•The results of this study underscore how culture and service failure type jointly influence customer responses after service failure.•Customers in a high-power distance culture (e.g., China) tend to ...feel higher levels of anger and disappointment following a process (vs. outcome) service failure.•Customers in a low-power distance culture (e.g., the US) tend to feel higher levels of disappointment following an outcome (vs. process) failure.•This study examined the mediating role of discrete negative emotions in driving face-to-face complaining and switching intention across two cultural contexts (high-power and low-power distance culture).•This study links failure type to customers' emotional and behavioral responses so that service providers can use failure type as a situational cue to predict customers’ reactions and proactively identify service failures that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Understanding customer responses to service failures enable practitioners to minimize the negative impact of service failures. The purpose of this study is to examine the joint effect of service failure type and culture (power distance) on two discrete negative emotions and investigate the mediating role of discrete negative emotions in driving face-to-face complaining and switching behavior across two cultures (The US and China). Our findings suggest that customers in a high-power distance culture (China) feel higher levels of anger and disappointment following a process (vs. outcome) failure, and therefore, are more likely to complain face-to-face and switch. Whereas customers in a low-power distance culture (US) only feel higher levels of disappointment following an outcome (vs. process) failure, yet prefer to switch silently. Our findings provide hospitality firms with practical implications on employee training and how to proactively identify service failures that customers are unlikely to complain about.
•Two studies examined the relationship between transformational leadership and service recovery performance through emotional labor.•Transformational leadership was positively related to deep acting ...and negatively related to surface acting.•Culture influenced service recovery performance through deep acting (Study 1) or surface acting (Study 2).•These results underscore how culture can impact the link between transformational leadership and service recovery performance.
The current study examined the relationship between transformational leadership and service recovery performance and the mediating effect of emotional labor. To uncover potential cross-cultural differences, a sample of 217 front-line hospitality employees from the United States (Study 1) and 219 front-line hospitality employees from China (Study 2) were used. The results demonstrate transformational leadership was positively related to deep acting and negatively related to surface acting emotional labor strategies. Additionally, deep acting was positively related to service recovery performance, while surface acting was negatively related to service recovery performance. These findings were consistent between the U.S. and Chinese sample; however, the mechanisms and paths between transformational leadership and service recovery performance differed between the two samples suggesting culture influenced how transformational leadership is related to service recovery performance through deep acting (Study 1) or surface acting (Study 2) emotional labor strategies.
Consumers’ multisensory preferences bring new ideas to service and experience design—yet do consumers always react favorably to sensory complexity? This research examines variation by time of day in ...how consumers respond to complex sensory experiences (e.g., purchase behavior, choice, and liking). Specifically, we theorize that arousal levels increase over the course of the day, which increases the perceived fit of complex sensory experiences, leading to more favorable reactions—a pattern that is more prominent among evening than morning chronotypes. A set of five studies provides support for this theorizing and provides important implications for service providers regarding how to vary their sensory offerings and promotions over the course of the day.
Thymoquinone (TQ, 2‐methyl‐5‐isopropyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone), a bioactive constituent extracted from the seeds of Nigella sativa, has been proved to exert anti‐tumor efficiency in various cancers. ...Autophagy is a self‐digestion phenomenon, and its role in tumor formation and progression remains controversial. In the present study, we investigated the effects of TQ on renal cell cancer (RCC) cell lines (786‐O and ACHN) using wound healing assay, transwell assay and western blot analysis. We found that TQ effectively inhibited the metastatic capacity of RCC cells in vitro, which was also verified in a xenograft model. Meanwhile, we observed LC3 puncta and detected the expression of LC3 in TQ‐treated RCC cells, and then found that autophagy was induced by TQ in 786‐O and ACHN cell lines. In addition, TQ inhibited the migration and invasion as well as the EMT in RCC cells in an autophagy‐dependent manner. To further explore the underlying mechanism, we detected the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. The results indicated that TQ inhibited the metastasis of RCC cells by inducing autophagy via AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. In conclusion, our findings provide a novel therapeutic strategy that aims at TQ‐induced autophagy in RCC treatment.
Thymoquinone inhibits the metastasis of RCC cells, and it induces autophagy of RCC cells via the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.
