found some noteworthy results in our study. We show that network interlinkages exhibit remarkable differences over time. Interlinkages between networks are increased in the short, medium, and long term due to transient events occurring in markets during the studied period. As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the long-term ties within the system are significantly impacted. Additionally, based on net directional linkages, market directional links indicate a shift in roles (from shock receiver to shock transmitter) during the epidemic and at the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Observations of short- and medium-term trends reveal that all three indexes for artificial intelligence development are shock receivers from outside, which is transmitted to the green energy sector. The results indicate that artificial intelligence development persists as shock receivers in terms of long-horizon measures but become shocking transmitters during the illness crisis of COVID-19 (from January 2019 to January 2020) and the Russia-Ukraine conflict (from early 2022).

The dynamics of perceived justice and its outcomes in the online tourism sector: inter-relationships and temporal and carryover effects

ABSTRACT The consequences of perceived justice are dynamic. The way in which perceived justice is evolutionarily dynamic in customers’ emotional states and loyalty intentions remains unclear, particularly in studies distinguishing between initial and final recovery phases. Using two time-lag intervals targeting the same respondents, our findings show that perceived justice–recovery satisfaction increases over time; however, the other two direct linkages, perceived justice–customer forgiveness and perceived justice–loyalty intentions, remain unchanged. Interestingly, the recovery satisfaction–loyalty intention linkage is stable, whereas the customer forgiveness–loyalty intention linkage decreases incrementally. Additionally, only the carryover effect of perceived justice is significant, but the other three carryover effects do not exist. Our results suggest that from the initial to the final recovery stage, managers must redesign their overall recovery strategy based on customer responses and behaviors.

Discovery of potent chromone-based autotaxin inhibitors inspired by cannabinoids

Autotaxin (ATX) is an enzyme primarily known for the production of lysophosphatidic acid. Being involved in the development of major human diseases, such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, the enzyme has been featured in multiple studies as a pharmacological target. We previously found that the cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) could bind and act as an excellent inhibitor of ATX. This study aims to use the cannabinoid scaffold as a starting point to find cannabinoid-unrelated ATX inhibitors, following a funnel down approach in which large chemical libraries sharing chemical similarities with THC were screened to identify lead scaffold types for optimization. This approach allowed us to identify compounds bearing chromone and indole scaffolds as promising ATX inhibitors. Further optimization led to MEY-003, which is characterized by the direct linkage of an N-pentyl indole to the 5,7-dihydroxychromone moiety. This molecule has potent inhibitory activity towards ATX-β and ATX-ɣ as evidenced by enzymatic studies and its mode of action was rationalized by structural biology studies using macromolecular X-ray crystallography.

Ways to Create a Negative Image of Russia in Georgia's Political Discourse

The importance of this study due to the direct linkage of such issues to the priority directions of development of modern anthropocentric and functionally oriented linguistics that contributes to scientific interest in the study of language and issues of speech influence on the consciousness of individuals, including the explicit form of exposure. This article discusses some ways of creating the image of Russia in political discourse of modern Georgia in interstate conflict that is actively used in information war and implemented by the use of the tactic of creating an enemy image, which appears to be the highest form of discrediting Russia's image. The paper highlights the features of the functioning of language tools used in the technology of demonization of the enemy, taking into account factors such as the situation of communication, its characteristics. Proper use of methods of speech influence, their expressive capabilities helps to achieve the desired result. This study is relevant for specialists engaged in the study of discourse, national and linguistic and cultural features of political discourse, as well as for those interested in ways to create negative images of the likely enemy of the mass addressee.

