Product Scope Research Articles

Artificial Intelligence and the Development of “Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative” Small‐ and Medium‐Sized Enterprises

ABSTRACT“Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative” (SRUI) enterprises are a crucial part of the national innovation system and play a significant role in enhancing national core competitiveness by leveraging strengths and addressing weaknesses. Given the limited quantitative analysis on the productivity of SRUI enterprises in the academic field, this paper constructs an enterprise‐level artificial intelligence index based on text analysis and machine learning. Using panel data from 2018 to 2022, we investigate the impact of artificial intelligence on the productivity of SRUI small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). The research findings indicate that (1) artificial intelligence significantly enhances the productivity of SRUI SMEs, and for each one standard deviation increase in artificial intelligence, the productivity level of SRUI enterprises will increase by 6.82%. (2) Mechanism tests reveal that artificial intelligence improves productivity by optimizing labor structure, improving labor resource allocation, stimulating endogenous motivation and innovation vitality within enterprises, and enhancing management level and investment efficiency. (3) Heterogeneity analysis indicates that at the regional level, artificial intelligence significantly boosts the productivity of enterprises with well‐developed network infrastructure and robust intellectual property protection systems. At the industry level, AI has a more pronounced effect on the productivity of technology‐intensive and competitive industries. Additionally, we also find that the impact of AI on productivity is more significant in enterprises with younger executive teams and executives with digital and intelligent education backgrounds. This study expands the research scope of productivity and provides valuable insights for the government to optimize digital economy policies and for enterprises to formulate digital innovation strategies.

Environmental regulation and firms' product mix: The role of firms' product-specific capabilities

Understanding how firms respond to environmental regulation through product-mix decisions is critical to assessing the broader impact of such policies. This paper contributes to the literature by incorporating intra-firm dynamics and examining how these interact with firms’ capabilities to adjust their product scope and mix in response to environmental regulations, which are influenced by the costs of these adjustments. The empirical evidence suggests that targeted firms reallocated resources away from pollution-intensive products, indicating the policy’s effectiveness. Moreover, the relationship between environmental regulations and firms’ product-mix decisions is contingent on their ability to adapt their portfolios. Lastly, firms with different ownership structures display varying capacities to develop and sustain particular products.

포스트 시네마 환경에서의 관객 현전에 관한 연구

This study defines the diversified media environment of contemporary visual art as a post-cinema environment and analyzes how the spatial expansion of the screen and the conceptual transformation of the camera have occurred within it. By examining the altered methods of image production, mediation, and reception, the research reveals the presence of the spectator as a noncorporeal subject in the visual field of image experience. The changes in the screen and the audience have been driven by the transition to multi-screen and multimedia environments, leading to a transformation in visual perception through physical environments that interact with images in expanded spaces. Additionally, the post-cinema camera, as a non-human agency, has broadened the scope of image production and mediation through computer imaging processes and digital technologies. It not only intervenes between the unexperienced realities beyond human cognition and the audience as the experiencing subject, but also produces and mediates images for machines as machine vision, facilitating the process of converting representation into information. Furthermore, this study argues that the issue of spectator presence in the visual field can be understood through the paradox of absence and presence in the technological context of 21st-century media. It asserts that the spectator emerges as an “electronic body” that transcends the physical body in the image reception environment. The concept of the audience's electronic body introduces perspectives on the coding and informatization of the body due to technological interventions by computers and media, as well as the hybrid sensations resulting from the interaction between bodies and devices, proposing a new notion of corporeality for non-corporeal subjects in the new media environment.

Effect of Succinylation on Oxidation-Aggregation of Low-Density Lipoprotein and Formation of Off-Flavors in Heated Egg Yolks.

