In this paper, we consider the problem of detecting a signal in Gaussian noise with unknown covariance matrix, in partially homogeneous environments where the test and training data samples share the ...same noise covariance matrix up to an unknown scaling factor. One solution to this problem is the adaptive subspace detector (ASD) with a single or multiple observations. However, the probabilities of false alarm and detection of this ASD have not been obtained yet. In this paper, these expressions are derived on the basis of a single observation, which are confirmed with Monte Carlo simulations. It is shown that the ASD has a constant false alarm rate property with respect to both the shared noise covariance matrix structure and the independent scaling of the noise in the test data. In addition, we prove that for the First-Order model where the signal of interest is assumed to be a deterministic but unknown vector, the ASD derived with the generalized likelihood ratio test is consistent with that derived with an ad hoc two-step design procedure.
This study examines how perceived value of microfinance and exploratory innovation affect small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) performance in the context of a developing nation. Drawing on the ...strategic innovation and microfinance literature, we hypothesize that (1) perceived value of microfinance affects exploratory innovation and SME performance, and (2) exploratory innovation serves as an effective mechanism through which microfinance enhances SME performance. We employ partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test our hypotheses. Using a sample of 581 Ghanaian SMEs with microfinance, the results of the PLS-SEM support our hypotheses. We further conducted a qualitative analysis of comments provided by the SMEs (n = 144) to gain a deeper understanding of exploratory innovation in developing economies. Our findings show that SMEs purposefully attempt to strengthen their exploratory innovation in microfinance. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings as well as future research avenues.
Grain zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) concentrations and their responses to foliar application of micronutrients in 28 Chinese wheat landraces and 63 cultivars were investigated in a two-year field ...experiment. The average grain Zn and Fe concentrations were 41.8 mg kg−1 (29.0−63.3 mg kg−1) and 39.7 mg kg−1 (27.9−67.0 mg kg−1), respectively. Compared with cultivars, landraces had greater grain Zn (11.0%) and Fe (4.8%) concentrations but lower harvest index (HI), grain weight per spike (GWS), grain number per spike (GNS) and thousand grain weight (TGW). Both Zn and Fe concentrations were negatively and significantly correlated with HI, GWS, and GNS, while showed a poor association with TGW, suggesting that lower HI, GWS, and GNS, but not TGW, accounted for higher Zn and Fe concentrations for landraces than for cultivars. Grain Zn concentrations of both cultivars and landraces significantly increased after foliar Zn spray and the increase was two-fold greater for landraces (12.6 mg kg−1) than for cultivars (6.4 mg kg−1). Foliar Fe spray increased grain Fe concentrations of landraces (3.4 mg kg−1) and cultivars (1.2 mg kg−1), but these increases were not statistically significant. This study showed that Chinese wheat landraces had higher grain Zn and Fe concentrations than cultivars, and greater increases occurred in grain Zn concentration than in grain Fe concentration in response to fertilization, suggesting that Chinese wheat landraces could serve as a potential genetic source for enhancing grain mineral levels in modern wheat cultivars.
Interactionist theories link individuals’ work performance to both situational and personality factors. However, while prior research finds support for the direct effects of both employees’ ...situational experiences and their personality on performance, empirical support for their interactional effects is lacking. This article first examines how supervisory support influences employees’ self-concept and in-role performance. Second, it investigates how perceived organisational support (POS) moderates the effects of supervisory support on employee self-concept and how employee self-concept mediates the relationship between supervisory support and employee in-role performance. Using a sample of 215 professional employees drawn from knowledge-intensive organisations in New Zealand, findings suggest that supervisory support relates positively to employees’ self-concept. Moreover, this relationship is strengthened when POS is stronger. The study also finds employee self-concept plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between supervisory support and employee in-role performance. These findings and their implications for research and practice are discussed.
The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana is a typical filamentous fungus and has been used for pest biocontrol. Conidia are the main active agents of fungal pesticides; however, we know little ...about conidial developmental mechanisms and less about maturation mechanisms. We found that a Zn
Cys
transcription factor of
bassiana (named BbCmr1) was mainly expressed in late-stage conidia and was involved in conidium maturation regulation. Deletion of
impaired the conidial cell wall and resulted in a lower conidial germination rate under UV (UV), heat shock, H
O
, Congo red (CR) and SDS stresses compared to the wild type. Transcription levels of the genes associated with conidial wall components and trehalose synthase were significantly reduced in the
mutant. Further analysis found that BbCmr1 functions by upregulating BbWetA, a well-known transcription factor in the central development of BrlA-AbaA-WetA. The expression of
was positively regulated by BbBrlA. These results indicated that BbCmr1 played important roles in conidium maturation by interacting with the central development pathway, which provided insight into the conidial development networks in
bassiana.