Abstract 15210: Qualitative Stress Perfusion American Heart Association Plot and Outcome Prediction Using Artificial Intelligence

Introduction: Stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is a guidelines-backed non-invasive test for the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD), and its prognostic value is well validated. However, image interpretation requires a high level of expertise. Furthermore, the direct relationship between image pixels and outcome is not well understood. Hypothesis: Qualitative stress perfusion map based on American Heart Association (AHA) segmentation and direct linkage with outcome can be achieved using artificial intelligence. Methods: Retrospective CMR data collection was performed in one center between 2011 and 2021. Cases with death events were identified. Mean time to event was considered as a follow-up period, and cases without events and with shorter duration from CMR to collection date were excluded. Stress perfusion images were selected from 3 left ventricular (LV) levels: basal, mid and apical. Clinical CMR reports with binary AHA perfusion values were available. Six convolutional neural networks (CNNs) were trained to predict AHA segments values for each level and merged into four CNNs for the apical level. Perfusion, scar image pixels and clinical data were transformed into features, and a hybrid CNN (HNN) was trained to predict mortality. Training, validation, and test split was 70%, 15%, and 15%, respectively. Evaluation metrics included area under curve (AUC). Results: Total number of cases included for AHA plot classification were 2139 (6417 perfusion images). The average AUC for AHA perfusion classifiers was 61%, an example with correct predictions is presented. Follow-up period was calculated at 999 days. Total number of cases included for HNN development was 1294. HNN achieved high prediction value with AUC of 81%. Conclusions: Qualitative AHA stress perfusion map was feasible using artificial intelligence. Outcome prediction with HNN was a powerful new approach for risk stratifying patients with known or suspected CAD.

Electrical Muscle Rehabilitation Apparatus Using a Optocoupler and Mega-Microcontroller

Muscle atrophy is a prevalent issue observed in individuals who experience immobility or restricted mobility as a result of accidents or illnesses. Physical therapy and exercise, often employed interventions for muscle atrophy, may occasionally lack applicability. The utilization of muscle electrical stimulation has demonstrated potential as a viable therapeutic option; however, further investigation is important to optimize its effectiveness and ensure its safety. This study investigates the possible advantages of implementing electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) and explores the utilization of a transformer, optocouplers, and MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) to enhance the efficacy of a high-capacity microcontroller-based EMS device. The issue of malfunctioning power transistors was successfully addressed through the implementation of an optocoupler-MOSFET circuit as a replacement for the power transistor. The findings of this investigation indicate that a direct electrical linkage between the signal-generating circuit and the transformer input is absent. The aforementioned features serve to ensure the safeguarding of the microcontroller circuit, establish electrical isolation between different stages of the system, and enhance the overall reliability of the EMS-designed system. The proposed framework introduces a novel technique that demonstrates a deliberate and considered approach when compared to existing studies in the field.

Direct and Indirect Linkages Between Trace Element Status and Health Indicators - a Multi-tissue Case-Study of Two Deer Species in Denmark

Measuring trace element concentrations in tissue can be a valuable approach to monitor animal health status. Temporal variation in the absorption, transport, and storage of elements between different tissues can, however, complicate the assessment of element-health relationships. Here, we measured concentrations of selected essential (copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se)) and non-essential (arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb)) trace elements within blood, liver, kidney, and hair of fallow deer (Dama dama; N=20) and red deer (Cervus elaphus; N=21). Using multivariate regression and structural equation models, we estimated direct and indirect linkages between tissue-specific trace element profiles and long- (body condition) and short-term (serum protein biomarkers for acute inflammation, infection, and malnutrition) health indicators. Trace element concentrations varied markedly and were weakly correlated among tissues, with the exception of Se. After accounting for sex- and site-differences in trace element concentrations, body condition of red deer was directly, and positively, associated to trace element status in liver and hair, but not in kidney. For both deer species, trace element status in blood was directly linked to serum protein status with an indirect positive association to deer body condition. For fallow deer, no direct association between trace element status and body condition was detected in any of the tissues, possibly because of elemental homeostasis, and because all individuals were in good clinical health. This study shows that hair can serve as an effective, non-invasive, biomarker in deer health assessments, yet, to fully uncover trace element-health relationships a variety of sample matrices is preferred.