This study examined the effect of succinylation on protein oxidation-aggregation and the formation of off-flavors in heated egg yolks (EYs). The sensory evaluation, content of volatile compounds, stability of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, and oxidation of lipid and protein at six levels of succinylated EY (0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 5%, and 10%, w/w) were determined. The results showed that the succinylated thermal EY's concentration of volatiles and off-flavors was reduced. Oil exudation and lipid and protein oxidation decreased with the improved succinylation degree. Succinylation also reduced the LDL particle size and changed the secondary structure (decreased the β-sheets and increased the α-helices) of protein in LDL particles. Meanwhile, succinylation could effectively change the thermal oxidation-aggregation of LDL protein by introducing succinyl groups with negative charges, thus increasing the stability of LDL particles in succinylated EY during heating. These results further revealed the relationship between the oxidation-aggregation of LDL and the formation of off-flavors in heated EY. These results also help improve the flavor quality of heat-treated EY and expands the application scope of egg products.

Assessing the Effect of Strategic Alliances on Organizational Performance of Commercial Banks in Nigeria

This study was carried out to examine the effect of Strategic Alliances on Organizational performance of commercial banks in Nigeria. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design with primary data generated through self-administered questionnaire. The population for this study was five (5) commercial banks in South-South, Nigeria. The study however focused mainly on their regional offices located in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria. Six regional managers for each bank were used as the study respondents giving a total of 30 respondents. Census sampling was adopted since the study sample was small. The reliability of the instrument was achieved by the use of the Cronbach Alpha with all the items scoring alpha coefficient above 0.70. The hypotheses were tested using the spearman rankorder correlation co-efficient with the aid ofstatistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The tests were carried out at a 95% confidence interval and a 0.05 level of significance. The study findings revealed that there is a significant relationship between strategic alliances on revenue performance, cost efficiency performance and on the profitability of commercial banks in South-South, Nigeria. The study recommends that commercial banks should invest in modern technologies to effectively integrate all the banks functions and activities to minimize operational costs. The top management team should invest more on financial innovations so that customers will have a wide scope of banking products to choose from leading to customer satisfaction and improve value addition which in turn enhances financial performance.

On the Origin of Enantioselectivity in Chiral Zeolite Asymmetric Catalyst GTM-3: Host-Guest Transfer of Chirality.

Knowledge of how extra-large-pore chiral zeolite asymmetric catalysts based on the -ITV framework imprint their chirality during a catalytic reaction is crucial in order to spread the scope for the catalytic enantioselective production of chiral compounds of interest. In this work, we have carried out a combined experimental and computational study on the catalytic activity of antipode GTM-3 catalysts during the ring-opening of trans-stilbene oxide with 1-butanol. Identification of the enantiomers of all the chiral species unraveled a surprising catalytic behavior: these chiral catalysts promote the transformation of one enantiomer of trans-stilbene oxide in the corresponding unlike product (with inversion of configuration of the attacked C) via an SN2 mechanism, and at the same time, the transformation of the other enantiomer of trans-stilbene oxide via an SN1-like mechanism into the like (with retention of configuration) and secondary products (diphenylacetaldehyde via Meinwald rearrangement and derived products). A computational study based on DFT + D methods suggested a potential explanation for this catalytic behavior, associated with a different orientation of trans-stilbene oxide enantiomers bound on the Ge(T7) positions in d4r units, which is stabilized by the development of intraframework H-bonds between the interrupted T7OH adjacent positions characteristic of this framework. Calculations suggest that each enantiomer of trans-stilbene oxide follows a different reaction pathway, one favoring the SN2 route by addition of butanol from the opposite side to form unlike-products, while the different orientation of the antipode enantiomer disfavors such SN2 route mainly by steric repulsions and at the same time favors the reaction toward the SN1 mechanism to give like- and secondary-products. Our study suggests that the strong enantioselectivity of GTM-3 catalysts for this reaction is associated with the particular orientation adopted by the chiral reactants within the chiral nanospace provided by the -ITV framework, similarly to what occurs with enzymes, and such preferential orientation is directly controlled by the asymmetric cavities where the reaction takes place, by the particular features of the Ge active sites in adjacent interrupted positions and by the presence of several framework OH groups in the nearby nanospace that interact with guest species. The experimental observations and the reaction mechanism proposed suggest that GTM-3 catalysts prepared from the (1S,2S) enantiomer of the N,N-ethyl-methyl-pseudoephedrinium organic agent should be enriched in the P4332 enantiomorphic space group of the -ITV framework and GTM-3 prepared from the (1R,2R) enantiomer in the antipode P4132. Interestingly, resolution of the absolute configuration of GTM-3 materials from 3D-electron diffraction data has been accomplished and confirms such an assignment, giving an average 82% enantio-enrichment in the corresponding chiral polymorph. Structure-solution of the location of the chiral structure-directing agents indicates that the transfer of chirality from the molecular component to the zeolite polymorph is governed by the development of strong H-bonds between the molecular hydroxyl group and the interrupted T(7)OH framework positions.

