Preferential Localization Research Articles

Canary Categories

Past customer spending in a category is generally a positive signal of future customer spending. Analyses of historical data at two retailers demonstrate that there exist “canary categories” for which the reverse is true. Purchases in these categories are a signal that customers are less likely to return to that retailer. The authors propose an explanation for the existence of canary categories and then develop a stylized model that illustrates four contributing factors: the probability that a customer finds their favorite brand, customers’ willingness to substitute brands, the cost and attractiveness of visiting other stores, and expectations about future brand availability. The analysis uses both field data and experiments to investigate these factors. The findings suggest that canary categories exist (at least in part) because store assortments are not completely adjusted to local preferences. An implication is that canary categories are endogenous to each retailer; the same category may be a canary category at one retailer and a destination category at a competing retailer.

Macromolecular condensation organizes nucleolar sub-phases to set up a pH gradient

Nucleoli are multicomponent condensates defined by coexisting sub-phases. We identified distinct intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), including acidic (D/E) tracts and K-blocks interspersed by E-rich regions, as defining features of nucleolar proteins. We show that the localization preferences of nucleolar proteins are determined by their IDRs and the types of RNA or DNA binding domains they encompass. Invitro reconstitutions and studies in cells showed how condensation, which combines binding and complex coacervation of nucleolar components, contributes to nucleolar organization. D/E tracts of nucleolar proteins contribute to lowering the pH of co-condensates formed with nucleolar RNAs invitro. In cells, this sets up a pH gradient between nucleoli and the nucleoplasm. By contrast, juxta-nucleolar bodies, which have different macromolecular compositions, featuring protein IDRs with very different charge profiles, have pH values that are equivalent to or higher than the nucleoplasm. Our findings show that distinct compositional specificities generate distinct physicochemical properties for condensates.

Smartphone Application Versus Standard Instruction for Colonoscopic Preparation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

To compare smartphone application (Colonoscopic Preparation) instructions versus paper instructions for bowel preparation for colonoscopy. Adhering to bowel preparation instructions is important to ensure a high-quality colonoscopy. This randomized controlled trial included individuals undergoing colonoscopy at a tertiary care hospital. Individuals were randomized (1:1) to receive instructions through a smartphone application or traditional paper instructions. The primary outcome was the quality of the bowel preparation as measured by the Boston Bowel Preparation Score. Secondary outcomes included cecal intubation and polyp detection. Patient satisfaction was assessed using a previously developed questionnaire. A total of 238 individuals were randomized (n = 119 in each group), with 202 available for the intention-to-treat analysis (N = 97 in the app group and 105 in the paper group). The groups had similar demographics, indications for colonoscopy, and type of bowel preparation. The primary outcome (Boston Bowel Preparation Score) demonstrated no difference between groups (Colonoscopic Preparation app mean: 7.26 vs paper mean: 7.28, P = 0.91). There was no difference in cecal intubation (P = 0.37), at least one polyp detected (P = 0.43), or the mean number of polyps removed (P = 0.11). A higher proportion strongly agreed or agreed that they would use the smartphone app compared with paper instructions (89.4% vs 70.1%, P = 0.001). Smartphone instructions performed similarly to traditional paper instructions for those willing to use the application. Local patient preferences need to be considered before making changes in the method of delivery of medical instructions.

Functional 2D Nanoplatforms Alleviate Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis by Modulating Eosinophil Extracellular Trap Formation.

The therapeutic outcomes of patients with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (ECRS) remain unsatisfactory, largely because the underlying mechanisms of eosinophilic inflammation are uncertain. Here, it is shown that the nasal secretions of ECRS patients have high eosinophil extracellular trap (EET) and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels. Moreover, the cfDNA induced EET formation by activating toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) signaling. After demonstrating that DNase I reduced eosinophilic inflammation by modulating EET formation, linear polyglycerol-amine (LPGA)-coated TiS2 nanosheets (TLPGA) as functional 2D nanoplatforms with low cytotoxicity, mild protein adsorption, and increased degradation rate is developed. Due to the more flexible linear architecture, TLPGA exhibited higher cfDNA affinity than the TiS2 nanosheets coated with dendritic polyglycerol-amine (TDPGA). TLPGA reduced cfDNA levels in the nasal secretions of ECRS patients while suppressing cfDNA-induced TLR9 activation and EET formation in vitro. TLPGA displayed exceptional biocompatibility, preferential nasal localization, and potent inflammation modulation in mice with eosinophilic inflammation. These results highlight the pivotal feature of the linear molecular architecture and 2D sheet-like nanostructure in the development of anti-inflammation nanoplatforms, which can be exploited for ECRS treatment.