Conidium maturation is a pivotal event in conidial development and affects fungal survival ability under various biotic/abiotic stresses. Although many transcription factors have been reported to regulate conidial development, we know little about the molecular mechanism of conidium maturation. Here, we demonstrated that the transcription factor BbCmr1 of
bassiana was involved in conidium maturation, regulating cell wall structure, the expression of cell wall-related proteins, and trehalose synthesis. BbCmr1 orchestrated conidium maturation by interplaying with the central development pathway BrlA-AbaA-WetA. BbBrlA positively regulated the expression of
, and the latter positively regulated
expression, which forms a regulatory network mediating conidial development. This finding was critical to understand the molecular regulatory networks of conidial development in
bassiana and provided avenues to engineer insect fungal pathogens with high-quality conidia.
Purpose
– Using the mutual gains model as a framework, the purpose of this paper is to explore the important issue of mutuality in employment relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
– This study ...uses a sample of 215 New Zealand professionals to assess the relationships between commitment-oriented HRM practice, work intensification, work-life balance (WLB) and task and contextual performance.
Findings
– The authors find commitment-oriented HRM practice does not intensify the work experiences of professionals, but nor does it contribute positively to the achievement of WLB. Both these well-being types do, however, contribute to explaining professionals’ task and contextual performance outcomes.
Research limitations/implications
– The findings suggest current narrow interpretations of well-being need to be revisited, with the meaning of well-being, its measurement and its role in delivering performance outcomes afforded greater attention within HRM studies.
Practical implications
– A primary goal of managers is to deliver optimum performance outcomes. For professionals, the research suggests an important means to achieving this is by promoting positive well-being.
Originality/value
– This study offers some important insights into the role mutuality plays in influencing performance outcomes. In addition, by exploring two contrasting facets of well-being, one health- and one happiness-related, the authors provide some empirical insights into how employees’ well-being affects performance outcomes.
High-throughput sequencing has identified a large number of sense-antisense transcriptional pairs, which indicates that these genes were transcribed from both directions. Recent reports have ...demonstrated that many antisense RNAs, especially lnc RNA（long non-coding RNA）, can interact with the sense RNA by forming an RNA duplex. Many methods, such as RNA-sequencing, Northern blotting, RNase protection assays and strand-specific PCR, can be used to detect the antisense transcript and gene transcriptional orientation. However, the applications of these methods have been constrained, to some extent, because of the high cost, difficult operation or inaccuracy, especially regarding the analysis of substantial amounts of data. Thus, we developed an easy method to detect and validate these complicated RNAs. We primarily took advantage of the strand specificity of RT-PCR and the single-strand specificity of S1 endonuclease to analyze sense and antisense transcripts. Four known genes, including mouse β-actin and Tsix（Xist antisense RNA）, chicken LXN（latexin） and GFM1（Gelongation factor, mitochondrial 1）, were used to establish the method. These four genes were well studied and transcribed from positive strand, negative strand or both strands of DNA, respectively, which represented all possible cases. The results indicated that the method can easily distinguish sense, antisense and sense-antisense transcriptional pairs. In addition, it can be used to verify the results of high-throughput sequencing, as well as to analyze the regulatory mechanisms between RNAs. This method can improve the accuracy of detection and can be mainly used in analyzing single gene and was low cost.
We investigated the efficacy and safety of a new type of dietary fiber (high specific volume polysaccharide) for use in treating constipation of different etiologies. Functional constipation patients ...and irritable bowel syndrome-constipation (IBS-C) patients were administrated high specific volume polysaccharide (HSVP) three times daily for a period of 2 wk to relieve their symptoms. Scores on a stool form scale, and patient reports of straining during a bowel movement, having sensations of an incomplete bowel movement or a blocked anorectum, and abnormal defecation intervals were recorded, graded, and scored by a functional constipation sample group. Similarly, a cohort of IBS-C patients reported their occurrence of abdominal discomfort or pain, abnormal stool formation, defecation frequency, and straining during a bowel movement. Additionally, both groups reported any adverse reactions associated with taking HSVP. All patients in both groups returned for follow-up visits, and no adverse reactions to treatment with HSVP were reported. In the functional constipation group, HSVP was effective for treating symptoms of constipation in 81.46% and 93.17% of patients after 7 and 14 d of dosing, respectively (both p<0.05). In the IBS-C group, symptoms of constipation were relieved in 71.67% and 88.34% of patients after 7 and 14 d of dosing, respectively (both p<0.05). High specific volume polysaccharide was shown be effective for treatment of functional constipation and IBS-C, without causing significant adverse events.
This paper examines what factors publicly funded principal investigators (PIs) perceive as inhibiting their involvement in commercialization activities. PIs are important knowledge brokers in public ...science but while the emerging literature on PIs has primarily focused on identifying their multitude of roles and responsibilities, much less is known about their experiences in commercialization specifically. It remains unknown what challenges inhibit PIs from pursuing commercialization when shaping their competitive research proposals. To begin to address this topic, this study draws on semi-structured interviews with 24 funded health science PIs in New Zealand. The study found that a lack of confidence in the expectations and consistency of funding body review processes, as well as a lack of appropriate support and resources within the university, can deter PIs from incorporating commercialization activities in their research agendas. The implications of these findings for the literature and practice are also discussed.
PDF