Rational Design and Modification of NphB for Cannabinoids Biosynthesis.

The rapidly growing field of cannabinoid research is gaining recognition for its impact in neuropsychopharmacology and mood regulation. However, prenyltransferase (NphB) (a key enzyme in cannabinoid precursor synthesis) still needs significant improvement in order to be usable in large-scale industrial applications due to low activity and limited product range. By rational design and high-throughput screening, NphB's catalytic efficiency and product diversity have been markedly enhanced, enabling direct production of a range of cannabinoids, without the need for traditional enzymatic conversions, thus broadening the production scope of cannabinoids, including cannabigerol (CBG), cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), and cannabigerovarinic acid (CBGVA). Notably, the W3 mutant achieved a 10.6-fold increase in CBG yield and exhibited a 10.3- and 20.8-fold enhancement in catalytic efficiency for CBGA and CBGV production, respectively. The W4 mutant also displayed an 9.3-fold increase in CBGVA activity. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that strategic reconfiguration of the active site's hydrogen bonding network, disulfide bond formation, and enhanced hydrophobic interactions are pivotal for the improved synthetic efficiency of these NphB mutants. Our findings advance the understanding of enzyme optimization for cannabinoid synthesis and lay a foundation for the industrial-scale production of these valuable compounds.

Firms and Labor in Times of Violence: Evidence from the Mexican Drug War

ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of violence resulting from drug trafficking on manufacturing firms in an emerging economy. By utilizing comprehensive longitudinal data spanning all of Mexico from 2005 to 2010, and employing an instrumental variable strategy that leverages plausibly exogenous spatiotemporal variations in the homicide rate during the outbreak of drug violence, the analysis reveals a significant negative effect of violence on plant output, employment, product scope, and capacity utilization. The negative effect on employment is entirely driven by blue-collar employment and concentrated among low-wage, female-intensive firms. Further, consistent with a violent-environment-induced blue-collar labor-supply shock, the results show positive effects on blue-collar wages and negative effects on white-collar wages at the firm level. Output resilience to violence is also shown to be lower among labor-intensive, domestically selling and sourcing, less diversified firms. These findings show the rise of drug violence has a significant negative effect on development of domestic industrial capability in Mexico and shed light on the characteristics of the most affected firms and the channels through which they are affected.

Planned Internationalization Level and Founder Attitudes Towards Venture Strategy

Although the behavioral differences of firms that internationalize rapidly from birth (born globals) are well documented, the effects of early internationalization on new venture strategy remains largely unexplored. Using a large sample of nascent entrepreneurs, we explore the relationship between internationalization level and founder emphasis on four key dimensions of business strategy (i.e., price, product scope (i.e., niche/focus), differentiation, and innovation). Our finding of support for a non-linear (inverted-U) relationship between internationalization level and strategy suggests that strategy differences between born globals and domestic firms decrease at higher levels of intended internationalization.