Urbanization often exerts multiple effects on aquatic and terrestrial organisms, including changes in biodiversity, species composition and ecosystem functions. However, the impacts of urbanization ...on river phytoplankton in subtropical urbanizing watersheds remain largely unknown. Here, we explored the effects of urbanization on phytoplankton community structure (i.e., biomass, community composition and diversity) and function (i.e., resource use efficiency) in a subtropical river at watershed scale in southeast China over 6 years. A total of 318 phytoplankton species belonging into 120 genera and 7 phyla were identified from 108 samples. Bacillariophyta biomass showed an increasing trend with increasing urbanization level. The phytoplankton community shifted from Chlorophyta dominance in rural upstream waters to Bacillariophyta dominance in urbanized downstream waters. Furthermore, phytoplankton diversity and resource use efficiency (RUE = phytoplankton biomass/total phosphorus) were significantly decreased with increasing urbanization level from upstream to downstream. Phytoplankton RUE exhibited a significant positive correlation with species richness, but a negative correlation with phytoplankton evenness. The variation in environmental factors (turbidity, total nitrogen, NH4+-N, total phosphorus, PO43−-P and percentage urbanized area) was significantly correlated with phytoplankton diversity and RUE. Overall, our results revealed the influence of urbanization on phytoplankton community structure and ecosystem function was due to its altering the environmental conditions. Therefore, human-driven urbanization may play crucial roles in shaping the structure and function of phytoplankton communities in subtropical rivers, and the mechanism of this process can provide important information for freshwater sustainable uses, watershed management and conservation.
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Abstract only Introduction Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has become the current standard of care for large vessel occlusion stroke but is associated with an increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage ...(ICH). Recent study showed that even asymptomatic ICH may decrease the likelihood of an excellent functional outcome at 90 days. This study aims to identify predictors for ICH in patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing MT. Also, we try to identify the predictors for successful reperfusion TICI 2b/3. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all MT patients who were treated at a single comprehensive stroke center from 12/2016 to 09/2021. Variables included Ethnicity, age, gender, time from last know well to arrival, medical history, antithrombotic use, initial NIHSS, blood glucose, blood pressure, IV tPA, time from door to puncture, time from puncture to first pass, type of LVO, MT devices and TICI score. Primary Outcome was any ICH within 36 hours after MT. Secondary outcome was successful reperfusion, TICI 2b/3. Results Among 273 patients (68.8±14, Male 51.6%), 41.7% was Hispanic. 75 patients (27.5%) experienced any ICH after thrombectomy.Although ICH is common post MT and most of the researchers believe that only symptomatic ICH negatively impacts outcome, it is challenging to get an accurate post MT evaluation. Our patient cohort confirmed that ICH after MT may decrease the likelihood of excellent and favorable outcome upon discharge. Patients with history of drugs or ETOH abuse had higher risk of ICH post MT. TICI 2b/3 was associated with higher chance of favorable mRS (0‐3) upon discharge but paradoxically associated with higher chance of ICH post MT. (OR 3.01).Among all the variables, time from LKW to arrival was significantly shorter in patients achieved TICI 2b/3, 223min VS 414min. Door to puncture time was significantly faster in patients with TICI2b/3, 95min VS 121min. Puncture to first pass time was also significantly faster in patients with TICI2b/3, 19min VS 26min.Multiple logistic regression model showed that lower initial BG and NIHSS, ICA or M1 LVO and shorter door to first pass time were associated with favorable outcomes. Conclusions Compared to other clinical studies (usually only had 5–8% Hispanic patients), our study has significantly better representation of Hispanic population in which 41.7% of our patients are Hispanic. This emphasized the uniqueness and meaning of our study.Our patient cohort confirmed that it is important to avoid any ICH post MT, since it may decrease favorable and excellent outcome upon discharge. Extra attention is needed for patients with history of drugs or ETOH abuse because it is associated with significantly higher risk of ICH post MT in our patient cohort.ICH was commonly seen in TICI 2b/3 patients and may be due to successful reperfusion. Therefore, aggressive BP management (SBP<140) after MT is recommended if TICI 2b/3 achieved to avoid ICH expanding and worsening outcome. Also, angio‐CT scan after TICI 2b/3 may be necessary in the future. Favorable outcomes were reached more often if patients had lower initial BG and NIHSS, ICA or M1 LVO, shorter door to first pass time and can achieve TICI 2b/3 after MT.