Application of digital image correlation to derive Paris' law constants in granite specimens

This study investigates the effectiveness of Digital Image Correlation (DIC) as a powerful tool for deriving Paris' law constants in black granite specimens subjected to cyclic loading. A series of monotonic and cyclic loading tests on rectangular granite specimens yields valuable insights into geological material fatigue behavior, establishing monotonic tests as foundational references for subsequent cyclic loading experiments. Innovative DIC software application enables precise tracking and analysis of Crack Mouth Opening Displacement (CMOD) values, revealing distinct, observable patterns in crack growth during cyclic loading. A notable contribution lies in the implementation of a compliance calibration technique integrating Finite Element Method (FEM), facilitating the direct linkage between CMOD values and effective crack lengths, resulting in highly accurate Paris' law constants. With an average of 1.04 E −7 for C and 8.95 for m, these constants are essential for predicting fatigue crack propagation in granite specimens. This research underscores DIC's efficacy as a pivotal fatigue analysis tool, enhancing predictive capabilities for structural safety and durability assessments in geological materials, while emphasizing the crucial role of advanced imaging and numerical techniques in material science and structural engineering. It lays a robust foundation for future geological material studies and comprehensive structural integrity assessments.

Connecting Supervisor Procedural Justice to Perceived Tensions With Litigants Among Chinese Judges

Recent literature on procedural justice has consistently shown positive organizational outcomes resulting from fair and just treatment by supervisors. This study expands the current literature by assessing the beneficial effect of being treated fairly and justly by supervisors in court settings. Based on survey data from Chinese judges, this study analyzes the direct linkage between supervisor procedural justice and judges’ perceived tensions with litigants and their indirect relationship through trust in litigants and external procedural justice. The results of structural equation modeling indicate that supervisor justice is positively related to trust in litigants and external procedural justice and negatively associated with tensions with litigants. The indirect connection between supervisor justice and tensions with litigants is mainly through external procedural justice. Female and seasoned judges are more willing than their male and less-experienced counterparts to treat litigants in a procedurally just manner.

The impact of COVID-19 government policy on the international wine trade

To control the health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments implemented various restrictive policies, such as stay-at-home orders and restrictions on internal movement, which had adverse effects on consumption and, consequently, on international trade. This was observed even for products intensively traded and minimally impacted in terms of production, such as wine. Thus, to work towards a better awareness of future crises, this study assesses the impact of government policy responses to COVID-19 on the international wine trade. A gravity model, a benchmark approach for studying the determinants of trade, is estimated using monthly data for 20 exporting countries and 214 potential importing countries. The findings suggest that, ceteris paribus, the value of wine export flows was inversely related to the intensity of government policy response in importing countries due to lower demand provoked by restrictive measures. This effect was considerably reduced, however, concerning wines coming from the Old World, which are inferred to be more resilient, a factor primarily attributed to their higher share of wines exported with geographical indications. On the other hand, only the exports from Old World countries were negatively influenced by restrictions on internal movements in the exporting country, which reflects a business model with a complex supply chain in which several intermediaries are involved, thus weakening the direct linkage between wine producers and consumers.

Revisiting the proven relationship of green leadership, green education, and green finance with sustainable development goal 3 in the context of China: does public health expenditure really mediate the relationship?

How effectively our leaders are trained and prepared for the future is the ultimate success as it helps in achieving sustainable development goals. Simultaneously, education also holds a central position to acknowledge social, environmental, and ethical issues. Besides, healthcare sector is the major subject of discussion when there is a discussion of sustainable development, the reason being its direct linkage with SDG 3 which purely preaches healthcare and well-being. The healthcare sector itself aspires to protect health; however, it is also the highest emitter of pollution that creates vicious cycle. This establishes a greater interest to determine the factors that break the cycle through the sustainable healthcare organizations which is subjected to reduce emissions and protect environment, nature, and society. The study specifically focusing on sustainable development goal 3 intends to examine the collective role of green leadership, green education, and green finance from the perspective of private sector employees. We explore whether these factors are helpful to achieve SDG3 agenda in the presence of mediator, public health expenditure. With the help of PLS-methodology, the study concludes that green leadership and green education are strong indicators of SDG3. Besides, green finance also facilitates economies to find innovative ways through which health and well-being of individuals can be taken care of. The positive and significant mediation effect of public health expenditure indicates that there is a need to dedicate the efforts toward public health expenditures.