Enzymatic CO2 reduction catalyzed by natural and artificial Metalloenzymes

The continuously increasing level of atmospheric CO2 in the atmosphere has led to global warming. Converting CO2 into other carbon compounds could mitigate its atmospheric levels and produce valuable products, as CO2 also serves as a plentiful and inexpensive carbon feedstock. However, the inert nature of CO2 poses a major challenge for its reduction. To meet the challenge, nature has evolved metalloenzymes using transition metal ions like Fe, Ni, Mo, and W, as well as electron-transfer partners for their functions. Mimicking these enzymes, artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) have been designed using alternative protein scaffolds and various metallocofactors like Ni, Co, Re, Rh, and FeS clusters. Both the catalytic efficiency and the scope of CO2-reduction product of these ArMs have been improved over the past decade. This review first focuses on the natural metalloenzymes that directly reduce CO2 by discussing their structures and active sites, as well as the proposed reaction mechanisms. It then introduces the common strategies for electrochemical, photochemical, or photoelectrochemical utilization of these native enzymes for CO2 reduction and highlights the most recent advancements from the past five years. We also summarize principles of protein design for bio-inspired ArMs, comparing them with native enzymatic systems and outlining challenges and opportunities in enzymatic CO2 reduction.

Economies of scope in the Norwegian public hospital sector.

This study investigates the potential economies of scope in the Norwegian public hospital sector after a major structural and organizational reform. Economies of scope refers to potential cost savings occurring from the scope of production rather than the scale. We use a data driven approach to distinguish between relatively specialized and differentiated hospitals. Using registry data spanning the period 2013-2019, we use non-parametric data envelopment analysis with bootstrapping procedures to investigate the potential presence of economies of scope. This is done separately for three different dimensions of which hospital production can be either specialized or differentiated. The findings suggest that economies of scope are present in the Norwegian hospital sector, meaning that there are cost savings related to the optimal differentiation of the activity. It is difficult to conclude on how these findings relate to the reform.

Predicting tingling sensations induced by autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) videos based on sound texture statistics: a comparison to pleasant feelings.

Sound serves as a potent medium for emotional well-being, with phenomena like the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) showing a unique capacity for inducing relaxation and alleviating stress. This study aimed to understand how tingling sensations (and, for comparison, pleasant feelings) that such videos induce relate to acoustic features, using a broader range of ASMR videos as stimuli. The sound texture statistics and their timing predictive of tingling and pleasantness were identified through L1-regularized linear regression. Tingling was well-predicted (r = 0.52), predominantly by the envelope of frequencies near 5 kHz in the 1500 to 750 ms period before the response: stronger tingling was associated with a lower amplitude around the 5 kHz frequency range. This finding was further validated using an independent set of ASMR sounds. The prediction of pleasantness was more challenging (r = 0.26), requiring a longer effective time window, threefold that for tingling. These results enhance our understanding of how specific acoustic elements can induce tingling sensations, and how these elements differ from those that induce pleasant feelings. Our findings have potential applications in optimizing ASMR stimuli to improve quality of life and alleviate stress and anxiety, thus expanding the scope of ASMR stimulus production beyond traditional methods. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'.

A versatile approach to α-fluoroketones from diversely substituted olefins: Step towards greener fluoropharmaceuticals

Fluoroketones are very important class of compounds due to their high prevalence in pharmaceuticals and their expediency as synthons and building blocks for the synthesis of other therapeutically important molecules. Here we present an efficient environment-friendly straightforward synthetic method for an array of α-fluoroketones, alcohols, and ethers, starting from ubiquitous aryl and alkyl-substituted olefins. This method with broad substrate and product scope, mild and eco-friendly reaction condition, and high yield, provides an efficient and greener alternative to reported syntheses to date. The robustness and generality of the method have been demonstrated through easy scaling up to gram scale and smooth fluorination of several commercial drugs, food additives, and natural products containing both alkyl and aryl-substituted olefins.

The Impact of Scenario Planning in Managing Complexity Strategy: The Mediating Role of Strategic Flexibility: An Applied Study of the Opinions of a Sample of Managers of the General Company for Construction Contracting in Baghdad

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of scenario planning on managing complexity strategy and investigate whether strategic flexibility acts as a mediator between scenario planning and complexity strategy. The study was conducted on a sample of 75 employees from the General Company for Construction Contracting in Baghdad out of a study population of 400 employees. The data was collected through a questionnaire that was distributed to various department managers in the company. The study aimed to test several hypotheses and sub-hypotheses related to the relationship between the study variables. The study results indicate that there is a positive relationship between scenario planning and complexity strategy, although it is only partial. The study also found that strategic flexibility partially mediates the relationship between scenario planning and complexity strategy. Therefore, scenario planning can enhance complexity strategy, but strategic flexibility plays a crucial role in mediating this relationship. The study recommends that cognitive skills of the scenario drafting team should be developed, particularly in the areas of induction and deduction, to facilitate the identification of pre-determined factors and the formulation of flexible assumptions for scenarios. Additionally, the study suggests expanding the scope of competitive flexibility and productivity in the face of intense betting, globalization and openness, as well as achieving a competitive position aligned with the company's objectives based on the structure of complexity theory.