Interatomic potentials play a crucial role in the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of silicon carbide (SiC). However, the ability of interatomic potentials to accurately describe certain physical ...properties of SiC has yet to be confirmed, particularly for hexagonal SiC. In this study, the mechanical, thermal, and defect properties of four SiC structures (3C-, 2H-, 4H-, and 6H-SiC) have been calculated with multiple interatomic potentials using the MD method, and then compared with the results obtained from density functional theory and experiments to assess the descriptive capabilities of these interatomic potentials. The results indicate that the T05 potential is suitable for describing the elastic constant and modulus of SiC. Thermal calculations show that the Vashishta, environment-dependent interatomic potential (EDIP), and modified embedded atom method (MEAM) potentials effectively describe the vibrational properties of SiC, and the T90 potential provides a better description of the thermal conductivity of SiC. The EDIP potential has a significant advantage in describing point defect formation energy in hexagonal SiC, and the GW potential is suitable for describing vacancy migration in hexagonal SiC. Furthermore, the T90 and T94 potentials can effectively predict the surface energies of the three low-index surfaces of 3C-SiC, and the Vashishta potential exhibits excellent capabilities in describing stacking fault properties in SiC. This work will be helpful for selecting a potential for SiC simulations.
Emerging evidence shows that mitochondria fusion/fission imbalance is related to the occurrence of hyperglycemia-induced vascular injury. To study the temporal dynamics of mitochondrial fusion and ...fission, we observed the alteration of mitochondrial fusion/fission proteins in a set of different high-glucose exposure durations, especially in the early stage of hyperglycemia. The in vitro results show that persistent cellular apoptosis and endothelial dysfunction can be induced rapidly within 12 hours' high-glucose pre-incubation. Our results show that mitochondria maintain normal morphology and function within 4 hours' high-glucose pre-incubation; with the extended high-glucose exposure, there is a transition to progressive fragmentation; once severe mitochondria fusion/fission imbalance occurs, persistent cellular apoptosis will develop. In vitro and in vivo results consistently suggest that mitochondrial fusion/fission homeostasis alterations trigger high-glucose-induced vascular injury. As the guardian of mitochondria, AMPK is suppressed in response to hyperglycemia, resulting in imbalanced mitochondrial fusion/fission, which can be reversed by AMPK stimulation. Our results suggest that mitochondrial fusion/fission's staged homeostasis may be a predictive factor of diabetic cardiovascular complications.
Abstract
This research focuses on the evolution of mechanical behavior of bimodal mixtures undergoing compaction and diametrical compression. The clusters were built and discrete element method (DEM) ...was used to investigate the densification process and micromechanics of bimodal mixtures. Additionally, a more comprehensive investigate of the respective breakage of the bimodal mixtures has been carried out. On this basis, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the compressive force, force chain, contact bonds and density field evolution characteristics of the clusters are investigated during the compression process. The entire loading process of the clusters is divided into three stages: rearrangement, breakage and elastic–plastic deformation. Additionally, there are differences in the evolution of micromechanics behavior of different particles in the bimodal mixture, with pregelatinized starch breakage and deformation occurring before microcrystalline cellulose. With the tablet deformation, the fragmentation process of the tablet started at the point of contact and extended toward the center, and the curvature of the force chain increased. This approach may potentially hold a valuable new information relevant to important transformation forms batch manufacturing to advanced manufacturing for the oral solid dosage form.
TIMP-2 gene plays an important role in the development of breast cancer. The present study was conducted to evaluate whether TIMP-2 gene polymorphisms are associated with breast cancer risk in a Han ...Chinese cohort.
Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the TIMP-2 gene in 571 breast cancer and 578 healthy control subjects were genotyped through the Agena MassARRAY. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the influence of TIMP-2 polymorphisms on breast cancer. Functional annotation of TIMP-2 variants and TIMP-2 expression were analyzed by bioinformatics.
Bioinformatics analysis found that rs4789936 was likely to affect transcription factor binding, motifs, DNase footprint, and DNase peaks; and TIMP-2 was under-expressed in breast cancer, the risk allele of rs4789936 was associated with increased expression of TIMP-2 in peripheral blood samples. Importantly, individuals carrying TIMP-2 rs2277698 T allele have a 19% lower risk of breast cancer than individuals with allele C, providing protection (OR = 0.81, 95%CI = 0.67-0.99, p = 0.041). In the breast cancer patients with c-erb positive and PR positive, when the CC genotype was used as a reference, individuals carrying the TT genotype increased the risk of breast cancer. Haplotype analysis showed "TCC" was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer (OR = 0.79, 95%CI = 0.63-0.97, p = 0.028).
Our study indicated that TIMP-2 rs2277698 was associated with breast cancer susceptibility.
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