Effectiveness of Millet-Pulse-Groundnut Based Formulations in Improving the Growth of Pre-School Tribal Children in Telangana State, India.

A community-level nutritional intervention was implemented among tribal children (3 to 6 years of age) in Telangana, India. The one-year intervention involved six nutrient-rich formulations of millet-pulse-groundnut-based products suited to local taste preferences. Anthropometric measurements of height, weight, and mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) along with haemoglobin (Hb) levels were monitored at baseline and endline. The treatment group showed considerable gains in height (3.2 cm), weight (1.68 kg), and MUAC (0.33 cm) over the control group. The paired t-test indicated significant differences (p < 0.01) between the pre- and post-intervention anthropometric measurements. Positive shifts were observed in terms of wasting (WHZ; -1.2 ± 1.3 to -0.9 ± 1), stunting (HAZ; -1.8 ± 1.6 to -0.3 ± 1.3), and underweight (WAZ; -1.9 ± 1.2 to -0.7 ± 1) in the treatment group. The Hb levels in the treatment group also improved significantly from 9.70 ± 0.14 g/dL (moderately anaemic) to 11.08 ± 0.13 g/dL (non-anaemic). Post-intervention focus group discussions (FGDs) involving mothers and teachers confirmed these positive impacts. Thus, a nutritional intervention formulated using climate-resilient millets, pulses, and groundnuts promotes dietary diversity and improves the nutrition and health statuses of children.

Beyond cultural norms: how does historical rice farming affect modern firms' family control?

AbstractThe private sector contributes the majority of China's GDP, with family firms responsible for most of the contribution. Prior studies find that firms' family control is influenced by certain cultural norms, such as family ties. This study explores the underlying historical and agricultural roots of these cultural norms that influence modern businesses. Combining a set of high‐quality, nationally representative Chinese firm and household surveys with prefectural data, we first show the positive impact of rice farming on family control of local firms. We establish robust causal inferences by exploring the impact of historical agricultural legacies and discussing alternative measures, spatial autocorrelations, omitted variables, instrumental variables and self‐selection. More importantly, our results demonstrate that the rice cultivation practice enhances the local people's preferences for strong family ties. Instead of claiming a direct role of these cultural traits as in the existing literature, we recast them as cultural mediators and persistent channels through which historical rice farming can shape contemporary corporate structure.

Antigambling interventions and corporate financialization: Evidence from China

This study investigates the impact of local antigambling interventions (AGIs) on corporate financialization. From the perspective of formal institutions’ influence on culture, our findings suggest that firms located in regions with more effective AGIs exhibit lower levels of financialization. Mechanism tests show that AGIs reduce local risk preferences, subsequently influencing corporate financialization. Heterogeneity tests reveal that the main results are more pronounced when government trust is stronger, cultural transmission efficiency is higher, local firm interactions are more extensive, and community attention to antigambling initiatives is greater. This study enhances the understanding of the influence of the institutional environment on corporate investment decisions.

Synthesis and biological activity of 11-Oxygenated and heterocyclic estrone analogs in pancreatic cancer monolayers and 3D spheroids