SISTEM INFORMASI E-COMMERCE TOKO HIJAB BERBASIS WEB DENGAN METODE EXTREME PROGRAMMING

Development of increasingly modern technological devices can provide advantages for entrepreneurs to market services and products with the aim of expanding market share with a wide reach. The scope of product sales in an area becomes ineffective in being able to compete to attract consumer interest. The role of information technology can be carried out using internet media so that consumers can access it online or can be called e-commerce. The object of this research was carried out at a hijab shop in the Natar area, South Lampung. The problems that exist include the sales process which is carried out directly, such as consumers coming to the shop to buy products, which has an impact on operational costs, energy and time, especially consumers who are in areas where they cannot see information on the availability of the product they want to buy. The system development method used is Extreme Programming. The results obtained are that the use of the website is running well, as evidenced by the results of system testing using blackbox testing of 91.66%, which means that this e-commerce information system is running successfully and can be used by consumers, especially in the South Lampung area and its surroundings.

Coping with environmental degradation: Physiological and morphological adjustments of wild mangrove fish to decades of aquaculture-induced nutrient enrichment

The impact of eutrophication on wild fish individuals is rarely reported. We compared physiological and morphological traits of Siganus lineatus chronically exposed to aquaculture-induced eutrophication in the wild with individuals living at a control site. Eutrophication at the impacted site was confirmed by elevated organic matter (up to 150 % higher), phytoplankton (up to 7 times higher), and reduced oxygen (up to 60 % lower). Physiological and morphological traits of S. lineatus differed significantly between the two sites. Fish from the impacted site exhibited elevated hypoxia tolerance, increased gill surface area, shorter oxygen diffusion distances, and altered blood oxygen-carrying capacity. Elevated blood lactate and scope for anaerobic ATP production were observed, suggesting enhanced survival below critical oxygen levels. A significant 8.5 % increase in metabolic costs and altered allometric scaling, related to environmental degradation, were recorded. Our study underscores eutrophication's profound impact at the organism-level and the importance to mitigate it.

Analysis of AIGC in Film and Television Production

The development of film and television is inextricably connected to the progress of science and technology. This paper commences by examining the utilization of AIGC in film and television production and its effects on the sector. It is determined that the implementation of AIGC in script production, scene production, post-production, and other areas reduces a great deal of time, production, and labour expenses, broadens the scope of film and television production, and offers the potential for inexpensive mass film and television production. Despite the progress made in the film and television industry, AIGC still has to confront problems such as a lack of logical consistency and emotional detachment, which necessitates human creators. It may also lead to the disappearance of creative works, a copyright crisis and the impairment of labour rights, with the risk of massive unemployment. It is essential to investigate the provisions of AIGC Guidelines.

Computational investigation of cis-1,4-polyisoprene binding to the latex-clearing protein LcpK30.

