Aim and Methods
Although the antimicrobial activity of extracts from several mushroom species has been reported, studies with the individual compounds present in that extracts are scarce. Herein, the ...antimicrobial activity of different phenolic compounds identified and quantified in mushroom species from all over the world was evaluated. Furthermore, a structure–activity relationship (SAR) analysis and molecular docking studies were performed, in order to provide insights into the mechanism of action of potential antimicrobial drugs for resistant micro‐organisms.
Results
2,4‐Dihydroxybenzoic and protocatechuic acids were the phenolic compounds with higher activity against the majority of Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria. Furthermore, phenolic compounds inhibited more MRSA than methicillin‐susceptible Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA was inhibited by 2,4‐dihydroxybenzoic, vanillic, syringic (MICs = 0·5 mg ml−1) and p‐coumaric (MIC = 1 mg ml−1) acids, while these compounds at the same concentrations had no inhibitory effects against methicillin‐susceptible Staph. aureus.
Conclusions
The presence of carboxylic acid (COOH), two hydroxyl (OH) groups in para and ortho positions of the benzene ring and also a methoxyl (OCH3) group in the meta position seems to be important for anti‐MRSA activity.
Significance and Impact of the Study
Phenolic compounds could be used as antimicrobial agents, namely against some micro‐organisms resistant to commercial antibiotics.
•Environmental patents’ impact on sustainability and economic growth is analyzed.•Innovations can contribute to countries’ sustainable economic growth.•Technological innovation can effectively ...respond to climatic changes.•A better understanding of the role of technology transfer on the European continent is provided.
Most of the literature on technology transfer has tended to focus on the country or regional level, neglecting to look at the continent-level flow of knowledge that is becoming more important due to regional trading blocs. This study sought to fill the gap in research on the role of technology transfer in the European continent (i.e., countries inside and outside the Eurozone) by focusing on environment-related patents. The research also included examining the effects of environmental water-related adaptation technology and climate change mitigation patents on real gross domestic product. The results contribute to the literature on technology transfer policies by highlighting how environmental patents influence Europe’s economic growth rate and whether countries’ geographical location can affect their level of entrepreneurship and innovation. The technology-organization-environment (TOE) and sustainability perspectives were used as a theoretical framework for understanding how geographical contexts influence technology transfer in terms of environment-related patents. Implications for management, theory and policy are discussed together with the study’s limitations and suggestions for future research.
Digital transformation has recently become a way to attain competitive advantages and company differentiation. However, what the implications are of the digitalization of processes for the innovative ...capability and performance of companies is still unclear. This study seeks to contribute to a better understanding of digital transformation by analyzing the factors that lead companies to adopt new digital processes and their consequences in terms of innovation and performance. Using a sample of 938 companies and multivariate statistical analysis, this study shows that entrepreneurs' and managers' profiles and these leaders' adoption of new digital processes contribute to these companies' greater competitiveness.
•We identify the factors that lead companies to adopt new digital processes.•Digital transformation boosts company innovation and performance.•The adoption of new digital processes contributes to greater competitiveness.•A better understanding of the digitalization mechanisms is provided.
Using bibliometric techniques to identify connections between existing entrepreneurship studies, this article seeks to understand the scientific structure of entrepreneurship research and how ...entrepreneurship scholarship is organized. Co-citation data and quantitative approach were used to identify scientific publications, intellectual structures, and research trends interrelated with theories of innovative entrepreneurship. Data were gathered from the citations and co-citations found in the
Science Citation Index Expanded
,
Social Science Citation Index
, and
Arts and Humanities Citation Index
. Our research reveals six groups of underlying entrepreneurship theories: (1) knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship, (2) creation and networks theory, (3) decision-making theory, (4) specialization of labor, (5) social entrepreneurship theory, and (6) entrepreneurship in the informal economy.
Wearing failure as a path to innovation Ferreira, João J.M.; Fernandes, Cristina I.; Ferreira, Fernando A.F.
Journal of business research,
11/2020, Volume:
120
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
•Failure can be a path to innovation.•The impacts of innovative project failure are analyzed.•The relationship between innovative performance and organizational failure and learning is empirically ...tested.•Companies’ accumulated experience has as a positive role in their assimilation of knowledge flows.
Innovation is a widely acknowledged key component of corporate performance management. However, most of the literature on this topic has tended to focus on determinants of corporate failure, thereby neglecting to look at the role of innovation failure in triggering innovative initiatives. By using a sample of companies covered by 2014 Community Innovation Survey data and applying econometric models, this study sought to analyze the impacts of innovative project failure. The results show that innovation failure is negatively correlated with companies’ experience and acquisition of external knowledge. The main findings are consistent with the scarce literature on this research topic, and highlight the positive role that companies’ accumulated experience has in their assimilation of knowledge flows.