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), representing over 90 % of pancreatic cancer diagnoses, is an aggressive disease with survivability among the worst of all cancers due to its difficulty in detection and its high metastatic properties. Current therapies for PDAC show limited success at extending life expectancies, primarily due to cancer resistance and lack of patient-specific targeted therapies. This work highlights the design and evaluation of estrone-derived analogs with both heterocyclic side-chain functionality and 11-oxygenated functionality for use in pancreatic cancer. First-round heterocyclic analogs show preliminary promise in AsPC-1 and Panc-1 cell lines, with IC50 values as low as 10.16 ± 0.83 µM. Their success, coupled with design choices from other studies, led to the synthesis of novel 11-hydroxyl and 11-keto estrone analogs that show potent in-vitro toxicity against various pancreatic cancer models. The three most cytotoxic analogs, KA1, KA2, and KA9 demonstrated low micromolar activities in both MTT and CellTiter assays in three pancreatic cancer cell lines: AsPC-1, Panc-1, and BxPC-3, as well as in a co-culture of Panc-1 and pancreatic stellate cells. IC50 values for KA9 (4.17 ± 0.90, 5.28 ± 1.87, and 5.70 ± 0.65 µM respectively) shows consistency in all cell lines tested. KA9 is also able to cause an increase in caspases 3 and 7 activity, key markers for apoptosis, at non-cytotoxic concentrations. Additional work was performed by generating 3D pancreatic cancer spheroids to better modulate the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, and KA9 continued to show the best IC50 values (21.0 and 24.3 µM) in both cell types tested. KA9 was also able to prevent the growth of spheroids whereas the standard chemotherapy, Gemcitabine, could not, suggesting that it may be a potent analog for future development of treatments. Molecular dynamic simulations were also performed to confirm biological findings and uncovered that KA9′s preferential binding location is in the active site pocket of key proteins involved in cytotoxicity.

Analysis of Marketing Strategies of New Retail Coffee Brands in the Chinese Market: Based on a Comparative Study of Starbucks and Luckin Coffee

This study delves into the marketing strategies of emerging retail coffee brands in the Chinese market, with a focus on a comparative analysis of Starbucks and Luckin Coffee. As China's coffee culture experiences a remarkable upsurge, understanding the dynamics of these two industry giants becomes pivotal for both practitioners and scholars. The research investigates and compares the strategies employed by Starbucks and Luckin Coffee in their quest for dominance. Specifically, it scrutinizes their market entry approaches, branding strategies, customer engagement techniques, and pricing models. By conducting a thorough analysis of these aspects, the study aims to shed light on the underlying reasons for their differential market performance. Furthermore, this comparative study explores the adaptation strategies adopted by each brand in response to the unique characteristics of the Chinese market, such as local consumer preferences and the prevalence of mobile payment systems. The research seeks to uncover the key factors contributing to the success or failure of each brand and offers valuable insights into the broader context of new retail coffee brands in China. In conclusion, this analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the marketing strategies employed by Starbucks and Luckin Coffee, offering a deeper understanding of the competitive dynamics within the Chinese coffee market. These findings can guide future market entrants and existing players in devising effective strategies for navigating this rapidly evolving industry.

Uses for Wines and Vinegars from Marco de Jerez: Between Culinary Tradition and Haute Cuisine

An analysis of the wines and vinegars from the city of Jerez de la Frontera, center of a tradition that dates backs hundreds of years in the viticultural area of Marco de Jerez. Ethnography was resorted to as a method, describing the culinary processes which make use of such products, either in traditional or haute cuisines, and assessing the consumers’ perceptions regarding these uses. The results exhibit the deep meaning and importance of the culinary uses of wine and vinegar from Jerez in everyday cooking and haute cuisine, and also the exporting and international vocation of the place, with a background of social agents with opposing positions and preferences, where the interests of large corporations prevail over local preferences.

Building a sustainable pop-up coffee shop; case study of rehat coffee

Begin a riveting trip through the revolutionary leaps of Rehat Coffee, a dynamic pop-up coffee shop located in Banjarmasin, Indonesia. Rehat Coffee is pioneering a vibrant modern economic community by seamlessly combining features of the low-cost entrepreneurship, sustainability, and cultural heritage. Rehat Coffee expertly integrates global coffee trends and local preferences through thorough market research, smart collaborations, and environmentally conscientious procedures. This qualitative report thoroughly explores Rehat Coffee's strategic prowess and revolutionary impact on the econoociety, and environment. It'll be interesting to delve into Rehat Coffee's historical narrative, sustainability efforts, and community engagement to discover the tremendous potential of transforming the coffee landscape while encouraging long-term community development. The study sheds the spotlight on the consequences of Rehat Coffee's creative strategy for future entrepreneurs trying to balance profitability and sustainability, thereby motivating a new wave of socially responsible bmy, susiness practices.