Latex clearing proteins (Lcps) catalyze the oxidative cleavage of the C = C bonds in cis-1,4-polyisoprene (natural rubber), producing oligomeric compounds that can be repurposed to other materials. The active catalytic site of Lcps is buried inside the protein structure, thus raising the question of how the large hydrophobic rubber chains can access the catalytic center. To improve our understanding of hydrophobic polymeric substrate binding to Lcps and subsequent catalysis, we investigated the interaction of a substrate model containing ten carbon-carbon double bonds with the structurally characterized LcpK30, using multiple computational tools. Prediction of the putative tunnels and cavities in the LcpK30 structure, using CAVER-Pymol plugin 3.0.3, fpocket and Molecular Dynamic (MD) simulations provided valuable insights on how substrate enters from the surface to the buried active site. Two dominant tunnels were discovered that provided feasible routes for substrate binding, and the presence of two hydrophobic pockets was predicted near the heme cofactor. The larger of these pockets is likely to accommodate the substrate and to determine the size distribution of the oligomers. Protein-ligand docking was carried out using GOLD software to predict the conformations and interactions of the substrate within the protein active site. Deeper insight into the protein-substrate interactions, including close-contacts, binding energies and potential cleavage sites in the cis-1,4-polyisoprene, were obtained from MD simulations. Our findings provide further justification that the protein-substrate complexation in LcpK30 is mainly driven by the hydrophobic interactions accompanied by mutual conformational changes of both molecules. Two potential binding modes were identified, with the substrate in either extended or folded conformations. Whilst binding in the extended conformation was most favorable, the folded conformation suggested a preference for cleavage of a central double bond, leading to a preference for oligomers with 5 to 6 C = C bonds. The results provide insight into further enzyme engineering studies to improve catalytic activity and diversify the substrate and product scope of Lcps.

Early Classification of Gram-negative Bacteria with Colony Imaging and Deep Learning without Coding Experience

Bacterial colony morphology is the first step in classifying bacterial species during the microbial identification process. It is very important to assess the morphology of bacterial colonies in a preliminary screening process to largely reduce the scope of possible bacteria species and increase work productivity in clinical bacteriology by making later identification more specific. However, making a decision about this topic requires sufficient clinical laboratory expertise. Teachable Machine® is a rapid, easy-to-use, web-based tool accessible to everyone that is used to create machine learning models. In this study, the performance of Teachable Machine® was assessed for cheap, rapid and practical identification of enteric and non-fermenting bacteria frequently isolated in microbiology laboratories. A total of 1202 colony images were used to train and validate the network's diagnostic performance. Additionally, 80 representative test images were used to assess performance. Level 1 was defined as E. coli-K. pneumonia, Level 2 was defined as P. aeruginosa-A. baumannii, Level 3 was defined as enteric bacteria-non-fermenting bacteria and Level 4 was defined as differentiating these four pathogens from each other. Mean accuracy of Teachable Machine® for the defined classes was 96.7%, 94.1%, 94.3%, and 90.3% for Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. General accuracy for classification of the 80 representative colonies was 82.5% and the hit rates were 85.0%, 100%, 75.0%, and 70.0% for E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii, respectively. This cost-effective bacterial identification system, supported by deep learning, will be an important pioneer for a variety of applications in clinical microbiology by reducing the identification process by a significant degree and automating identification of colonies without requiring a specialist.

Novel liquid dosimeters for low-energy electron beam irradiation in low and medium dose ranges

Low-energy electron beam irradiation, which refers to the treatment of matter with accelerated electrons at energies below 300 keV, is gaining attention for many applications in life sciences. In the scope of vaccine production, low-energy electron irradiation is an efficient and chemical free technology to inactivate viruses. Low-energy electron beam irradiation has also been proposed to be a powerful technique for its use in biotechnological processes. As biotechnological applications operate in an aqueous environment, there is an urgent need for accurate dose quantification in liquids, especially for low (< 500 Gy) and medium doses (500–5000 Gy). This study investigated dye solutions of xylenol orange tetrasodium, 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue, resazurin sodium, and tartrazine for their suitability as radiochromic liquid dosimeters. The solutions were evaluated regarding their dose–response characteristics and storage stability prior to irradiation over a range of pH values and concentrations. The radiochromic dosimeters were irradiated with electrons with maximal energies of 200 keV and dose rates of 6.5 Gy/s to 45 Gy/s. Then, the absorbance was measured and response curves were plotted. The dye solutions of 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue and resazurin sodium covered a low to medium dose range from 100–1500 Gy and 100–1000 Gy, respectively. Tartrazine at pH 4 was suitable for quantification of doses from 100 Gy to 3500 Gy, which covers a wide dose range of biotechnological applications.