Mesocosm approaches to the examination of benthic–pelagic coupling, with emphasis on turbulence

AbstractBenthic and pelagic processes are closely coupled in shallow‐water estuarine and marine environments and in lakes yet benthic–pelagic coupling is difficult to simulate in mesocosms. Realistic water column (WC) and bottom turbulence often are not simultaneously mimicked in mesocosm experiments, leading to artifacts and omitting direct and indirect linkages and feedbacks between the sediment and the WC. The information on benthic–pelagic coupling mesocosm studies assembled illustrates the importance of realistic physics in mesocosms. Mesocosm approaches including both WC turbulence and bottom turbulence that are appropriately designed to resemble natural conditions can provide a deeper mechanistic understanding of feedback processes associated with biogeochemical, food web, and the habitat shifts necessary for models, and will help identify cause‐and‐effect relationships. Benthic–pelagic mesocosm experiments with realistic WC and bottom turbulence may fill the large gaps in our understanding of the responses of inorganic nutrient and organic matter fluxes between benthic habitats and the WC. Future applications of such benthic–pelagic coupling mesocosm studies are outlined.

The Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications of Genomics and Disability: Findings from a Scoping Review and Their Human Rights Implications

ObjectivesGenomic advancements affect people with disabilities. This paper presents the findings of a scoping literature review on the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genomic technologies for people with disability. The human rights implications of the ELSI findings are then discussed briefly with reference to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).MethodsA systematic search of the ELSI literature was conducted. Via a process of abstract screening and full-text review, 288 sources of evidence were included in the review. Data extraction involved identifying the ELSI discussed in each source, which were thematically analysed to generate ELSI themes and to identify relevant linkages to the UNCRPD.ResultsTen ELSI themes were identified as having relevant UNCRPD linkages including reproductive autonomy, issues related to cost and access, the downside of knowing about one’s genetic makeup, lagging legislation in light of the rapid advancement of genomic technologies, genetic discrimination, the stigmatisation and devaluation of people with disabilities, the potential resurgence of eugenics and the medical model of disability, and the involvement of people with disabilities in conversations about genomic technologies. These themes have relevant and direct linkages to several UNCRPD rights including equality, non-discrimination, diversity, accessibility, full participation, identity, and freedom of expression.ConclusionsThe review findings highlight that there is scope for the development of a charter on human rights specific to genomic technologies in the context of disability, which could guide ethical and socially appropriate developments in the field of genomic technologies in future.

Machine Learning-Enabled Predictions of Condensed Fukui Functions and Designing of Metal Pincer Complexes for Catalytic Hydrogenation of CO2.

This research showcases the machine learning (ML)-enabled homogeneous catalyst discovery to be employed in carbon dioxide hydrogenation. To achieve the desired turnover frequency (TOF), the electrophilicity of the central metal atom is a crucial factor in transition metal pincer complexes. The condensed Fukui function is a direct measure of the catalytic performance of these pincer complexes. Herein, we demonstrate that machine learning is a convenient and effiecient method to calculate condensed Fukui functions of the central metal atom. The electrophilicity values of 202 pincer complexes were calculated by using density functional theory (DFT) to train the ML model. The test data of the experimentally established pincer complexes show a direct linkage between calculated electrophilicity and experimental TOF. Further, this data was used to develop an ML protocol to screen 2,84,062 catalyst complexes to get the electrophilicity values of the Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni transition metals encompassing various permutation combinations of PNP, PNN, NNN, and PCP pincer ligands. These findings validate the efficacy of machine learning in the rapid screening of metal pincer catalysts based on condensed Fukui functions.