Factors associated with community residents' preference for living at home at the end of life: The Yamagata Cohort Survey.

Japan's rapidly aging and high-mortality society necessitates a wider awareness and implementation of advance care planning. This Yamagata Cohort study investigated local residents' preferences for where they would like to spend their final days, and the underlying factors associated with those preferences with a self-administered questionnaire survey of local residents aged 40 years and over . Logistic regression analyses were used to assess those factors and, specifically, the choice of "Home" as the preferred place for end-of-life residence. Among the 10,119 responders, 61% chose their home as the most desirable place to spend their final days. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the independent factors associated with the choice of "Home" were: male, older age, not living with someone who needs care, not discussing the end of life, currently happy, struggling to live on current income, not feeling anxious or depressed, and current place of residence the same as their grandparents' birthplace. This suggested that reducing the burden of home care and addressing frequent emotional issues such as happiness and anxiety could increase the number of people choosing "Home". Open-ended comments indicated the importance of getting information and options, and discussing the choice of place for terminal care in light of individual backgrounds including having reservations about family. Support and systems are needed to understand what community residents consider important when deciding where to spend their final days, and to bridge the gap between their desired location and their actual end of life.

Cultural Intermediaries: How Local Experts Shape the Financial Performance of Foreign Cultural Products

Purpose - This study examines the pivotal role of local expert reviewers in the financial success of imported foreign films (Hollywood movies) within the Chinese market. It integrates signaling theory and gatekeeping scholarship to examine how these intermediaries reduce mainstream uncertainty. We hypothesize local expert reviewers to better grasp spaces for resonance between imported films and local preferences compared to foreign critics. Moreover, we examine the moderating roles of films attributes such as production scale, prestigious awards, and local adaptation strategies.&#x0D; Design/Methodology/Approach - We test hypothesized relationships and contingencies via OLS regressions on box office performance spanning 500 top-grossing Hollywood studio imports in China from 2000 2017 with data from multiple sources.&#x0D; Findings - The OLS regressions reveal that local expert reviewers significantly influence cross-border film success, with the impact moderated by production budgets and awards, but potentially diminished by cultural adaptation.&#x0D; Research Implications - Our study unpacks market drivers and product-level contingencies around imported creative products amidst mainstream uncertainty. The findings contribute to international business literature and cultural business by showcasing the nuanced impact of local cultural intermediaries on the financial performance of foreign cultural products. This research underscores the importance of local expert opinions in navigating the complex landscape of global content distribution and consumption, offering valuable insights for content creators and marketers aiming to optimize the global reach of products.

Cultural Intermediaries: How Local Experts Shape the Financial Performance of Foreign Cultural Products

Purpose - This study examines the pivotal role of local expert reviewers in the financial success of imported foreign films (Hollywood movies) within the Chinese market. It integrates signaling theory and gatekeeping scholarship to examine how these intermediaries reduce mainstream uncertainty. We hypothesize local expert reviewers to better grasp spaces for resonance between imported films and local preferences compared to foreign critics. Moreover, we examine the moderating roles of films attributes such as production scale, prestigious awards, and local adaptation strategies. Design/Methodology/Approach - We test hypothesized relationships and contingencies via OLS regressions on box office performance spanning 500 top-grossing Hollywood studio imports in China from 2000 2017 with data from multiple sources. Findings - The OLS regressions reveal that local expert reviewers significantly influence cross-border film success, with the impact moderated by production budgets and awards, but potentially diminished by cultural adaptation. Research Implications - Our study unpacks market drivers and product-level contingencies around imported creative products amidst mainstream uncertainty. The findings contribute to international business literature and cultural business by showcasing the nuanced impact of local cultural intermediaries on the financial performance of foreign cultural products. This research underscores the importance of local expert opinions in navigating the complex landscape of global content distribution and consumption, offering valuable insights for content creators and marketers aiming to optimize the global reach of products.