In an increasingly digital world, almost anything can now be done through a computer or smartphone. Digital entrepreneurship is capitalizing on this trend, which brings numerous advantages to firms ...and society at large. However, the determinants of digital entrepreneurship’s success are still unclear, as well as how they relate to each other. This study sought to develop a fuzzy cognitive map (FCM) to identify and analyze the determinants of digital entrepreneurship. Two group sessions were held with a panel of decision makers who deal with the digital entrepreneurship phenomenon every day. Based on their shared experience and knowledge, an FCM was developed and validated for this research context. Static and dynamic analyses facilitated a deeper understanding of the cause-and-effect relationships between the determinants of digital entrepreneurship, resulting in a well-informed framework that was validated by the panel members. This methodological procedure enabled an objective analysis of the dynamics behind digital entrepreneurship. The advantages and limitations of our constructivist framework are also discussed.
An evaluation of a multiplex PCR assay (Bruce-ladder) was performed in seven laboratories using 625 Brucella strains from different animal and geographical origins. This robust test can differentiate ...in a single step all of the classical Brucella species, including those found in marine mammals and the S19, RB51, and Rev.1 vaccine strains.
PurposeThe purpose of this study determines how environmental management control system (MCS) packages influence ecological sustainability and sustainable performance through the mediating role of ...environmental strategies. Furthermore, this applies organizational capabilities as moderating variables between environmental strategies, ecological sustainability and sustainable performance in a sample of 373 construction firms.Design/methodology/approachThe authors apply quantitative questionnaire data from construction firm representatives (from project, sales and construction managers and contract managers, executive directors and engineers) to structural equation modeling and SmartPLS for our analysis.FindingsThe results demonstrate that recourse to environmental MCS packages significantly influence ecological sustainability, sustainable performance and environmental strategies. Additionally, environmental strategies and organizational capabilities significantly influence ecological sustainability and sustainable performance. Moreover, environmental strategies mediate between environmental MCS packages, ecological sustainability and sustainable performance. Organizational capabilities significantly moderate the relationship between ecological sustainability and sustainable performance.Practical implicationsThis research highlights the issue of how the management of construction organizations deploy environmental MCS packages, organizational capabilities and business strategies to measure ecological sustainability and improve their sustainable performance. This study fills a gap in the literature and facilitates the management of construction organizations in strengthening their internal resources in terms of environmental MCS packages, environmental strategies and organizational capabilities able to help improve their ecological sustainability and sustainable performance.Originality/valueThere are few studies building theoretical frameworks for incorporating environmental MCS packages, organizational capabilities, environmental strategies, ecological sustainability and sustainable performance into a single study. Although the influence of various types of intangible resources on ecological sustainability and sustainable performance receive considerable examination in the literature, there is a dearth of attention paid to understanding the role of environmental MCS packages, environmental strategies and organizational capabilities in determining the ecological sustainability and sustainable performance of construction organizations.
Melanoma incidence, a type of skin cancer, has been increasing worldwide. There is a strong need to develop new therapeutic strategies to improve melanoma treatment. Morin is a bioflavonoid with the ...potential for use in the treatment of cancer, including melanoma. However, therapeutic applications of morin are restrained owing to its low aqueous solubility and limited bioavailability. This work investigates morin hydrate (MH) encapsulation in mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) to enhance morin bioavailability and consequently increase the antitumor effects in melanoma cells. Spheroidal MSNs with a mean size of 56.3 ± 6.5 nm and a specific surface area of 816 m
/g were synthesized. MH was successfully loaded (MH-MSN) using the evaporation method, with a loading capacity of 28.3% and loading efficiency of 99.1%. In vitro release studies showed that morin release from MH-MSNs was enhanced at pH 5.2, indicating increased flavonoid solubility. The in vitro cytotoxicity of MH and MH-MSNs on human A375, MNT-1 and SK-MEL-28 melanoma cell lines was investigated. Exposure to MSNs did not affect the cell viability of any of the cell lines tested, suggesting that the nanoparticles are biocompatible. The effect of MH and MH-MSNs on reducing cell viability was time- and concentration-dependent in all melanoma cell lines. The A375 and SK-MEL-28 cell lines were slightly more sensitive than MNT-1 cells in both the MH and MH-MSN treatments. Our findings suggest that MH-MSNs are a promising delivery system for the treatment of melanoma.
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