Nanofibrous MultiDomain Peptide Hydrogels Provide T Cells a 3D, Cytocompatible Environment for Cell Expansion and Antigen-Specific Killing.

T cells have the ability to recognize and kill specific target cells, giving therapies based on their potential for treating infection, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases. However, the advancement of T cell-based treatments has been hindered by difficulties in their ex vivo activation and expansion, the number of cells required for sustained in vivo levels, and preferential localization following systemic delivery. Biomaterials may help to overcome many of these challenges by providing a combined means of proliferation, antigen presentation, and cell localization upon delivery. In this work, we studied self-assembling Multidomain Peptides (MDPs) as scaffolds for T cell culture, activation, and expansion. We evaluated the effect of different MDP chemistries on their biocompatibility with T cells and the maintenance of antigen specificity for T cells cultured in the hydrogels. We also examined the potential application of MDPs as scaffolds for T cell activation and expansion and the effect of MDP encapsulation on T cell phenotype. We found high cell viability when T cells were encapsulated in noncationic MDPs, O5 and D2, and superior retention of antigen specificity and tumor-reactivity were preserved in the anionic MDP, D2. Maintenance of antigen recognition by T cells in D2 hydrogels was confirmed by quantifying immune synapses of T Cells engaged with antigen-presenting cancer cells. When 3D cultured in anionic MDP D2 coloaded with anti-CD3, anti-CD28, IL2, IL7, and IL15, we observed successful T cell proliferation evidenced by upregulation of CD27 and CD107a. This study is the first to investigate the potential of self-assembling peptide-based hydrogels as 3D scaffolds for human T cell applications and demonstrates that MDP hydrogels are a viable platform for enabling T cell in vitro activation, expansion, and maintenance of antigen specificity and therefore a promising tool for future T cell-based therapies.

Dynamics of cell wall-binding proteins at a single molecule level: B. subtilis autolysins show different kinds of motion.

The bacterial cell wall is a meshwork of crosslinked peptidoglycan strands, with a thickness of up to 50 nm in Firmicutes. Little is known about how proteins move through the cell wall to find sites of enzymatic activity. Cell wall synthesis for cell elongation involves the integration of new peptidoglycan strands by integral membrane proteins, as well as the degradation of existing strands by so-called autolysins, soluble proteins that are secreted through the cell membrane. Autolysins comprise different classes of proteases and glucanases and mostly contain cell-wall binding domains in addition to their catalytic domain. We have studied dynamics of Bacillus subtilis autolysins LytC, a major endopeptidase required for lateral cell wall growth, and LytF, a peptidase acting at the newly formed division site in order to achieve separation of daughter cells. We show that both proteins, fused to moxVenus are present as three distinct populations of different diffusion constants. The fastest population is compatible with free diffusion in a crowded liquid environment, that is similar to that of cytosolic enzymes, likely reflecting autolysins diffusing through the periplasm. The medium mobile fraction can be explained by constrained motion through a polymeric substance, indicating mobility of autolysins through the wall similar to that of DNA-binding proteins within the nucleoid. The slow-mobile fraction are most likely autolysins bound to their specific substrate sites. We show that LytF is more static during exponential phase, while LytC appears to be more active during the transition to stationary phase. Both autolysins became more static in backgrounds lacking redundant other autolysins, suggesting stochastic competition for binding sites. On the other hand, lack of inhibitor IseA or autolysin CwlS lead to an altered preference for polar localization of LytF within the cell wall, revealing that inhibitors and autolysins also affect each other's pattern of localization, in addition to their activity.

Evidence-based management and the nurse's decision-making process

The managerial decision-making process is a competence of nurses in the hospital and primary care context, which makes them a highly requested professional for solving problems involving the unit and the care provided to the user. Such a process must be informed by evidence, with a view to achieving the best results. To discuss the use of scientific evidence by nurses in the health management process. An integrative literature review, carried out in the PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, BDENF, and SciELO databases, through the DeCS/MESH "Evidence-Based Nursing" AND "Health Management" OR "Evidence-Informed Policy", 694 studies were identified and 07 were included. Evidence-based decision-making is important for the delivery of effective and cost-effective public health services, this decision-making process consists of the integration of the best available research evidence, along with consideration of local context, community and policy preferences, professional experience, and resources in public health decision-making. It is, therefore, crucial to improve the quality of management decisions, consequently improving service delivery, and increasing effectiveness and efficiency, in addition to contributing to patient safety. It is concluded that evidence-based management is essential to improve the quality of management decisions and, therefore, to improve the optimization and allocation of resources in the health system.

The Influence of Marketing Orientation on the Formation of Unique Value Propositions of Food Processing Companies in Southwest, Nigeria

The Influence of Marketing Orientation on the Formation of Unique Value Propositions of Food Processing Companies in Southwest, Nigeria

Let's Agree to Disagree on Operative Versus Nonoperative Treatment for Distal Radius Fractures in Older People: Protocol for a Prospective International Multicenter Cohort Study.

Distal radius fractures are the most frequently encountered fractures in Western societies, typically affecting patients aged 50 years and older. Although this is a common injury, the best treatment for these fractures in older patients is still under debate. This prospective study aims to compare the outcome of operatively and nonoperatively treated distal radius fractures in the older population. Only patients with distal radius fractures for which equipoise regarding the optimal treatment exists will be included. This prospective international multicenter observational cohort study will be designed as a natural experiment. Natural experiments are observational studies in which treatment allocation is determined by factors outside the control of the investigators but also (largely) independent of patient characteristics. Patients aged 65 years and older with an acute distal radius fracture will be considered for inclusion. Treatment allocation (operative vs nonoperative) will be based on the local preferences of the treating hospital either in Switzerland or the Netherlands. Hence, the process governing treatment allocation resembles that of randomization. Patients will be identified after treatment has been initiated. Based on the radiographs and baseline information of the patient, an expert panel of 6 certified trauma surgeons from 2 regions will provide their treatment recommendation. Only patients for whom the experts disagree on treatment recommendations will ultimately be included in the study (ie, for whom there is a clinical equipoise). For these patients, both operative and nonoperative treatment of distal radius fractures are viable, and treatment choice is predominantly determined by personal or local preference. The primary outcome will be the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation score at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes will include the Physical Activity Score for the Elderly, the EQ questionnaire, pain, the living situation, range of motion, complications, and radiological outcomes. By including outcomes such as living situation and the Physical Activity Score for the Elderly, which are not relevant for younger cohorts, valuable information to tailor treatment to the needs of the older population can be gained. According to the sample size collection, which was based on the minimal important clinical difference of the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation, 92 patients will have to be included, with at least 46 patients in each treatment group. Enrollment began in July 2023 and is expected to continue until summer 2024. The final follow-up will be 2 years after the last patient is included. Although many trials on this topic have previously been published, there remains an ongoing debate regarding the optimal treatment for distal radius fractures in older patients. This observational study, which will use a fairly new methodological study design, will provide further information on treatment outcomes for older patients with distal radius fractures for which to date equipoise exists regarding the optimal treatment. DERR1-10.2196/52917.

Learning Global and Multi-granularity Local Representation with MLP for Sequential Recommendation

Sequential recommendation aims to predict the next item of interest to users based on their historical behavior data. Usually, users’ global and local preferences jointly affect the final recommendation result in different ways. Most existing works use transformers to globally model sequences, which makes them face the dilemma of quadratic computational complexity when dealing with long sequences. Moreover, the scope setting of the user’s local preference is usually static and single, and cannot cover richer multi-level local semantics. To this end, we proposed a parallel architecture for capturing global representation and M ulti-granularity L ocal dependencies with M LP for sequential Rec ommendation ( MLM4Rec ). For global representation, we utilize modified MLP-Mixer to capture global information of user sequences due to its simplicity and efficiency. For local representation, we incorporate convolution into MLP and propose a multi-granularity local awareness mechanism for capturing richer local semantic information. Moreover, we introduced a weight pooling method to adaptively fuse local-global representations instead of directly concatenation. Our model has the advantages of low complexity and high efficiency thanks to its simple MLP structure. Experimental results on three public datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed model. Our code is available here 1 .